Loire Valley
Spanning from the Central Vineyards in the east to Nantes in the west, passing through Torraine and Anjou-Samur, the Loire Valley is a vast and varied wine region shaped by the river's influence. The region's diverse terroir is characterized by a continental climate in the east and a maritime climate in the west.
Renowned for its exceptional dry white wines made from Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, the Loire Valley offers a captivating selection with crisp acidity, expressive fruit flavours, and mineral notes. Notable white wine appellations in the Loire Valley include Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Vouvray, and Savennières. Leading producers of white wine in the region include Domaine Vacheron, Domaine Huet, and Domaine Didier Dagueneau.
In addition to its white wines, the Loire Valley produces charming red wines made from Cabernet Franc. Ranging from light and fruity to more complex and age-worthy, these red wines are known for their vibrant acidity, subtle tannins, and bright red fruit flavours. Key appellations for red wines in the Loire Valley include Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur-Champigny. Notable producers of red wine in the region include Domaine Bernard Baudry, Catherine & Pierre Breton, and Domaine Charles Joguet.
The Loire Valley also produces excellent sweet wines and sparkling wines. Sweet wines are made from Chenin Blanc grapes affected by botrytis, a fungus that concentrates the sugars in the grapes, resulting in luscious sweetness, honeyed flavors, and vibrant acidity. The most famous sweet wine appellations in the Loire Valley include Coteaux du Layon and Quarts de Chaume. Sparkling wines, known as Crémant de Loire, are made using the traditional method and offer excellent value for money with finesse, delicate bubbles, and refreshing character.
Loire Valley
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Vinous (92+)
Deep ruby. Lovely lift to the gamey aromas of blackberry, violet and wild flowers. Discreetly sweet, layered and seamless, showing perfectly integrated acidity and a chalky quality to the vibrant tannins. Juicy, vinous, intense and delicately suave, this distinguished cabernet franc finishes with subdued cassis fruit, subtle spices and superb length, reminding Nady of the 1993.Inc. TAX€2,140.19 -
Vinous (95)
There's a gorgeous nectarine-like character that runs through Les Poyeux when young and the 2016 is no different. It's silky and seductive in a non-opulent way. Finesse is a word that crops up repeatedly when I tasted this wine: finesse of fragrance - this is delightfully perfumed, pure and precise; finesse of tannins with their fine chalky texture. It is long, scented and charming, thus it could be approached now if you wished but it has a medium to long life ahead.Inc. TAX€2,476.42 -
Vinous (95)
There's a gorgeous nectarine-like character that runs through Les Poyeux when young and the 2016 is no different. It's silky and seductive in a non-opulent way. Finesse is a word that crops up repeatedly when I tasted this wine: finesse of fragrance - this is delightfully perfumed, pure and precise; finesse of tannins with their fine chalky texture. It is long, scented and charming, thus it could be approached now if you wished but it has a medium to long life ahead.Inc. TAX€2,122.19 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
Elegant and poised with red-berry and floral notes. As is often the case, a burgundian feel. Huge intensity on the palate, the tannins tight and firm but fine as well. Lovely balance. Should age well.Inc. TAX€1,816.42 -
Exemplifying the heart of Loire Valley's wine production, Domaine des Closiers Saumur-Champigny Les Closiers 2021 represents the zenith of viniculture expertise. This exceptional red wine manifests its origins splendidly, with grapes nurtured in the unique limestone-clay terroirs, mirrored in its delicate minerality and vibrant freshness. The wine boasts a blend of profundity and elegance, characteristic of the iconic Cabernet Franc grape, carefully hand-harvested at peak readiness for a flavourful experience.
The esteemed Domaine des Closiers, renowned for generations of winemaking heritage and commitment to organic principles, masterfully employs traditional winemaking techniques enhanced by modern practices. Undergoing fermentation on the lees, with an 18 month maturation in oak barrels, Domaine des Closiers Saumur-Champigny Les Closiers 2021 unfurls into an expressive wine, balancing richness with poised tannins. Notes of red berries, spices and ethereal floral undertones make this an exquisite choice for discerning aficionados who value authenticity and terroir expression in their wines.
Inc. TAX€325.72 -
The Domaine des Closiers Saumur-Champigny Trezellieres 2019 is the epitome of fine Loire Valley red, boasting exquisite balance between ripe fruit and refined tannins. From the exceptional 2019 vintage, this exquisite wine hails from the classic Saumur-Champigny appellation, renowned for its Cabernet Franc variety. Using traditional, biodynamic vineyard practices, Domaine des Closiers expertly coax the inherent character from each vine. The grapes are hand-harvested and cold macerated, utilising native yeast fermentation, contributing to the wine's alluring complexity and body.
This expression is a paradigm of elegance, embedded with notes of ripe dark fruits, soft spicy undertones, and mineral-driven finish. The matured wine reveals its considered structure, hinting at a rewarding ageing potential. Reflecting the Domaine des Closiers’ dedication to sustainable viticulture and precision winemaking, the Saumur-Champigny Trezellieres 2019 is the central piece around which an elegant dinner can be choreographed. Pour yourself a glass and experience the melding of vinicultural legacy and crafted modernity.
Inc. TAX€670.12 -
Inc. TAX€232.38
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Vinous (91)
The Saumur Champigny label changes color every year, and in 2020 it's lilac. This might not be one of the estate’s single-vineyard cuvées but it offers delight with its bright, ripe fruit and sense of purity and transparency. There's nothing forced here (or in any of the other Roches Neuves wines, for that matter). Very natural and dangerously more-ish.Inc. TAX€265.67 -
Vinous (89)
The 2021 Domaine des Roches Neuves is made in a light bodied, delicate and fragrant style. The purity of fruit here is reminiscent of raspberries and blueberries. It's a crunchy, fresh and lightly chalky style. Drink in its youth, lightly chilled.Inc. TAX€203.03 -
Inc. TAX€320.95
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Inc. TAX€390.78
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Vinous (95)
The 2019 Saumur Champigny Clos de L'Echelier is round and gently calm, almost meditative, but the chalky soil keeps things fresh and moving along despite the warmth of the growing season. There's delicacy on the midpalate and chalky finesse and fine tension on the lengthy finish, which is scented with red fruits and flowers. Outstanding stuff.Inc. TAX€295.98 -
Inc. TAX€460.54
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Vinous (94)
Hailing from a sandy site planted in 2004, the 2019 Saumur Champigny Franc de Pied is the last wine that its maker Thierry Germain serves up. It's like a fondant potato melting in your mouth with its silken ease; it has breadth too, although with the seeming weight of air. This is a touch savory, and a hint of leather sits in the background, but it adds rather than detracts from the complexity. Scented, lengthy finish.Inc. TAX€277.98 -
Vinous (94)
The 2020 Franc de Pied is incredibly reductive when it was first opened and needed a lot of time and a swirl with a copper coin. If you can be patient (5 minutes with a penny in your glass, or your currency's equivalent), it's worth the wait. It reveals itself to be a richly fruited, savory style that fills the mouth with a balloon of chalky silkiness. The limestone element really shows itself on the long finish, all finely grained texture and sinew. As you'd hope from Saumur-Champigny, there's no sense of weight or heft. Delectable now but has the structure to develop over the coming two decades.Inc. TAX€433.98 -
Inc. TAX€424.07
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Inc. TAX€364.38
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Wine Spectator (93)
Vivid, with a lovely beam of cassis and dark cherry puree racing through, flanked by hints of graphite and alder and scored by flashes of bay, olive and sweet tobacco through the finish. A Loire red lover's dream. Drink now through 2026. 42 cases imported.Inc. TAX€229.98 -
Inc. TAX€349.98
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Vinous (96)
From vines planted in 1904 that sit on both flint and limestone, which is a rare combination in Saumur-Champigny, the 2019 Les Memoires is all purity of coulis-like fruit. It offers incredible concentration yet floats in the mouth like a weightless cloud. If there were a Cabernet Franc equivalent of Chambolle Musigny, this would be it. I love it. The finest of chalky tannins are just present on the finish, as if to remind you this is a red wine.Inc. TAX€865.57 -
Vinous (96)
From vines planted in 1904 that sit on both flint and limestone, which is a rare combination in Saumur-Champigny, the 2019 Les Memoires is all purity of coulis-like fruit. It offers incredible concentration yet floats in the mouth like a weightless cloud. If there were a Cabernet Franc equivalent of Chambolle Musigny, this would be it. I love it. The finest of chalky tannins are just present on the finish, as if to remind you this is a red wine.Inc. TAX€327.18 -
Vinous (94)
The 2020 Les Mémoires is a round and elegant Cabernet Franc. It's a not-trying-hard wine that exudes a sense of calm and ease as it rolls around your mouth seamlessly. Maybe it's the 100-year-old vines doing their thing. There's no oak getting in the way, allowing the purity of fruit to shine. It remains true to its variety and place, while its light spice meets dark fruits. Forget the fruit flavors, this is all about refined texture and its fine, chalky, powdery veil of tannins lightly coating the palate. Long and textural, this is not a wine you'll regret...Inc. TAX€556.38 -
Inc. TAX€438.47
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Inc. TAX€508.07
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Vinous (90)
A fascinating natural wine experiment (only 2,000 bottles). Four months maceration in amphora, then eight months in very old barrels. Aromas of wild berry and earth and that natty “Brooklyn funk.” Once you move past the nose, it’s relatively straightforward on the palate, offering cherry and earth and plenty of stony notes, fine tannins and a cozy but stony finish. Might still be a little young.Inc. TAX€508.07 -
Wine Advocate (92)
From the commune Chacé and the lieu-dit Les Poyeux and vines averaging 35 to 45 years old rooting in a calcareous terroir, the 2019 Saumur Champigny Terres Chaudes opens with a lovely fresh and aromatic bouquet of perfectly ripe and concentrated dark and red berries that intermingle with peppery and discreet nougat notes. Lush and silky on the palate, this is a beautifully fruity Cabernet Franc with a serious tannin structure and a salty-vital, refreshing, pure and crunchy finish. A really fabulous wine that is irresistible. Tasted in June 2021.Inc. TAX€290.02 -
Vinous (92)
Limestone, clay and ripe, cooked raspberry with a hint of spice. At first it has an open structure but then concludes relatively firm and tannic for a Roches Neuves. Combines with a line of fresh acidity making for a taut conclusion.Inc. TAX€306.78 -
Inc. TAX€311.27
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Vinous (92+)
Deep ruby. Lovely lift to the gamey aromas of blackberry, violet and wild flowers. Discreetly sweet, layered and seamless, showing perfectly integrated acidity and a chalky quality to the vibrant tannins. Juicy, vinous, intense and delicately suave, this distinguished cabernet franc finishes with subdued cassis fruit, subtle spices and superb length, reminding Nady of the 1993.In Bond€1,765.00 -
Vinous (95)
There's a gorgeous nectarine-like character that runs through Les Poyeux when young and the 2016 is no different. It's silky and seductive in a non-opulent way. Finesse is a word that crops up repeatedly when I tasted this wine: finesse of fragrance - this is delightfully perfumed, pure and precise; finesse of tannins with their fine chalky texture. It is long, scented and charming, thus it could be approached now if you wished but it has a medium to long life ahead.In Bond€2,045.00 -
Vinous (95)
There's a gorgeous nectarine-like character that runs through Les Poyeux when young and the 2016 is no different. It's silky and seductive in a non-opulent way. Finesse is a word that crops up repeatedly when I tasted this wine: finesse of fragrance - this is delightfully perfumed, pure and precise; finesse of tannins with their fine chalky texture. It is long, scented and charming, thus it could be approached now if you wished but it has a medium to long life ahead.In Bond€1,750.00 -
Jancis Robinson (18)
Elegant and poised with red-berry and floral notes. As is often the case, a burgundian feel. Huge intensity on the palate, the tannins tight and firm but fine as well. Lovely balance. Should age well.In Bond€1,495.00 -
Exemplifying the heart of Loire Valley's wine production, Domaine des Closiers Saumur-Champigny Les Closiers 2021 represents the zenith of viniculture expertise. This exceptional red wine manifests its origins splendidly, with grapes nurtured in the unique limestone-clay terroirs, mirrored in its delicate minerality and vibrant freshness. The wine boasts a blend of profundity and elegance, characteristic of the iconic Cabernet Franc grape, carefully hand-harvested at peak readiness for a flavourful experience.
The esteemed Domaine des Closiers, renowned for generations of winemaking heritage and commitment to organic principles, masterfully employs traditional winemaking techniques enhanced by modern practices. Undergoing fermentation on the lees, with an 18 month maturation in oak barrels, Domaine des Closiers Saumur-Champigny Les Closiers 2021 unfurls into an expressive wine, balancing richness with poised tannins. Notes of red berries, spices and ethereal floral undertones make this an exquisite choice for discerning aficionados who value authenticity and terroir expression in their wines.
In Bond€249.00 -
The Domaine des Closiers Saumur-Champigny Trezellieres 2019 is the epitome of fine Loire Valley red, boasting exquisite balance between ripe fruit and refined tannins. From the exceptional 2019 vintage, this exquisite wine hails from the classic Saumur-Champigny appellation, renowned for its Cabernet Franc variety. Using traditional, biodynamic vineyard practices, Domaine des Closiers expertly coax the inherent character from each vine. The grapes are hand-harvested and cold macerated, utilising native yeast fermentation, contributing to the wine's alluring complexity and body.
This expression is a paradigm of elegance, embedded with notes of ripe dark fruits, soft spicy undertones, and mineral-driven finish. The matured wine reveals its considered structure, hinting at a rewarding ageing potential. Reflecting the Domaine des Closiers’ dedication to sustainable viticulture and precision winemaking, the Saumur-Champigny Trezellieres 2019 is the central piece around which an elegant dinner can be choreographed. Pour yourself a glass and experience the melding of vinicultural legacy and crafted modernity.
In Bond€536.00 -
In Bond€175.00
-
Vinous (91)
The Saumur Champigny label changes color every year, and in 2020 it's lilac. This might not be one of the estate’s single-vineyard cuvées but it offers delight with its bright, ripe fruit and sense of purity and transparency. There's nothing forced here (or in any of the other Roches Neuves wines, for that matter). Very natural and dangerously more-ish.In Bond€199.00 -
Vinous (89)
The 2021 Domaine des Roches Neuves is made in a light bodied, delicate and fragrant style. The purity of fruit here is reminiscent of raspberries and blueberries. It's a crunchy, fresh and lightly chalky style. Drink in its youth, lightly chilled.In Bond€147.00 -
In Bond€245.00
-
In Bond€307.00
-
Vinous (95)
The 2019 Saumur Champigny Clos de L'Echelier is round and gently calm, almost meditative, but the chalky soil keeps things fresh and moving along despite the warmth of the growing season. There's delicacy on the midpalate and chalky finesse and fine tension on the lengthy finish, which is scented with red fruits and flowers. Outstanding stuff.In Bond€228.00 -
In Bond€365.00
-
Vinous (94)
Hailing from a sandy site planted in 2004, the 2019 Saumur Champigny Franc de Pied is the last wine that its maker Thierry Germain serves up. It's like a fondant potato melting in your mouth with its silken ease; it has breadth too, although with the seeming weight of air. This is a touch savory, and a hint of leather sits in the background, but it adds rather than detracts from the complexity. Scented, lengthy finish.In Bond€213.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2020 Franc de Pied is incredibly reductive when it was first opened and needed a lot of time and a swirl with a copper coin. If you can be patient (5 minutes with a penny in your glass, or your currency's equivalent), it's worth the wait. It reveals itself to be a richly fruited, savory style that fills the mouth with a balloon of chalky silkiness. The limestone element really shows itself on the long finish, all finely grained texture and sinew. As you'd hope from Saumur-Champigny, there's no sense of weight or heft. Delectable now but has the structure to develop over the coming two decades.In Bond€343.00 -
In Bond€331.00
-
In Bond€285.00
-
Wine Spectator (93)
Vivid, with a lovely beam of cassis and dark cherry puree racing through, flanked by hints of graphite and alder and scored by flashes of bay, olive and sweet tobacco through the finish. A Loire red lover's dream. Drink now through 2026. 42 cases imported.In Bond€173.00 -
In Bond€273.00
-
Vinous (96)
From vines planted in 1904 that sit on both flint and limestone, which is a rare combination in Saumur-Champigny, the 2019 Les Memoires is all purity of coulis-like fruit. It offers incredible concentration yet floats in the mouth like a weightless cloud. If there were a Cabernet Franc equivalent of Chambolle Musigny, this would be it. I love it. The finest of chalky tannins are just present on the finish, as if to remind you this is a red wine.In Bond€684.00 -
Vinous (96)
From vines planted in 1904 that sit on both flint and limestone, which is a rare combination in Saumur-Champigny, the 2019 Les Memoires is all purity of coulis-like fruit. It offers incredible concentration yet floats in the mouth like a weightless cloud. If there were a Cabernet Franc equivalent of Chambolle Musigny, this would be it. I love it. The finest of chalky tannins are just present on the finish, as if to remind you this is a red wine.In Bond€254.00 -
Vinous (94)
The 2020 Les Mémoires is a round and elegant Cabernet Franc. It's a not-trying-hard wine that exudes a sense of calm and ease as it rolls around your mouth seamlessly. Maybe it's the 100-year-old vines doing their thing. There's no oak getting in the way, allowing the purity of fruit to shine. It remains true to its variety and place, while its light spice meets dark fruits. Forget the fruit flavors, this is all about refined texture and its fine, chalky, powdery veil of tannins lightly coating the palate. Long and textural, this is not a wine you'll regret...In Bond€445.00 -
In Bond€343.00
-
In Bond€401.00
-
Vinous (90)
A fascinating natural wine experiment (only 2,000 bottles). Four months maceration in amphora, then eight months in very old barrels. Aromas of wild berry and earth and that natty “Brooklyn funk.” Once you move past the nose, it’s relatively straightforward on the palate, offering cherry and earth and plenty of stony notes, fine tannins and a cozy but stony finish. Might still be a little young.In Bond€401.00 -
Wine Advocate (92)
From the commune Chacé and the lieu-dit Les Poyeux and vines averaging 35 to 45 years old rooting in a calcareous terroir, the 2019 Saumur Champigny Terres Chaudes opens with a lovely fresh and aromatic bouquet of perfectly ripe and concentrated dark and red berries that intermingle with peppery and discreet nougat notes. Lush and silky on the palate, this is a beautifully fruity Cabernet Franc with a serious tannin structure and a salty-vital, refreshing, pure and crunchy finish. A really fabulous wine that is irresistible. Tasted in June 2021.In Bond€223.00 -
Vinous (92)
Limestone, clay and ripe, cooked raspberry with a hint of spice. At first it has an open structure but then concludes relatively firm and tannic for a Roches Neuves. Combines with a line of fresh acidity making for a taut conclusion.In Bond€237.00 -
In Bond€237.00