We are excited to introduce our lovely new wines from the Loire Valley

Located in the northwest of France, the famous region follows the river valley from the coast in the west further inland to central vineyards. A beautiful landscape listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is known as the King’s Valley due to its spectacular French castles. The region boasts exemplary wines made with Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and red varieties such as Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Gamay, with a variety of styles from the coast to inland areas.

Complices de Loire

Complices de Loire is a joint venture between François-Xavier Barc, with his years of winemaking experience, and Gérald Vallée, who is a fourth-generation winegrower. They farm sustainably and follow organic practices to produce quality wines that showcase the versatility of the Loire Valley. We are excited to introduce the ‘Harmonie Chenin Blanc’, which is made from grapes grown in clay- and sand-based soil and produced in steel tanks, resulting in a deliciously fresh and elegant wine. This lovely white offers refined aromas of white flowers and citrus fruit, with flavours of green apple, pear and honeysuckle on the palate, creating a clean mouthfeel and bright, fresh acidity. This is just one of the wines from their fantastic selection, which focuses on different appellations such as Vouvray, Sancerre, Bourgueil and Saumur-Champigny, to name a few.

Domaine Fabrice Gasnier

Domaine Fabrice Gasnier is located in the Centre-Val de Loire region, in Cravant-les-Côteaux, a village known for the quality of its wines from the Chinon appellation. For five generations, members of this family have followed each other, bringing many changes that have shaped the identity of the Domaine and allowed it to develop. Aware of their surrounding environment, Sandrine and Fabrice became interested in organic and biodynamic farming in 1998. In 2000, the estate became fully organic, and they are now certified biodynamic. The 35-hectare vineyard, spread over 40 plots, extends mainly over clay and limestone soils. The estate grows 90% Cabernet Franc and 10% Chenin. The family’s desire is to highlight the most beautiful characteristics of these two iconic varieties. They use indigenous yeast to encourage the best expression of terroir.

‘Chinon Blanc Le Clos de la Cure’, made with Chenin Blanc, is a delightful and expressive white wine, with grapes grown on chalk and gravel soils on high terraces. Ageing on lees gives the wine a lovely round mouthfeel to elegantly complement the apple, pear and Mirabelle plum flavours, with a clean minerality in the finish.

‘Chinon Rouge Les Graves’ is made with 20- to 40-year-old vines of Cabernet Franc on mainly chalky and gravelly soils, with parcel-by-parcel vinification to allow blending options for the best expression. The grapes undergo a 20-day maceration on skins and then six months of ageing in concrete tanks, allowing oxygenation without any influence of oak flavours. This allows a wonderful expression of red and black fruit, complemented by fresh, subtle herbaceous notes.

‘Chinon Rouge Signature’ is the next step up, coming from vines that are 80 to 85 years old, planted on clay and limestone with a south-facing exposure. Grapes are destemmed and macerated for 32 days before fermenting in concrete and then aged in French oak for 12 months, making it well-suited to further years of ageing. This wine expresses a lovely blend of floral and roasted notes with an elegant structure, a smooth mouthfeel, and a long-lasting finish.

By Molly Newport