Agnès et Xavier AMIRAULT
2015 St-Nicolas de Bourgueil Les Gravilices
Floral aromas, medium-weight body with red fruit, crunchiness, a touch of spice. This is a good wine, but doesn’t show anything extra to make it even better. Certified organic and biodynamic. 12.5% stated alcohol. 88/B
Famille AMIRAULT-GROSBOIS
2018 Bourgueil AG Les Caillottes
From a joint effort of two leading families in the region, in this case, made by Xavier Amirault and Nicolas Grosbois. The vines are on gravelly soils. The wine is light, smooth, and has crunchy red fruits typical of Cabernet Franc — easy to drink and giving pleasure over the next 4-5 years. Certified organic. 12.5% stated alcohol. 87/B
Domaine du BEL AIR/Pierre et Rodolphe GAUTHIER
2019 Bourgueil Jour de Soif
This is a relatively rich wine (14.10% stated alcohol) with crunchy, spicy blackberry fruit. The wine is medium-light and silky on the palate (serve cool, but not too much). Not a serious dinner wine, but good for informal dinners and sitting on the terrace. Cork closure. Lot L0220. 87/B
Domaine de BELLIVIÈRE/Eric NICOLAS
2018 Coteaux du Loir Rouge Gorge
This wine, from Pineau d’Aunis, is medium-weight with plenty of cranberry aromas and flavors and some of the characteristic white pepper. Acidity is moderate, but not deficient. The wine finishes with what seem to be drying tannins, but I believe that it’s mostly just the (substantial amount of) CO2 in the wine; give it a good shaking before serving. Certified organic and biodynamic. Cork closure. Lot L2. 13.5% stated alcohol. 88/B+
Patrice COLIN
2017 Coteaux du Vendômois Pierre François
This is an attractive blend of Pineau d’Aunis, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc. The wine is light, fresh and fruity with red and dark berry fruit of good intensity, enlivening acidity, and some salinity. I’d drink this wine over the next 3-4 years. Certified organic. 12% stated alcohol. Lot nº 176. 88/A-
2017 Coteaux du Vendômois vieilles vignes
Likewise a mixture of Pineau d’Aunis, Pinot Noir, and Cabernet Franc, this wine, too, is nothing short of delicious and quite an excellent value. It has blue fruits in the nose and mouth with just a little white pepper. The wine is medium-weight and shows some lightness on the palate. Will it age? I don’t have any experience, but it’s great for drinking now and should be able to age for 4-8 years. Certified organic. 12.5% stated alcohol. Lot nº 177. 89/A
Thierry GERMAIN /Domaine des ROCHES NEUVES
2017 Saumur-Champigny
Only Thierry Germain is listed as the proprietor here, not Domaine des Roches Neuves, and this wine does not bear biodynamic or organic certification on the label. The effects of the very low yields in 2017 is apparent with this wine. After an attractive nose of cassis and red cherries, the mouth is extremely dense and concentrated with plenty of tannins. If you drink this wine young, as I’d normally expect to do with a base-level Saumur-Champigny, decant an hour or two in advance. Otherwise, expect to hold this wine 5-7+ years and hope that it has the balance to make it. Lot L0117. 12.5% stated alcohol. 87?/B
2017 Saumur-Champigny Terres Chaudes
This is a Domaine des Roches Neuves wine and the back label shows organic and biodynamic certification. Unlike the previous wine, there’s no question about the balance here. The wine features spiced dark plum aromas and flavors with some minerality. It is medium-weight, concentrated, and has tannins so that I would suggest 5-7 years’ cellaring before starting to drink; alternatively, decant well in advance of serving. Lot L17. 12.5% stated alcohol. 90/A-
2018 Saumur-Champigny
Much better than the 2017 version, this wine has fresh, crisp, crunchy cassis fruit in a medium-weight body. It’s delicious to drink now, but has the balance for at least 4-6 years of aging, maybe more. Certified organic and biodynamic. Lot L 0418. 13.5% stated alcohol. 90/A-