Tasting Notes: From 25-year-old vines grown on sloping parcels of soft, porous Kimmeridgian limestone chalk and calcareous rocky marl. The grapes are hand-harvested and vinified exclusively in t... hermoregulated stainless steel tanks. In a good large glass, this limpid, saturated, ruby red Pinot Noir is a perfect example of a wine that puts on weight over time. Aromas of wild strawberry preserves, fresh tea roses, sweet wood smoke, and persimmon move in and out of the foreground, sometimes alternating with black and red currants, griotte cherries, and a fleeting suggestion of cardamom as the nose evolves in the glass. On the palate, the wine is supple and medium bodied, with a beautiful silky texture, and a core of sweet red fruit seasoned with fresh rosemary, dried lavender, freshly grated nutmeg, and palpable, saline minerality. Drink now for its electrifying energy and primary fruit, or tuck away in a cool cellar for a decade or more. Read More
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The estate was established in 1970, when Jean-Bernard Moindrot took control of vineyards his grandfather had established years earlier to supplement the income from his cereal mill. In 1999, Jean-Bernard’s son, Valentin Moindrot, took the reins of what had grown to be a fifteen-hectare vineyard, including these eleven hectares of Sauvignon Blanc, and four of Pinot Noir. The vines have always been farmed without the use of chemical pesticides or herbicides, and a cover crop of grass and alfalfa is grown between the rows, to encourage deeply rooted vines, as well as to control erosion of the slopes. The estate produces about 9000 cases annually, with 80% of the production sold to private customers locally, and to restaurants throughout the Loire Valley and beyond in France.
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The Loire River runs 635 miles from the Cévennes Mountains in southeastern France to the Atlantic Coast and flows through (or near) over 60 different appellations. During its long history, the hillsides along the banks provided well-drained soils on which to grow grapes, and the river itself provided a transportation network to outside markets. Menetou-Salon has always existed in the shadow of its more famous neighbor, Sancerre. Economics seemed to have played a key role in suppressing the market for the region's wine - the vineyards are further away from the Loire River where commerce has always been livelier. The wines are broadly similar to Sancerre's, but the land is less calcareous and the wines show an earthy character that is distinct among the Sauvignon of the upper Loire.
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The Pinot Noir grape is an ancient variety that has been grown for nearly two-thousand years in Burgundy, and is also famous for producing high-quality red wines around the world. This variety is known as being difficult to farm, due to its sensitivity to climatic conditions, such as wind and frost. The thin skins and tight conical grape bunches of Pinot Noir also make it susceptible to fungus and mildew. Some of the finest Pinot Noir wines are produced in cooler climate areas, and are characterized by a light body and complex aromas of earthiness and fruit.
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This wine loves nothing more than a simply roasted chicken (get one from a good farm!). Also nice with simple roasts of beef.