Spurred by the “wines that we like but no one gives a shit about” evening, I’ve gotten worked up about the Loire. More specifically whites and more specifically still, Chenin Blanc – nothing against Muscadet wines (which are largely ignored as well) or Cab Franc (which I enjoy, but acknowledge might not be for everyone), but Chenin Blanc has been gaining ground for me. Low yields, common use of natural and biodynamic practices, a full spectrum of styles/sweetness levels, good balance of fruit and minerality, great wine to have with food, and relatively accessible prices all make for some special wines.

Château Gaudrelle ’05 Vouvray
We shared a bottle of this the other night at Chambar which paired nicely with the spread of flavours – the spicy Moule Frites Congolaise and the Les amuses bouches d’Escoffier (portions of chicken liver mousse, crisp sweet breads, absinthe escargot, and duck rillettes). Brilliant. The wine has a tropical and juicy edge to it (and a touch of sweetness too)- pineapple and sweet coconut (not the toasted oaky kind) with green apple, a great minerality (crushed rock) and little doughy/leesy action. At $25 from the old BCLDB, this is good value and great for someone wanting to get their feet wet with Vouvray. Check availability here.

Domaine Huet ’06 Le Mont Sec Vouvray
An awesome producer employing biodynamics with a practical outlook: “What counts is the result. We don’t pollute the environment; we pick healthy grapes and the wine is good. Why should we deprive ourselves of that just because we don’t understand it in it’s entirety?” – Noël Pinguet. The wine is good indeed – zippy lemon-zest acidity with the telltale Loire minerality. This guy is $38.90 at Marquis Wine Cellars, who also have other labels from Huet with varying higher degrees of sweetness.

Nicolas Joly ’05 “Clos de la Bergerie” Roche-Aux-Moines
For anyone who hasn’t tasted one, Nicholas Joly’s wines are intense and incredible. He is one of the world’s top Biodynamic advocates and despite the fact that he seems to have crossed the line into fanaticism, he makes some truly expressive and wildly interesting wines. The Clos de la Bergerie had an obvious rich nuttiness and became more interesting and continued to evolve the longer it was open – according to Andrew Jefford, Joly recommends decanting his wines 24 hours before drinking and serving them at a cool room temperature. His wine isn’t cheap, but if you know what you’re getting yourself into, drinking a bottle can be highly rewarding wine-experience. Kitsilano Wine Cellars sells the Clos de la Bergerie for $100, his entry level wine – Le Vieux Clos ’06 for $55, and the flagship – Coulée de Serrant ’05 for $145. For more Joly, watch the legendary WLTV when he was a guest, and read Tracie B’s post “Day 6: Loire Valley and the Nicolas Joly Winery” on 31 Days of Natural Wine.

This can obviously be asked of many many wines, but why isn’t Vouvray or Savennières popular? Maybe Chenin Blanc from the Loire is a difficult grape for novice/casual wine drinkers (high minerality and not enough fruit). Are people scared to get a bottle with too much sweetness by mistake? I imagine it’s just the ebb and flow of wine list trends and that every wine can’t be “what all the sommeliers are talking about” (or no longer talking about?).

And Now for something completely unrelated…

Lang ’07 Farm Reserve Riesling – British Columbia
I recently revisited the Lang Riesling, and it performed nicely. Rich and spicy – the sweetness balanced with a bright citrusy acidity. A little more peachy and orangy than I remembered and fairly reminiscent of something out of Germany’s Rheingau region. Good and very drinkable. For just under $20 and widely available in BC, its deserving of a Value title as well. Check availability at the BCLDB nearest you.

Finally…

American sommelier David Lynch, and co-author of one of my top 5 wine books “Vino Italiano” has become a little more Tupac than Biggie and made the move from NYC to SF to take charge of Quince’s wine program. I love what he says about white wine in his recently posted 5 Wine Maxims. A great article on his new role at Quince by Jon Bonné here.