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Domaine de la Bergerie, Anjou Blanc, “Les Pierres Girard”

Other, France 2016 (750mL)
$24.00
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Fruit
Earth
Body
Tannin
Acid
Alcohol

Domaine de la Bergerie, Anjou Blanc, “Les Pierres Girard”

At SommSelect, we always review past offers to make sure we’re providing you with a healthy balance of superb values from the world’s classic regions. With that in mind, it’s high time we offered an electric Loire Valley Chenin Blanc—it’s an under-represented category here, and that simply cannot stand. Domaine de la Bergerie’s ultra-dry, textured, exceptionally fresh Anjou Blanc will cause any serious white wine drinker to perk up.
The Guégniard family crafts just about every shade and style of Chenin, and, having tried the majority of them, I can confidently state not a single one has a loose end or imperfection. These are meticulously crafted, ridiculously pure wines, and today’s “Les Pierres Girard” is the greatest value of them all. Just look at the specs: inimitable schist soils from the Central Loire; organic farming; traditional winemaking in neutral French oak; and a jaw-dropping expression of bone-dry, superbly expressive Chenin Blanc for a price that seems unjust to the winemaker. This sub-$25 stunner will age beautifully, match perfectly with the summer, and stand up to countless main courses. You simply cannot go wrong with this mouthwatering Loire value!
In 1964, Marie-Scholastique Horeau purchased Domaine de la Bergerie and it hasn’t left family hands since. It took many years to inject life into the estate again, but her grandson Yves Guégniard—a seventh-generation winemaker—and his wife, Marie-Annick, have brought it to 21st century prominence. More recently, they’ve integrated their daughters, Anne and Marie (it seems their mother named them), who have pushed heavily for organic certification. Starting this year, both sisters have combined their knowledge—Marie previously worked at one of our cult-favorite producers, Roc d'Anglade—and are now managing the vineyards together.

According to the Guégniard family, “Because quality is our key word, we want to maintain a regularity in the excellence of our wines.” With the usage of organic fertilizers, a plowing regimen, manual thinning and de-budding, and multiple passes through the vineyard come harvest, their mindset holds true. Furthermore, starting in 2016—today’s offered vintage—the estate has achieved an organic certification from the French Ministry of Agriculture. “Les Pierres Girard” hails from a small schist and clay family-owned vineyard that houses 40-year-old vines. At the winery—which lies in the heart of Coteaux du Layon—the carefully selected crop ferments in stainless steel and then rests on its fine lees for a minimum 12 months in neutral French barrels (ranging from 2-5 years of age).

In the glass, this 2016 “Les Pierres Girard” shines a deep yellow with slight green hues. The nose offers a seductive element of succulent polish, showing off creamy yellow fruits like peach, quince, and apricot. As it opens, further aromas emerge: lime blossoms, lemon curd, crushed rock, wild herbs, white and yellow flowers, beeswax, and subtle spice. This isn’t a laser-sharp acid attack that sends your palate into shock—rather, the yearlong lees aging results in a supremely textured and round wine, without losing Loire’s classic freshness. “Les Pierres Girard” precise, with ripe citrus and stone fruits underpinned by a persisting mineral presence. It finishes long and fresh, and, as we learned, continued improving as we slow-drank it over several hours. Serve around 50-55 degrees in all-purpose white stems and hide one or two in the cellar so you can revisit them several years down the road. For a pairing, do what we did last Saturday: Visit your local fish market and ask for their freshest and best fish collar cut—we went with White Sea Bass—then, dunk it in a quick marinade and fire up your grill. For further instructions, see the attached guide. Cheers! 
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Country
France
Region
Other
Sub-Region
FranceAnjou
Soil
Schist & Clay
Farming
Certified Organic
Blend
Chenin Blanc 100%
Alcohol
14.0
OAK
400L French Barrels
TEMP.
55
Glassware
All-Purpose White
Drinking
Now-2025
Decanting
30 Minutes
Pairing
Grilled Fish Collar

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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