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Marie Thibault, Premier Nez

Loire Valley, France 2012 (750mL)
$29.00
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Fruit
Earth
Body
Tannin
Acid
Alcohol

Marie Thibault, Premier Nez


We sourced this wine from a small natural wine importer who recently discovered Marie Thibault. Her vineyards are situated in Azay-le-Rideau, a sub-appellation of the Touraine region of the Loire Valley. Thibault farms the small, roughly 7 acre plot 50-year-old vineyard, which sits on a south-facing slope overlooking the gorgeous Indre River, as naturally as possible. The soils here are primarily Silex, which consist of white clay, limestone and silica. This terroir transparency is a result of not only the soils, but the purity of Thibault’s farming. The vines receive no chemical treatment, weeds are pulled out by hand and all of the vineyard work is carried out through manual labor—plowing and handpicking with gentle precision and caution to keep the grapes as natural as the earth can produce. Once the grapes are picked, they are gently pressed and fermented before being aged for roughly 15 months in neutral French barriques. To keep the wine clean, she uses a minuscule amount of sulphur when bottling. The final result exemplifies why Chenin Blanc is on every great wine list in the world. 

The 2012 Premier Nez from Marie Thibault has a rich golden core that moves to green reflections on the rim. The nose is immensely complex, driven by beautiful aromas of dried yellow apples, dried white flowers, chamomile tea, wet wool, dried white mushrooms, beeswax, honeysuckle, acacia flowers, lees and wet rocks. The palate is richly textured with just a touch of residual sugar that is barely detectable, yet necessary to balance the high acidity; as soon as you take a sip of this wine, your palate will recognize the serious concentration of fine minerals balanced by gentle fruit. This wine needs no further aging and is ideal to drink over the next 3-4 years, although many examples of Chenin can age for a decade without effort. To enjoy now, simply decant the wine for 30 minutes prior to serving in large Burgundy stems at about 50-55F. Personally I enjoy the wine as it loses its chill, a touch towards the 60F mark. Chenin has the ability to pair with just about any food. Personally, I love it with grilled fish simply prepared with mushrooms to tie in the savory notes of the wine. Or, alternately serve this wine after dinner with a plate of mature French inspired cheeses.
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Country
France
Region
Loire Valley
Sub-Region
FranceTouraine - Azay-le-Rideau
Soil
Silex
Farming
Organic
Blend
Chenin Blanc
Alcohol
12.5
OAK
Neutral French

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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