Jean-Christophe Garnier 'Les Nouettes' 2023
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Loire Valley, France
Grapes: Grolleau & Pineau d'Aunis from clay-loam soils, vatted for 1 week in whole bunches, minified for 3 months in fiberglass vats.
We're partial to this winemaker's fresh, vibrant wines. Notes of red fruit, pepper and dried herbs. Slightly spicy acidity and moist tannins. It's generous yet light and so tasty!
About the winemaker:
Jean-Christophe Garnier is from Brittany (Bretagne) originally, and got his start in the wine world as a sommelier in France. During his time as a somm in the 1990s, he was exposed to wines made with minimal intervention, loosely called "vins naturels" by a small but growing group of vignerons (folks who spend their lives involved in all stages of winemaking, from pruning, growing, and harvest, through vinification and aging, etc.). These wines thoroughly impressed Garnier over the years, and he made the decision to devote his time to learning how to make wine after about 10 years in restaurants.
Garnier went to wine school in Thouarcé, a small town near Angers in the Loire Valley, and pursued a diploma which involved an internship (or "stage") with a winery in the area. He spent 6 months at La Ferme de la Sansonnière working alongside Marc Angeli, and shortly afterwards he started his own project in 2002, in the town of Saint-Lambert du Lattay, close to the Mosse family. Marc even helped Jean-Christophe by giving him an old press (I wonder if it's the same one he still uses!) and helping him to find a vineyard to work. From his start with 2.3 hectares, he now farms about 10 hectares in total, planted primarily to Chenin Blanc, but also Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grolleau, Gamay and Pineau D'Aunis. All farming is certified organic, with some bio-dynamic treatments, and winemaking is obviously with native yeast, and with very little or no added SO2 added.
Garnier went to wine school in Thouarcé, a small town near Angers in the Loire Valley, and pursued a diploma which involved an internship (or "stage") with a winery in the area. He spent 6 months at La Ferme de la Sansonnière working alongside Marc Angeli, and shortly afterwards he started his own project in 2002, in the town of Saint-Lambert du Lattay, close to the Mosse family. Marc even helped Jean-Christophe by giving him an old press (I wonder if it's the same one he still uses!) and helping him to find a vineyard to work. From his start with 2.3 hectares, he now farms about 10 hectares in total, planted primarily to Chenin Blanc, but also Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Grolleau, Gamay and Pineau D'Aunis. All farming is certified organic, with some bio-dynamic treatments, and winemaking is obviously with native yeast, and with very little or no added SO2 added.