10:39PM | Mosnes | Loire Valley
Our 9am appointment this morning is in a sleepy town west of Pouilly-sur-Loire, still in the appellation of Pouilly-Fumé. The vingeron is absent, and his quiet, charming mother shows us his two wines. Both are excellent — round and rich and full of life. The first shows excellent weight and length; the second, an old vine cuvée made from vines planted “juste aprés la guerre,” is exceptional.
Our second appointment is back by the river Loire — more Pouilly-Fumé, more success. These are smokier, more mineral, and very tense. We then cross the Loire and head into the hills in search of a Sancerre producer we discovered earlier this morning in the Guide Hachette. As luck would have it, these too are excellent. An embarrassment of Sauvignon riches.
We drive through a tiny town in search of a place for lunch, and happen upon a boucherie at 11:57am. With three minutes to forage our lunch, we split up — one to a bakery for a baguette and éclair, and the other to the boucherie for house-made paté de campagne, cornichons, and moutard de Dijon. As the clock strikes noon we regroup, find a place to pull over, and feast on our sandwiches.
Our afternoon tasting as a biodynamic producer in Cheverny, a small Loire appellation know for the historic and unusual grape Romorantin. Their entire lineup is extremely fresh, showing all the beautiful complexity and earthiness Biodynamics fosters. Dinner further west in Mosnes, sweetbreads and venison. Vouvray demain.
