2020 Domaine des Sablonnettes Les Copains d'Abord

WINEMAKER: Christine, Joel & Jeremy Menard
VARIETAL: Grolleau
REGION: Loire Valley, FR
VITICULTURE: Certified Biodynamic

A 100% Grolleau taken from the domaine's older 50 year old vines grown on schist, 'Les Copains d'Abord' is harvested by hand and destemmed before a relatively short maceration over 2 weeks, after which it rests in tank for six months before being bottled without sulphur or filtration. There's a depth and darkness to this wine in terms of fruit that is balanced by surprisingly silky folds of acidity, making it a truly delightful example of this native Loire variety.

Christine and Joel Menard have been making wine in the heart of the Coteaux du Layon AOC for more than twenty years. Over the past few vintages they have welcomed their son Jeremy into the domaine to take care of the winemaking and the cellar. While the appellation is known for its sweet wines, Domaine des Sablonnettes have slowly cemented themselves over the years as a key producer of some of the most expressive and interesting dry wines in the AOC today. They are seen by many as the secret superstars of the region. They lovingly tend to their 13 hectares of vines, which have been managed and certified by biodynamic methods since 2007. Healthy soils and balance in their ecosystem has always been at the heart of their winemaking.