Our Tasting Impressions (Updated)
Certainly this is a novelty - 15+ year old sparkling off-dry red - but we not just being cheeky. This is a seriously hand-crafted wine with a remarkable juxtaposition of maturing fruit and tangy, bubbly, snap. It drinks dry despite its Demi-sec label. It's fully mature and coyly complex. We enjoy it with modestly spicy Mexican food or even pizza.
About this wine
Pineau d'Aunis from 10 year old vines in the Department of Sarthe comes this off-dry, sparkling red wine. The soil is limestone and clay. Yields are 45 hl/ha. The juice macerates for 15 days in tank with no malolactic fermentation before aging in tank on the fine lees for 3-4 months.
Tirage (addition of yeast, wine & sugar to achieve secondary fermentation) is done before racking the bottles for 9 years to allow the mousse to develop more finesse. Disgorgement and dosage complete the process.
About the grape
Pineau d'Aunis is a dark skinned grape that is indigenous to the Central Loire Valley dating back to the middle ages. Royalty in France and England cherished it from the 13th to 15th centuries. It has a light color and mild pepper flavor that makes it popular for rosés in many regions but it also has a subtle complexity and low alcohol to produce interesting and uncommon reds.
The Gigou family operates their quaint farm in the central northern reaches of the Loire Valley - not far from Le Mans, home to the famed 24-hour auto road race. Joël, who is credited with saving the appellation of Jasnières, started the estate in 1974 along with his gracious wife Sylvie. His son Ludovic now handles much of the management and his daughter Dorothée runs the office.
Their 8 hectares of vineyards in Jasnières are planted to Chenin Blanc producing dry whites - and sweet in vintages when botrytis (noble rot) occurs. The entire appellation is only 108 hectares and the soil of mostly flint and tuffeau limestone is unique - giving Chenin from Jasnières distinct flavors. They farm without chemicals harvestIng 60% by hand and 40% by machine (stems left on for the Chenin).
Gamay and Pineau d'Aunis (and Chenin for one white) is planted in Côteaux du Loir (5ha) for their reds and rosé. They also produce sparkling wines in all three colors that are not appellation specific. The range of wines is extensive despite producing only about 40-50,000 bottles per year. There are lots of old vines.
Now the remarkable part, Ludovic told me they keep all their bottled wines in their cellar for at least one or two years. He replied, The wine decides when it's ready. In some cases, he would hold them back even longer, except they are often out of storage space. Truly a portrait of a family whose prime concern is that the wines that bear their name are special.
