Subscriber-Only Loire Valley Flash Sale
10% Off Displayed Prices
10% off in-stock wines from the Loire
Sale Ends on Monday (12/17) at 10 AM Pacific
Does not apply to pre-arrival wines
Discount will not appear online, we will manually apply before finalizing your order.
David Schildknecht once described the Loire as the “bargain garden of France” in a Wine Advocate article. We tend to agree with him—it seems as though everywhere we look along the lengthy river we find wines that are excellent deals. We don’t just mean at the low end of the market either, as some of the most expensive wines from the Loire are often incredible value compared to their peers. We’re making those deals even better and slashing 10% off the wines from the region (including our already discounted case specials!)
Whether you’re after racy whites and sparklers, sumptuous rosés, bright and fresh reds or richer, more powerful versions of both colors (plus some excellent rosé) the Loire Valley is a source of a laundry list of notable wines at prices you aren’t going to be able to pass up.
If you aren’t familiar with the region, a quick overview: Starting from the mouth of the river we find Muscadet, the crisp, white wines made from Melon de Bourgogne. These are perfect whites for aperitifs to pair with oysters and all manner of shellfish. Moving upriver, you hit Anjou and it’s sub-regions—the white grape of choice is now Chenin Blanc, probably dry (ala Savennieres, the most notable AOC in Anjou, but occasionally sweet (Quarts de Chaume/Layon). Reds come from Cabernet Franc, mostly, though some more obscure varieties sneak into the picture as well.
Next to Anjou is Saumur, known for excellent bubbly, and some of the most powerful red wines in the Loire, made from Cabernet Franc. Touraine, perhaps the most famous of all of the Loire regions is next, and is home to Vouvray (Chenin, dry to sweet), Bourgueil, and Chinon (Cabernet Franc). Don’t sleep on the wines of Cheverny, though—they can be real charmers and are often radically undervalued for the deliciousness they provide. Finally, we hit the upper Loire, home of Sancerre and Pouilly Fume, which need no further introduction.
The Loire is already the source of some of the best deals in the wine world and these prices makes the wines can’t miss. Stock up quickly, though, these sale prices end when we open for business (10AM, PT) on Monday (12/17).
Sale Ends on Monday (12/17) at 10 AM Pacific
Does not apply to pre-arrival wines
Discount will not appear online, we will manually apply before finalizing your order.You can see our highlights below or shop all 81 in stock Loire wines by clicking here!
In Stock & On Sale Now:
Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Monnieres-St-Fiacre, Loire 2015 750ML ($29.95) Displayed price: $24, Now $21.60 Loire Valley Super Special
Domaine de la Pepiere Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine Monnieres-St-Fiacre, Loire 2015 1.5L ($59.95) Displayed price: $51.90, Now $46.71 Loire Valley Super Special
Winery note “Our Monnieres – Saint Fiacre Cru is situated in the heart of the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation. It is bordered by two rivers and its confluence: to the North by the Sèvre and to the South-East by the Maine. The landscape consists of hills dotted with windmills. The Monnieres – Saint Fiacre Cru is planted on a subsoil of gneiss covered by a fine top-soil of sandy limestone. This results in moderate precociousness and fertility. The constant winds in the vines help keep the vines aerated. After a year’s worth of meticulous work in the vines, the grapes are hand-harvested and carefully brought back to the cellar. Whole clusters with stems are pressed pneumatically. The grape juice is very lightly racked off its gross lees, and then ferments naturally in glass-lined, underground vats for about 2 months using only indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged for a minimum of 2 years with its fine lees, which are stirred occasionally. This aging process gives the wine its robust structure.”
The average price is $25 for the 750ML
Domaine Bruno Cormerais Muscadet Sevre-et-Maine “Tess”, Loire 2012 750ML ($41.95) Displayed Price: $33, Now $29.70 Loire Valley Super Special
VinopolNote: This exceptional Muscadet spends 72 months sur lie in tank before bottling. The long lees time gives it unusual weight and richness for a wine made from Melon. A sneaky great substitute for leaner white Burgundy.
Domaine de Pallus Chinon Messanges Rouge, Loire 2016 750ML ($17.95) Displayed Price: $14, Now $12.60 Loire Valley Super Special
Case-12 Domaine de Pallus Chinon Messanges Rouge, Loire 2016 750ML ($179.95) Displayed Price: $149, Now $134.10 Loire Valley Super Special (that’s only $11.18/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 90 points “A very fresh style, with high-pitched red currant and bitter cherry notes, lined with a mouthwatering iron streak. Bright savory and floral accents add lift on the finish. Very pure. Drink now through 2022. 2,000 cases made.”
Now it’s even lower!
Thierry Germain Domaine des Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny La Marginale, Loire 2015 750ML ($59.95) Displayed Price: $33, Now $29.70 Loire Valley Super Special
Grapelive 94 points “Intensely concentrated and mineral toned, the gorgeous Thierry Germain La Marginale Saumur-Champgny 2015 coats the palate with dark fruits and a perfect amount of pure Cabernet Franc bell pepper, spice and earthiness. [The] impressive mouth feel is bigger than you’d expect with thick layers of black currant, cherry, plum and vine picked red berries. This Saumur-Champigny is a stunner, wonderfully open and warm on the full bodied palate. Germain’s story is a unique one. He relocated to the Loire from Bordeaux in the early 1990s, and soon fell under the spell and influence of his spiritual father, the late Charly Foucault of the famous Clos Rougeard. Thierry would ultimately convert his entire domaine to biodynamic viticulture following the leading lights of the region. Imported by Kermit Lynch, Thierry Germain is one of the leaders in the Loire’s organic movement and his Domaine Des Roches Neuves, with vineyards that are planted in the Saumur (Blanc) for Chenin and Saumur-Champigny (Rouge) Cabernet Franc, has gained world renowned acclaim. [He] is one of the poster child example(s) of success in biodynamic wine growing in France, like Nicolas Joly, but more especially for his reds, like this one. According to Kermit Lynch, Thierry harvests on the relatively early side to preserve fresh, vibrant fruit, even though I always find his wines ripe and perfumed. His goal is to produce Cabernet Franc with purity, finesse, and drinkability, while avoiding rusticity, vegetal or weedy character, and harsh/rough tannins. With this 2015 La Marginale, mission accomplished. This beautifully deep and dark garnet hued wine comes of a tiny parcel of 45 year old vines set on clay and Turonien Supérieur limestone. It’s only made in great vintages, is crafted from 100% de-stemmed fruit and fermented in foudre (large oak cask) with light pumpovers and then aged in a wide range of oak, most all used, from barrique to huge cask for almost two years. The layers include blackberry, red currant, black cherry and dark plum fruits, minty herb, violets, sandalwood/cedar, tobacco, a light bell pepper tone and chalky stones. Everything feels warm and round in the mouth and almost luxurious, but there is a nice purity of terroir that shines through with a touch of savory integrity. I love the rich textural presence here. This cuvee is something special. It can age for another decade, but is very compelling now.”
Now it’s even lower!
The average price is $38
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Mont Sec, Loire 2016 750ML ($47.95) Displayed price: $39, Now $35.10 Loire Valley Super Special
Wine Spectator 94 points “Green plum and verbena notes lead the way for now, with a flash of quinine on the finish. This is juicy, but still a bit compact overall, with the core of ample pear, quince and ginger flavors in reserve. Just wait for everything to knit together and stretch out, as the purity and length are there. Best from 2018 through 2028.”
The average price nationally is $42
Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Demi-Sec, Loire 2016 750ML ($59.95) Displayed price: $46, Now $41.40 Loire Valley Super Special
Case-6 Domaine Huet Vouvray Le Haut Lieu Demi-Sec, Loire 2016 750ML ($299.95) Displayed price: $249, Now $224.10 Loire Valley Super Special (that’s only $37.35/bottle!)
Wine Spectator 96 points “This delivers a beautiful display of purity and grace, with creamed Jonagold apple, star fruit, white peach and chamomile notes flowing seamlessly, backed by wet stone and fresh verbena accents. Subtle but persistent energy ripples through the very long finish. Drink now through 2035.”Foreau’s leaner style makes his sweet wines electric. The Reserve is only made in the best years.
Philippe Foreau Domaine du Clos Naudin Vouvray Moelleux Reserve, Loire 2009 750ML ($119.95) Displayed Price: $79, Now $71.10 Loire Valley Super Special
Wine Advocate 97 points “What there was in this vintage of botrytis, Foreau reports, essentially went into his 2009 Vouvray Moelleux Reserve. Brown-spiced pear liqueur and quince preserves dominate the proceedings – wreathed in perfume of freesia and lily – and there are buoyancy and elegance, despite viscosity, enormous richness of texture and residual sweetness, that indeed point to the magic nobility rot can convey. Its sense of lift – when combined with luscious, still juicy suggestions of grapefruit and blood orange familiar from the corresponding demi-sec – wards off any risk of palate fatigue. Mysterious botrytis manifestations of stale bread, truffle, and white raisin emerge from the empty glass. This extraordinary achievement will stand with such past great Foreau moelleux reserves as 2005, 2003, and 1989-90 and is likely to merit 30 or more years of consideration. In direct comparison, what strikes one about the 2005 today is its more obvious sense of botrytis and its slightly diminished sense of acidity and lift. But it maintains the edge in sheer complexity.” WA
Every Constance that’s been made (typically only 1-2x a decade) has been a legend.
Domaine Huet Vouvray ‘Cuvee Constance’ Moelleux, Loire 2015 500ML ($249.95) Displayed Price: $219, Now $197.10 Loire Valley Super Special, only 3 500ml-bottles in stock!
Wine Spectator 99 points “Stunning from the start, with a silky and refined feel despite the panoply of dried quince, fig, pear and apricot flavors that are exotic in nature. Lovely green tea, orange blossom and persimmon notes fill in the background. Obviously sweet, but with persistent dry almond and orange extract details that lend latent tension through the seamless and nearly endless finish. The first Cuvee Constance bottling since the 2009 vintage. Drink now through 2060.”
Wine Advocate 96 points “Rarely produced and selected from the vineyards Le Haut-Lieu, Le Mont and Clos du Bourg, Huet’s 2015 Vouvray “Cuvée Constance” offers a deep, clear, intense and concentrated nose of ripe stone fruits, peanut butter cookie, spicy, earthy-mineral and some volatile aromas. Sweet, salty, piquant and mineral with a firm structure and very elegant, concentrated, refined fruit, this is a sweet wine with great purity and mineral finesse on the very long, promising finish. The 2016 is still pretty sweet (142 grams of residual sugar) and should be cellared for at least two or three decades. Total production: 2,800 500-milliliter bottles. Tasted February 2018.”
John Gilman 98 points “I have been looking forward to the release of Domaine Huët’s 2015 Cuvée Constance ever since I tasted a year ago the rest of the stunning range of wines produced here in the vintage. It is a great vintage for Domaine Huët and the Cuvée Constance is everything one could hope for from the confluence of this great estate and a legendary vintage. The wine is still very youthful, but its ultimate brilliance is very easy to see, as the wine wafts from the glass in a celestial constellation of orange, fresh apricot, incipient tea leaves, a nice touch of soil, hints of lanolin, orange peel, barley sugar and a hint of upper register smokiness. On the palate the wine is pure, full and nascently complex, with laser-like focus, a bottomless core, great acids and marvelous balance on the very, very long, zesty and energetic finish. This is still a very young wine and will need years to start to show its secondary and tertiary layers of complexity, but they are lurking here and in the fullness of time, this will be breathtaking in its beauty. (Drink between 2025-2100).”
Sale Ends on Monday (12/17) at 10 AM Pacific
Does not apply to pre-arrival wines
Discount will not appear online, we will manually apply before finalizing your order.You shop all 81 in stock Loire wines, including wines from Plouzeau, Baudry, Dagueneau, Guiberteau, & Lucien Crochet by clicking here!
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