Loire Valley Wine Tasting
Friday, June 20th
Dreamy Cabernet Franc & Sancerre Rouge, Crisp Rosé Bubbles & Chiseled Mineral Whites!
Domaine South
Call 256-759-9952 to Reserve
Loire Valley Wine Tasting
special guest, Beth Farris of Grassroots
Domaine South
Friday, June 20th, 2025
4pm - 6pm
$20
256-759-9952 to Reserve
The Wines
NV Louis de Grenille Brut Rose "Corail", Saumur, Loire Valley France $27.99
The Saumur Corail Rosé Brut is made from 100% Cabernet Franc that is softly pressed, produced in the methode Champenoise and aged in vast chalky underground caves. Visually the color is a dusty pink rose color with a minute, persistent bubble. The result is something remarkable, with elegant aromas of wild strawberries, red raspberry, red berry fruits followed by delicate floral aromas. It has gorgeous texture to the palate, soft with a subtle long length. This is a beautiful wine as an aperitif, for a Sunday morning brunch or celebration.
2023 Dezat Menetou Salon, Loire Valley, France $23.99
This is the kind of wine you want a case of for weeknight meals that deserve a familiar and dependable pairing partner. Opening with an aromatic nose of bosc pear, the wine brings yellow apple, lime zest and white-peach skin into the fold with bright fruit and mouthwatering acidity filling the palate. — Reggie Solomon
2020 Le Rocher des Violettes, Montloius-sur-Loire Touche-Mitaine, Vouvray, France $29.99
Xavier Weisskopf founded Le Rocher des Violettes in 2005 after studying winemaking in Chablis and Beaune and earning his degree in viticulture and oenology. He quickly went to work for the hard working and demanding Lous Barruol at famed Gigondas producer Chateau de Saint Cosme. He quickly rose to the rank of chef du cave, making 4 vintages during his tenure. His love for Chenin Blanc drew him to Montlouis, where an underappreciation of this historic appellation allowed him to acquire 9 hectares of sacred old vine sites (mostly planted pre WWII!). He immediately converted the farming of all his vines to certified organics, with the aim to allow these precious old vines to speak without obfuscation. This traditional philosophy extends into the cellar where his use of older barrels shows the deft touch of true Chenin zen. His goal is simply to make wines of clarity, focus and laser precision.
35+ year old vines Chenin Blanc on average. Only 1.5 meters of clay/silex stones before hitting pure chalk. 75% vinified in 5-10 year old barrels, 25% in big foudre
Racy, focused and intense. Saline-infused Chenin magic
2022 Nicolas Millet Les Rimbardes Sancerre Rouge, Loire Valley, France $41.99
These vineyards date back to the 1700s, Pierre Millet created the Domaine in the 1930’s. Nicolas Millet is the 9th generation winemaker on the property.
Nicolas Millet Sancerre Rouge Les Rimbardes Rouge is produced from grapes grown in the Bué et Vinon village, on the Les Rimbardes vineyard, which is located in the Sancerre AOC. The plots are spread over the hillsides surrounding the village.
It has an elevation of 270 meters. The soils are 100% argile kimeridgienne and the vineyard has a South exposure. The vine age is 60 years. Nicolas Millet practices organic/biodynamic farming.. Varietal Composition: 100% Pinot Noir
Aged 12 months in stainless vat and French oak barrels. Light filtration and gravity bottled.
Tasting Notes: Deep and black fruity bouquet of black cherries, sweet dark berries, a lovely touch of spice tones, raw cocoa, and dollop of fresh herbs. On the palate the wine is bright, full-bodied and quite elegant in profile, with a fine core of fruit, excellent soil undertow, ripe, well measured tannins and a long, focused and tangy finish.
2022 Amirault Bourgueil Cote 50, Loire Valley, France $28.99
Lush and alluring black fruits swim from the glass, before plunging into a rich palate. Intended as the most easy drinking of the Amirault wines, this has nevertheless good length and concentration. - Jim Budd, Decanter
Hand harvested in successive passes, destemmed, natural yeast fermentation in oak vats, 3-4 week maceration
Aging7-12 months in French oak vats and sandstone amphorae, vegan
2022 Fosse-Seche Eolithe, Saumur-Champgny, Loire Valley, France $41.99
Don't drink this delicious and intense Cabernet Franc (with 1% Cabernet Sauvignon) too warm but at 14 to 16 degrees Celsius. The maceration is rather short (3 to 15 days), and the aging in concrete eggs takes 14 months. The 2019 is quite powerful but always silky and elegant, with very fine tannins. It can surely age for 20 more years, but it already drinks beautifully.
92 Pts - The Wine Advocate
Guillaume Pire, who runs this domain, follows biodynamic principles. His cuvées are crafted from vines planted on Jurassic soil with no chalk content (unusual for Saumur-Champigny terroirs) but instead containing flint pebbles that give the wines a truly distinctive identity.