Description
Les Terres Blanches, “Ancestral” Brut Rosé
I often reach for rosé Champagne, but next time I have something to celebrate, there’s no doubt I’ll be grabbing this stunning Loire Valley sparkler instead. Why? You simply can’t beat the value of this méthode ancestrale Gamay. You could drop $60 on a rosé Champagne and be quite satisfied, or you could spend half that on today’s wine and be completely delighted. Not only is it downright delicious, it’s also a soulful, elegant, and complex vintage sparkler that’s farmed biodynamically by a passionate couple who just wants to make great wine.
There’s nothing flashy about Les Terres Blanches or its proprietors, there’s no big marketing budget; you won’t see this tiny producer trending on Instagram anytime soon (although the gorgeous label on this wine is definitely feed-worthy). But you get what you pay for, and in this case, you’re paying for thoughtful farming, a clear expression of terroir, and pure, profound pleasure.
Céline and Benoit Blet have been farming eight-and-a-half hectares of underrated Loire Valley terroir since 2004 when they purchased their property from Bernard Coutel. The retiring winemaker, who had no heirs to take over his estate, preferred to pass it on to an enthusiastic couple like the Blets, who would infuse it with fresh, youthful energy. The vineyards, composed of sand, clay, and silex, are equidistant—about a 25-mile drive south—from both Saumur and Chinon, located in the town of Oiron. Never heard of it? That’s precisely why the area appealed to the Blets.
The vineyards shared many of the characteristics that make those better-known appellations ideal for growing Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc (as well as Gamay), without the exorbitant cost. And since they didn’t have to pay a premium on the land, the Blets had the freedom to invest in the things that really mattered to them—which meant, first and foremost, conversion to organic and biodynamic viticulture. The couple, who grow all their own fruit, believe that composting and maintaining natural cover crops are integral to vine health, and practice minimal intervention from the vineyard to the cellar. The estate was certified organic and biodynamic in 2010, and today is quietly producing some of the most exciting and undervalued natural wines in the Loire Valley.
Today’s wine, made in the méthode ancestrale (also known as pétillant-naturel), is an old-school sparkler—the technique pre-dates that of Champagne. In the méthode Champenoise, sugar and yeast are added to still wine to kick off a secondary fermentation after bottling. But in the méthode ancestrale, the wine is topped with a crown cap while it’s still fermenting, creating carbonation as the process completes—no secondary fermentation necessary. For this cuvée, Gamay fruit from 35-year-old vines grown in iron-rich grès soil is picked early in the morning, after reaching full phenolic ripeness. The grapes are into underground cement tanks by gravity flow, before a slow, gentle pressing and a month-long fermentation. Once the sugar levels reach about 21 grams per liter, the wine is bottled and capped, so that it finishes at less than one gram per liter after about five weeks’ time. A laborious, old-fashioned technique is then used to disgorge the spent yeast cells by hand—a level of attention to detail rarely seen in sparkling wine production today.
This vibrant pink-hued brut rosé really stands above most other Loire Valley “pét-nats” I’ve tasted, primarily because of the delicate, elegant nature of its texture and aromatics. The fine, leesy mousse is much more akin to a Champagne, and the wine’s youthful, energetic perfume is seriously captivating. Ethereal notes of strawberry blossom, cherry, and damp rose petal punctuate a richer strawberries-and-cream character. A touch of crushed white rock and diesel add a slight minerality and earthiness to the wine, while subtle lemon peel citrus notes add brightness and verve to the lively, refreshing palate. This would work wonderfully with any type of picnic fare, light appetizers, or hors d’oeuvres—like a charcuterie plate, a salad with goat cheese and strawberries, or this recipe for sourdough toasts with mushrooms and oysters. Serve it in the near future, at a brisk 45 degrees in all-purpose white stems, on a special occasion or just on a Tuesday. A wine like this is the occasion.
