Menetou-Salon AOC, Sancerre AOCSauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir40 haFounded 1947Pelle family (Paul-Henry Pelle)Winemaker Paul-Henry PelleBiodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDMenetou-Salon
Reference Menetou-Salon domaine in Morogues, farming 40 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir on Kimmeridgian limestone, with a Sancerre outpost on terres blanches.
Tasting: Visits and tastings at the Morogues cellar; the family also operates La Closerie de Morogues table d'hote
Signature wines: Menetou-Salon Morogues Les Blanchais, Menetou-Salon Morogues, Menetou-Salon Morogues Le Cromois
Tip: Clos des Blanchais is a monopole Menetou-Salon that drinks like a top Sancerre at half the price.
Vouvray AOCChenin Blanc30 haFounded 1928Hwang family (acquired 2003)Demeter CertifiedDEMETERVouvray
The reference Vouvray producer, 30 hectares of Demeter-biodynamic Chenin Blanc across three lieux-dits (Le Haut-Lieu, Le Mont, Clos du Bourg) in dry, off-dry, sweet and sparkling styles.
Tasting: Cellar visits and tastings by appointment in central Vouvray
Signature wines: Vouvray Sec Le Mont, Vouvray Sec Le Haut-Lieu, Vouvray Sec Clos du Bourg
Tip: Top Huet moelleux reserve bottlings from great vintages (1947, 1989, 1990) age for half a century. Drink the secs young, hold the moelleux.
Vouvray AOCChenin Blanc24 haFounded 1999Vincent and Tania CaremeWinemaker Vincent CaremeORGANIC CERTIFIEDVouvray
Vernou-sur-Brenne estate farming 24 hectares of organic Chenin Blanc, vinified in a 16th-century troglodyte cellar across sec, demi-sec, moelleux and petillant.
Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment; 16th-century troglodyte cave
Signature wines: Vouvray Sec, Vouvray Le Clos, Vouvray Pétillant Brut Nature
Tip: Careme's Petillant is a precise traditional-method sparkling Chenin worth chasing down.
Vouvray AOCChenin Blanc12 haFounded 1923Foreau family (Philippe Foreau)Winemaker Philippe ForeauVouvray
Philippe Foreau's 12-hectare Vouvray on the Premiere Cote next door to Huet, with the Goutte d'Or moelleux made only in exceptional vintages.
Tasting: By appointment, Monday-Saturday 9-12, 14-18
Signature wines: Vouvray Sec, Vouvray Moelleux Réserve, Vouvray Moelleux Goutte d'Or
Tip: Foreau picks parcel by parcel multiple times each harvest; the Sec is a dry-Chenin masterclass.
Montlouis-sur-Loire AOC, Vouvray AOC, Touraine AOCChenin Blanc45 haFounded 1989Francois ChidaineWinemaker Francois ChidaineBiodynamic PracticingORGANIC CERTIFIEDMontlouis-sur-Loire
Montlouis reference, 45 hectares biodynamic across Montlouis (22 ha) and Vouvray (10 ha), with the Clos Baudoin in Vouvray as the historic monopole.
Tasting: Cellar visits at the domaine; tasting room La Cave Insolite at 30 quai Albert Baillet, Montlouis
Signature wines: Montlouis-sur-Loire Les Choisilles, Montlouis-sur-Loire Clos du Breuil, Vouvray Clos Baudoin
Tip: Clos du Breuil is the entry-point dry Montlouis; Clos Baudoin is the Vouvray monopole worth tracking down.
Chinon AOCCabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc32 haFounded 1975Baudry family (Bernard and Matthieu)Winemaker Matthieu BaudryORGANIC CERTIFIEDChinon
Cravant-les-Coteaux reference, 32 hectares of Cabernet Franc on the three Chinon terroirs (gravel, clay-limestone, tuffeau plateau), each bottled as a single-vineyard.
Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment at the Cravant-les-Coteaux domaine
Signature wines: Les Grezeaux, La Croix Boissee, Le Clos Guillot
Tip: La Croix Boissee from the high tuffeau plateau is one of Chinon's most age-worthy reds and the appellation's quiet grand cru.
