From: Loire Valley, France
Varietal: Sauvignon Blanc
Taste: This aromatic and non-grassy Sauvignon Blanc from Menetou-Salon is gorgeously rounded, mineral, and expressive. Bouncy notes of grapefruit and yellow citrus meet spiced apple and quince. As Dustin noted below, it is voluptuous, silky, and delicious. I should note as an aside, that this wine's fruit and rounded nature are beautifully balanced and *may* go down too quickly.
“I did a double take after my first sip of Joseph de Maistre’s scintillating Sauvignon Blanc from Menetou-Salon. This is from the Loire? My tasting notes included words like “silky” and “voluptuous.” While the hallmarks of Loire Sauvignon Blanc, like structure and minerality, are present, the level of ripeness and sheer deliciousness really stood out. An exciting debut from our newest Loire producer.”
—Dustin Soiseth, KLWM
Pairing: A fair amount of dishes will complement this lovely wine. Some examples include pairing this with light seafood dishes like grilled or sauteéd shrimp, cod, halibut, and grilled or roasted chicken in cream sauce or served simply with a fresh goat cheese salad and homemade vinaigrette. Many Vietnamese, Japanese, or Thai dishes easily match this Menetou-Salon blanc. We recommend avoiding too much spice, heavy meats, and brothy components when selecting pairings in this vein. Some ideas for inspiration include Bún Kèn (Coconut Fish with Noodles), lemongrass chicken with vermicelli, Vietnamese coconut poached black bass, Vietnamese curried catfish, karaage (Japanese fried chicken), pork katsu with pickled cucumbers, Ara Yaki (check it out below), Thai Larb Gai (Chicken With Lime, Chili and Fresh Herbs), Fragrant Thai-Style Clams in Coconut Broth, Thai-Style Sea Scallop Cakes by David Tanis (see second recipe below), and of course, fresh dishes centered around asparagus (extra points when it’s in season).
Ara Yaki
By Mark Bittman
Thai-Style Sea Scallop Cakes
By David Tanis
About. Many thanks to the team at Kermit Lynch Wine Merchants for the following info! Located just to the southwest of Sancerre, Menetou-Salon is home to over 600 hectares of gently sloping vineyards planted to Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. This historic appellation is one of several lucky AOCs in the Central Loire to sit on prized land, with soils of Kimmeridgian marl known to yield fresh, mineral-driven wines in all three colors. And while little Menetou is exported relative to Sancerre, its vineyards enjoy the same distinguished soil and climate. In other words, as far as terroir is concerned, Menetou-Salon has nothing to envy its neighbor to the east.
Having grown up in the region, Joseph de Maistre was well aware of the appellation’s potential. While he was not raised in a winery, his grandfather, a Cognac producer in the Charente region, inspired his trajectory into the wine world. He became fascinated with the idea of transforming an agricultural product, managing the process from start to finish, and went on to pursue internships with wineries in the Loire, Bordeaux, Provence, and South Africa. When he learned that Prieuré de Saint-Céols, a domaine with vineyards in some of the appellation’s most esteemed sites, was going up for sale, he pounced at the chance to realize his dream of finally running his own domaine. In 2020, he and his wife, Marie, began their journey.
Joseph and Marie farm twelve hectares of which nine are planted to Sauvignon Blanc. Their first step in taking over this exceptional terrain was to initiate an organic conversion, and the wines are certified organic as of 2023. Today, the vineyards enjoy a natural grass cover to prevent erosion and promote biodiversity; they do not use chemical herbicides and work the soil beneath the vine rows as needed to manage weeds. Their cellar practices are intended to let the Kimmeridgian terroir shine through, so they ferment their wines naturally, with most cuvées aging in stainless steel to capture vibrant fruit and a crisp freshness. Joseph’s wines are elegant and lively with excellent minerality, showcasing the qualities that certainly led Menetou to grace noble tables throughout centuries past. We are thrilled to have the wines of Prieuré de Saint-Céols as the first Menetou-Salon we have ever imported.
Want to find out more about this region? Check it out in the article listed below.
Centre-Loire: Menetou-Salon
Wine Enthusiast published this article in conjunction with the Vins du Centre-Loire, last updated: September 28, 2022.
