This was day 6 of our tour. We spent the next 4 days in the Touraine wine region. Here, we divided our time between focusing on wine and history, i.e. visiting wine producers and visiting Loire châteaux where history was written. It is fascinating how events taking place at some of these châteaux shaped France’s and eventually Europe’s course of history. 

We started the day in Chinon at the cellars of Marc Plouzeau under the fortress of Chinon. Marc Plouzeau was our host.

Touraine

The Touraine wine region is the Loire Valley’s most diverse subregion. The climate is continental and the terroir is enormously varied: from chalky tuffeau to flinty-clay, some sands and gravels from the river’s deposits. Main grape varieties are Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, but also lots of fantastic Gamay, and Côt - the local name for Malbec. Delicious wines are produced from autochthone varieties such as Romorantin for whites, and Grolleau and Pineau d’Aunis for reds. The most famous appellations are Vouvray - always from Chenin Blanc - and Chinon for red wines.

Chinon

Today we focussed on wines from the AOP Chinon. The medieval town of Chinon is also very important: it is steeped in decisive events having shaped the course of history of France. On the border between the three historical regions of Anjou, Poitou, and Touraine, the fortress-castle occupies a strategic place that was hotly contested in ancient times. From its rocky spur it dominates the entire territory, but also several
centuries of history. It was here where the Plantagenêt court of Henry II. and Eleanor of Aquitaine was held and where Henry II. and his son Richard Lionheart died. Much later, in 1429 Joan of Arc met here with King Charles VII. to ask for providing her with an army to defeat the English which eventually ended the 100 year war and gave the territories north of the Loire and the Bordelais back to France after 300 years under English rule.

Cave M. Plouzeau in Chinon, Touraine

In 1846 the Plouzeau family acquired Château de la Bonnelière on the left bank of the Loire river near Chinon. Pierre Plouzeau replanted the neglected vineyards in 1980. A winery was constructed at Château de la Bonnelière in 1989. Marc Plouzeau took over in 1999 and converted to organic viticulture. The wines are aged in a unique space: the cellars under the fortress of Chinon. Here, in these caves, hewn from limestone in the 12 th century, the Plouzeau wines mature in oak or concrete eggs and the bottles are also stored in these caves. 

I quote Marc Plouzeau: “Our cellars under the fortress of Chinon are a major asset for an optimal breeding. Our mono-parcellaires improve slowly in half-muids, at a constant temperature of 12° C and at high hygrometry. In these conditions, our wines are refined and stabilize naturally. The winemaking techniques are ancestral but use all the modernity that allows to preserve the best potential of grapes.” 

We had a tasting of the Plouzeau wines in these incredible caves led by Marc Plouzeau. 

The wines of Marc Plouzeau are represented in the USA by Weygandt Metzler.

Weygandt Metzler 

Thanks to the will of two generations, the Château de la Bonneliére regained its nobility and its original destiny - vineyards and wine. In 1976, Pierre Plouzeau bought the family property, renovated the castle and replanted the vineyards. In 1989, a modern winery was born as well as a wine, "Chinon Château de la Bonneliére." Pierre's son, Marc, took over the domaine in 1999. Marc continued to develop the estate, going fully organic and perfecting the cellar. The vineyard of 20 ha is divided into three types of soil (gravel, Clay limestone and flint clay). All give rise to very different wines. "Les Cornuelles" is a parcel of 55 year old vines on "tuf.""Les Clos de Roches" is considered possibly the greatest terroir of the "left bank" of Chinon. 

Arriving

Cellar Tour

Tasting

Bye-bye

Dear Wine aficionados,

For the last tour, see: Summary: Germany-South and Alsace Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, Germany, France

Le Logis de la Bouchardière a commencé la culture de la vigne en 1850. Serge a développé le domaine dans les années 60-80 et Bruno, qui représente la sixième génération, a succédé à son père en 1991, pour pérenniser le vignoble en alliant des méthodes traditionnelles et plus modernes.

Le domaine de la Haute Olive, situé à Chinon, existe depuis 1913, et nous a rejoint en 2006 pour assurer la continuité du vignoble du côté de Sophie, la femme de Bruno.

En 2020, nous accueillerons la septième génération avec Claire, notre fille et son mari Charles.

L’ensemble des deux vignobles est implanté sur les communes de Cravant les Coteaux, Chinon et Panzoult. Il s’étend actuellement sur 57 ha, réparti pour les 3/4 en coteaux et le 1/4 en plaine. L’âge moyen des vignes est de plus de 40 ans, les plus vieilles dépassent 80 ans.

Domaine de la Haut Olive in Chinon, Touraine - Schatzi Wines

Bruno Sourdais carries an intuitive understanding of his vines and cellar work that cannot be learned at any school, only transmitted from one generation to another. He and his wife, Sophie, bring this intuition to the family’s extraordinary holdings in and around Cravant les Côteaux. Their sensitivity to the varied terroirs in which their old-vine cabernet franc (the oldest planted about 1928) grows finds distinct expression in the wines. The sandy plains along the Vienne are the source for their light, quenching Les Cournuelles, while chalky silex slopes mark Les Clos with subtlety and finesse. On the hills, a single hectare of the legendary walled vineyard Le Chêne Vert, which takes its name from a magnificent oak that crowns the slope, literally stands apart. The vineyard is distinguished by its southwestern exposure, steep grade, and a rare clay limestone known as millarge; the wines by their extraordinary high-toned elegance. Through attentive viticulture and thoughtful cellar work, Bruno and Sophie seek a balance of fruit and acidity, freshness and subtlety, to achieve some of the most seductive, soulful Chinons we know.

Arriving

Tasting in the Cellar

Bar-Restaurant Le Bistrot du Marché 

Idéalement situé dans le centre historique médiéval de la ville de Chinon, l'hôtel Le Lion d'Or dispose de 42 chambres spacieuses et personnalisées. L'établissement propose également des appartements confortables avec kitchenette. Au rez-de-chaussée, le bar-restaurant le Bistrot du Marché est convivial et bon enfant. Le chef se donne pour mission de vous faire découvrir les joies et merveilles gastronomiques du pays de Rabelais, tant au niveau des vins que des mets. Face à l'hôtel, vous disposez d'un parking totalement gratuit. Soirées à thème dans l'année.

Lunch - Menu du Jour

Following:

Tasting at Cave M. Plouzeau in Chinon, Touraine, with Owner/ Winemaker Marc Plouzeau his Château de la Bonneliére Wines - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

At Domaine Bouchardière in Cravant les Côteaux, Touraine: Tasting the Wines of Domaine Bouchardière and Domaine de la Haut Olive, Cravant les Coteaux, Chinon and Panzoult, Touraine - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Menu du Jour Lunch at Bar-Restaurant Le Bistrot du Marché of Hotel Le Lion d'Or in the Center of Chinon - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

we went to Domaine François Cazin, Le Petit Chambord, in Cheverney, Touraine, in the afternoon, for a vineyard tour, cellar tour and tasting with François Cazin. We were in particular interested in his Romorantin wines. It was King François I. who enjoyed Romorantin wines and brought the grape to this area in 1519 when he built the Château Chambord near by.

Domaine François Cazin, Le Petit Chambord, is represented in the USA by Louis-Dressner.

Domaine François Cazin, Le Petit Chambord, in Cheverney, Touraine

Le Petit Chambord is a family winery, passed down from father to son for four generations. They farm 51 acres in three appellations: Cheverney, white, red, and rosé, Crémant de Loire, and Cour Cheverney. 50% of the vineyards are planted with white grape varieties with Romorantin as the dominant variety. The red varieties are Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Côt (the local term for Malbec). 

Romorantin gives a full-bodied, but at the same time elegant, fresh wine and is a grape that came from Burgundy to the Loire Valley. It was King François I. who enjoyed Romorantin wines and brought the grape to this area in 1519 when he built the Château Chambord near by. In 1993 Romorantin got its own appellation: the AOP Cour Cheverney is Romorantin only. 

At this domaine we can taste a wide variety of wines and a quote by Astor Wines in NY says this: “There’s a lot to remember when it comes to the Loire. Novices, take note: Cabernet Franc is a great alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon, Muscadet is unparalleled as a companion to shellfish, and Cour Cheverny is the best white wine appellation you’ve never heard of.”

David Bowler/ Louis-Dressner

Let us tell you how we met François Cazin. In the early 1990's, Joe Dressner and David Lillie (then working as the Loire buyer for Garnet Wine and Liquors) would travel each winter to attend the Salon des Vins de Loire. That fateful winter, the two had set out to find a producer from the recently created Cheverny appellation. Both started from opposite sides of the stand and tasted through every producer there. After comparing notes, the only wines both had truly enjoyed were François'. They approached him once more, this time together to ask if he'd be interested in having his wines imported to the United States.  Here we are, nearly 30 years later and still working together.

Created in 1993, Cheverny is one of the most recent appellations in the Loire Valley. The area, south of the Loire and abutting the marshy region of Sologne (the best hunting grounds in France), has produced wines since the 6th century. The soils consist of various combinations of clay, limestone and silica. Many varietals are planted: Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cabernet and Côt for red wines, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin and Menu Pineau for the whites.

Cazin tends vines of considerable age and the resulting yields are well below average in any given year. His Cheverny is fresh and floral, with appley-texture and crisp acidity. The flavors are sleek and precise. Since 1997, the wine has been bottled unfiltered by gravity. His wines have consistently been the top pick of the vintage at the annual Loire Valley wine show in Angers. By legislation, a Cheverny wine has to be a blend of varietals and Cazin’s white is 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Chardonnay.

Cazin also makes a cuvée of Cour-Cheverny, exclusively from the ancient local grape Romorantin. This varietal, with its high acidity and minerality, can be angular and rough. But in the right hands, it achieves high ripeness and the wine has astonishing grapey, apricot and roasted nuts flavors, kept fresh and lively by good acidity. In very ripe vintages, when the grapes undergo passerillage or noble rot, Cazin vinifies some of his Romorantin off-dry, calling it "Cuvée Renaissance". A considerably smaller amount of red wine is also produced from Pinot Noir and Gamay.

Romorantin - goodproducer.com

At goodproducer, as wine lovers, we are always looking for rare grape varieties that grow in exceptional and favorable soils and advantageous climate conditions. Those factors are the foundation of great wines.
That’s the case for the Romorantin grape. A variety that sounds pretty fancy. It is a white grape exclusively found in the Cour Cheverny Appellation, one of the most unknown in the Loire region. This appellation is famous for its castle and has huge potential for producing wines.

It was 1519 when Francis I, King of France, introduced the grape variety Romorantin to the territories surrounding the Castle of Romorantin, a clue that gives insight to where the grape name originates.

We’re in France, in the Loire-et-Cher department located in the Centre-Val de Loire region. This white grape variety of France surprisingly survived the phylloxera epidemic that destroyed most of the vines in European countries in the 19th century. Today winemakers of this region can count to just 60 hectares in what became the AOC Cour-Cheverny in 1993.

Studies of DNA fingerprints of Romorantin show that this white variety is a result of a cross between Gouais blanc and Pinot fin teinturie.

Arriving

In the Vineyard

In the Cellar

Tasting

Bye-bye

Annette and I enjoyed a wonderful Bordeaux Saturday lunch tasting at Pirouette in Ballston, Arlington, Virginia, with 6 wines selected and presented by Donald and a light 3-course lunch menu prepared by Chef Adam.

Pirouette is a restaurant cum wine store owned and run by Jackie and Philippe Loustaunau, which opened 2 years ago. Philippe is a wine wine aficionado and career changer who previously owned an internet company and tought at George Maison University. Philippe is a native of Limoges, France, who I had met before an various winemaker dinners with French producers in the area. Donald is the son of Jackie from a previous marriage. 

Annette and I discovered Pirouette only recently, but it has quickly become our favorite in the greater McLean area. The wine selection of Pirouette is a very personal selection of Philippe, with a special attention to small producer, low intervention and a heavy focus on French wines, ranging from entry-level to high-end. It could be Annette's and my selection. As part of the Pirouette concept, you can pick a bottle from the wine store and consume it in the restaurant, without corkage fee.

The last time, Annette and I went to Piroutte, we selected a German Pinot Noir and two appetizer, which we shared. The selection of wine, which took 15 to 30 minutes, was already a great pleasure for us. In terms of food, we chose: Beef tartare with quail yolk, crispy capers, shallots, espelette aioli, crostini $14. Black Bass Crudo, preserved grapefruit purée, togarashi, pickled garlic scapes, pickled chilies (GF) $15. 

We will be in Bordeaux in May next year on the Bordeaux 2025 by Ombiasy Public Relations and Wine Tours led by Annette Schiller. Join us. See: Upcoming ombiasy Wine Tours by Annette Schiller: 2nd Half of 2024 and Outlook for 2025 http://schiller-wine.blogspot.com/2024/08/upcoming-ombiasy-wine-tours-by-annette.html

Sitting down on my first visit to Pirouette Café & Wine Shop, the number eight catches my eye. It’s the price of the first item on the wine list, a glass of Chateau Ducasse Bordeaux blanc. 

Eight dollars? When is the last time I saw a glass of wine in a restaurant in the single digits?

As it turns out, the highest-priced wines by the glass are a mere $12—for which you can enjoy a Loire Valley sparkling rosé (Chanteleuserie Touraine Fines Bulles) or a Petit Manseng from Virginia’s Early Mountain vineyard. A bottle of Domaine Bzikot 2020 Puligny-Montrachet is a very reasonable $58. 

Stopping by the table, my server explains that guests may also choose any of the 240-plus bottles in Pirouette’s adjoining wine shop, to enjoy on site with no corkage fee or markup. I go for the Chateau Ducasse, whose blend of Semillon and sauvignon blanc grapes proves a worthy foil for plump Long Island oysters broiled with basil butter, and an order of hush puppies topped with crab salad and lemony jalapeno remoulade.

Owners Philippe and Jackie Loustaunau opened their Ballston café in mid-September and they’re off to a winning start. The couple—he’s 64, she’s 48—met in 2006 because their daughters from previous marriages (both 12 at the time) were friends. 

“[Manon and Jasmine] hatched a plan to get us together and pinkie swore that it would be OK if it didn’t work out between us,” Jackie says, laughing. 

It did work out. They married in 2008, dreaming of one day opening a business that captured their mutual passion for food and wine. Jackie had worked in restaurants over the years, and later, for Fresh Impact Farms, a hydroponic farm on Langston Boulevard. Philippe, a native of Limoges, France, recently closed a technology consulting firm he started in 2008.

“Wine and the culture of food were always a part of my life in France,” he says. “Jackie and I are well connected with the local French community. A lot of [those friends] are in the food and wine business. We know winemakers and carry their wines.” 

Early in the planning stages, they vacillated between opening a wine shop and a restaurant. The pandemic is what ultimately gave rise to the hybrid concept. “Restaurants were suffering, but retail wine stores did very well,” Philippe observes. Creating a place where guests could eat and leave with a bottle of wine, or come to buy wine and discover the restaurant, was a symbiosis that made sense financially.

The 3,400-square-foot space on the ground floor of Ballston’s J Sol apartments proved an ideal location, blessed with natural light, large windows and a spacious patio. It’s near the Virginia Square condo where the Loustaunaus live with their 12-year-old son, Nicola. 

Designed by D.C.-based //3877, the interior has a modern industrial vibe with concrete floors, walls and beams (and the din that comes with them), exposed ductwork, an open kitchen and tall metal shelves with wooden planters. Jelly jars of carnations adorn tables tucked between gold- and chocolate-hued pleather banquettes.

The dining room seats 66, including a 16-seat tasting table that marks the transition from café to wine shop. Above it hangs a stunning acrylic mobile by Atlanta artist Przemyslaw Kordys (aka “PK”). 

Charleston, South Carolina, native Adam Hoffa, 29, whose local résumé includes stints at D.C.’s Fiola and St. Anselm restaurants, is the chef overseeing an abbreviated menu of eight appetizers, four entrées and two desserts. 

Hoffa sidesteps a pet peeve of mine—badly dressed salads—by making sure to coat every leaf, and all of his salads shine. In one instance, a perky dressing of creme fraiche and dill enlivens a medley of broccoli florets, pickled red peppers and French breakfast radishes. Another artful assembly finds red endive leaves, tossed in orange zest and Dijon mustard vinaigrette, arranged like flower petals on top of house-made ricotta cheese and finished with focaccia croutons. 

The chef cooks with seasonal ingredients, including produce from Earth N Eats Farm in Pennsylvania, so the menu changes frequently. (Before this review went to press, the toppings on the ricotta salad had already shifted to red kale, roasted pumpkin and pecans with a red-wine vinaigrette.)

If salads aren’t your thing, the fried macaroni-and-cheese croquettes, made with cheddar and smoked Gouda and served with zesty roasted-pepper jelly, may well be. The ratio of flour to cornmeal in the aforementioned hush puppies seems off, making the orbs rather cakelike and springy, when they should be fluffy and light.  

An entrée of seared sea scallops with corn purée and little piles of cherry-tomato-and-charred-corn relish is a delightful ode to the last gasps of summer, but it’s gone from the menu after my first visit. In its place, the chef offers a whole branzino for two, stuffed with a delicious (albeit a tad rubbery) scallop mousse and surrounded by cremini mushrooms, carrots and turnips in a rich shellfish jus. 

Tagliolini—a narrower and more thinly rolled form of tagliatelle—is tossed with mussels (which Hoffa steams in the whey from his house-made ricotta), roasted tomatoes and garlic breadcrumbs, yielding a dish that is delightful in its flavor and restraint. 

I’m a fan of the pork chop Milanese for two—a crispy, breaded, on-the-bone cutlet topped with roasted tomatoes and sharp provolone cheese, with a mound of bitter lettuce salad. 

But that dish speaks to a larger issue with the mains on the menu: With only four offered at a time (some of which are designed for two people), the options are limited. At the time of my visit, the pork chop was the only meat entrée. Another was vegetarian. The main courses would benefit from more diversity.

The succinct offerings include two desserts. I can attest to Hoffa’s dreamy chocolate budino (pudding) made with Colombian milk chocolate and topped with smoked almonds, a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of sea salt. 

The appetizer cheese plate, paired with a nice wine, is also a wonderful way to end a meal. Mine features a wedge of triple-cream Pierre Robert cow’s milk cheese flanked by a salad of wild greens, fresh dill, sauteed mushrooms and fried garlic chips. 

Pirouette is a family affair and I love that energy. Jackie and Philippe work the floor in the café and the wine shop and make a point of engaging with every customer. One evening, Jackie’s son Don served, while his half-brother, Nicola, bused tables, having come straight from soccer practice. 

Still, it’s the wine component that makes Pirouette truly special. The Loustaunaus have curated a deeply personal list born of good taste and experience. Patrons will benefit by discovering labels not seen routinely on other wine lists around town, such as a Deovlet Pinot Noir 2019 from Santa Barbara ($47), Mélanie Pfister Pinot Gris Furd 2019 from Alsace ($34) and Mas d’Amile Terrasses du Larzac le Petitou 2020 from Languedoc-Roussillon ($20). 

A warning, though, to those who are partial to big California reds or oaky chardonnays: “We are biased toward Central Coast California wines,” Philippe says. “Napa is just not our style.” Some 70% of Pirouette’s wines are Old World offerings. (So, mostly not Californian.)

In my view, the Loustaunaus have hit upon a formula that is the right thing in the right place at the right time. 

“We are not trying for a liquor license. It’s not in our business model,” Jackie says. “No coffee, either. We are focusing on our core mission—beautiful food, beautiful wines and beautiful service. We don’t want to stray from that.” 

They don’t need to. Their Pirouette is on point as is.

There are three beers, a cider and a few nonalcoholic beverages on Pirouette’s menu, but really it’s all about wine. The adjoining wine shop stocks about 240 wines, which doubles as a wine list of sorts, as diners may purchase any of them to drink at the table, with no markup or corkage fee. Prices per bottle range from $15 to $100, with most in the $40 range. Philippe estimates there are 80 to 90 reds, 40 to 50 sparkling and the rest are white. Roughly 70% are Old World and half are French.

The wine list at the table highlights various “wines to discover,” with three selections each of red, white and bubbly by the glass ($8 to $12) and six selections of each by the bottle, many of them modestly priced in the $20s. They also offer several half bottles, a rarity in restaurants these days.

Pirouette

I don’t get it. What are you?

We hear this a lot. Pirouette is a wine shop and a restaurant. You can go straight to the shop to pickup wine & snacks to take home, or you can sit down for lunch or dinner. Or enjoy some wine & bites during happy hour for the in-between time of the day. You can even pick a bottle in the shop and our servers will add it to your tab and open it for you to have with your meal. And when you’re done with your meal, you can head to the shop to grab some of those bottles you loved and bring them home. Our servers are happy to go get them for you, too, or recommend something else you might enjoy.

Wait, what? I can pick a bottle from the shop and have it at the table?

That’s right, with no additional markup or corkage fee. The whole shop is our bottle list. You are welcome to settle into your seat, then head over to peruse the shelves. But if you don’t want to get up and go shopping, we also have some bottles we think are just spectacular and deserve the spotlight listed right there on the back of the Drinks list. Just like the old days in school, remember to turn your page over for more.

Bordeaux Tasting Lunch at Pirouette in Ballston, Arlington, Virginia, with Donald and Chef Adam (August 2024)

3-course Menu

The Wines

Bye-bye

We will be in Bordeaux in May next year on the Bordeaux 2025 by Ombiasy Public Relations and Wine Tours led by Annette Schiller. Join us. See: Upcoming ombiasy Wine Tours by Annette Schiller: 2nd Half of 2024 and Outlook for 2025 http://schiller-wine.blogspot.com/2024/08/upcoming-ombiasy-wine-tours-by-annette.html

In Blois, we stayed 2 nights at the Hôtel Mercure Centre Blois, a 4-star hotel on the banks of the Loire River within a five minute walk to the city center of Blois and the Royal Château of Blois. 

We were also close to some of the most beautiful and important Loire Châteaux: Chambord, Cheverny, Beauregard, Chaumont. 

On the first night, we had dinner at Restaurant Brut Maison de Cuisine, the relatively small restaurant of Owner/ Chef Adrien Delafoy. Chef Adrien does “bistronomique” cooking with seasonal and local ingredients. The wine list is long and impressive with most of the wines being "natural", organic or biodynamic. 

The restaurant is on the other side of the Loire river and we enjoyed a great walk to the restaurant and back to the hotel crossing the Loire rive on the 300 years old Pont Jacques Gabriel , with a great view on the Loire river, the Château Royal and the town of Blois.

theinfatuation.com

All of the vegetables at this small, modern French spot in the town of Blois come from within 12 miles, the meat is all from the Loire region, and the wine list includes bottles from the restaurant’s own backyard. Expect a tight menu that changes weekly based on what produce is at its peak, like autumn butternut squash with duck breast or a summery cucumber gazpacho with bonito and a blanket of fresh herbs and pickled cherries.

Raisin

3-course Dinner

Owner/ Chef Adrien Delafoy

Walking from Restaurant Brut Maison de Cuisine to Hôtel Mercure Centre Blois

We visited only one winery on this day, Domaine Brazilier in Thoré-la-Rochette, Côteaux Vendômois, Touraine, because the whole afternoon was devoted to the visit of Château de Chambord.

Domaine Brazilier in Thoré-la-Rochette, Côteaux Vendômois, Touraine, is a bit off the beaten track. 

Current owner and winemaker Benoît Brazilier, the 7 th generation of a family of winegrowers and winemakers, was our host. He joined us on the bus and we drove with him to his vineyards, before touring the estate and tasting through his portfolio of wines.  

Regal Wine Imports is presenting Domaine Brazilier in some of the US states. I am not sure if there are other importers.

Domaine Brazilier in Thoré-la-Rochette, CôteauxVendômois, Touraine

Current owner and winemaker is Benoît Brazilier, the 7 th generation of a family of winegrowers and winemakers in Thoré-la-Rochette in the Vendômois. This region is situated in the valley of the Loir river, one of the few tributaries of the Loire originating in the north between Le Mans and Paris. The wines of this region have a historic reputation but were overlooked for a long time. In 2000 the Vendômois was granted AOP Côteaux du Vendômois status. This regions gains more and more attention because
of the fantastic wines produced here. 

Domaine Brazilier has 65 acres of vineyards planted with mainly Chenin and Pinot d’Aunis, an autochthone red grape variety in the Loire valley as well as Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. They work the fields with respect for the environment and are certified Terra Vitis. The soil is typical for the Touraine region: chalky limestone with some flint, called “tuffeau”. Benoît uses historic limestone caves for much of his wine production and the tasting room. These caves were carved out centuries ago when the rocks were used to build the châteaux.

K & L Wines

Located in Thoré-la-Rochette in the eastern Loire near the Atlantic ocean, father and son Jean and Benoit Brazilier farm 25 hectares of vines, ten of which are family owned (Benoit represents is the seventh generation of the Brazilier winemaking legacy here). They farm and produce appellation Coteaux du Vendômois wines from Chenin Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Pineau d'Aunis, and Cabernet Franc, and Vin de Pays from Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Blanc and Gamay. They have some estate plantings of Pinot Noir.

Regal Wine Imports - Domaine Brazilier

Style: White

Vineyard Tour

Cellar Tour

Tasting

Bye-bye

Following:

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Brazilier in Thoré-la-Rochette, Côteaux Vendômois, Touraine, with Owner/ Winemaker Benoît Brazilier - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

we had lunch in the town of Vendôme at Le Moulin du Loir. 

Before lunch, we had time to visit the beautiful Trinity Abbey church and its incredible flamboyant Gothic facade. The monastery was founded in 1035 and was under the direct authority of the Pope in those days.

Le Moulin du Loir in Vendôme is a village restaurant that sits over an old wooden mill in the Loir river. Note, the "Le Loir" river is different from "La Loire" river.

We had a 3-course lunch with wine. 

Trinity Abbey Church of Vendôme

Le Moulin du Loir in Vendôme

Lunch Choices

3-course Lunch

Starters

Main Courses

Desserts

Coffee

Bye-bye

Château de Chambord

Château Chambord was built by François I. in the 16 th century. It is the largest and most known Loire Château and also the most unusual one. With its 400 rooms, it never served as a residential palace, but rather as an impressive backdrop for State Visits. 

Charles V., Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nations, commented after a stay: “an
epitome of what human art can produce.”

Lonely Planet

If you only have time to visit one château in the Loire, you might as well make it the grandest – and Chambord is the most lavish of them all, and the most visited. It’s a showpiece of Renaissance architecture, from the double-helix staircase up to the turret-covered rooftop. With 426 rooms, 282 fireplaces, and 77 staircases the sheer scale of the place is mindboggling – and in the Loire, that’s really saying something.

Begun in 1519 by François I (r 1515–47) as a weekend hunting retreat, it quickly grew into one of the most ambitious – and expensive – building projects ever undertaken by a French monarch.

Construction was repeatedly halted by financial problems, design setbacks and military commitments (not to mention the kidnapping of the king’s two sons in Spain). Ironically, when Chambord was finally finished after three decades of work, François found his elaborate palace too draughty, preferring instead the royal apartments in Amboise and Blois. In the end he stayed here for just 72 days during his entire 32-year reign. A French-style formal garden opened in 2017.

Château de Chambord is the largest of the Loire castles and also the most visited. The chateau is situated in the eastern part of the Loire Valley, a short distance east of Blois.

Originally built as a 'hunting lodge' for King Francois I - his 'main' royal palaces can be seen at the Château d'Amboise and the Château de Blois - Chambord is a magnificent sight both when viewed from outside and when enjoying a tour of the opulent interiors. The castle was designed and built to excel, and it does that grandly: even the Loire River is said to have been diverted to make a bit more space for its construction!

Château de Chambord was built in the first half of the 16th century, in what is known as the 'French renaissance' style. It has a central structure, with large towers on each corner and a mulitude of smaller towers and structures, which itself forms part of a larger structure - a second square that incorporates the main chateau, two further substantial corner towers, and a large enclosed courtyard.

This layout suggests that the castle follows a medieval defensive structure - which it does broadly - but Chambord never played, or was intended to play, any kind of defensive role.

The castle at Chambord was built as a hunting lodge, although after spending more than two decades having the castle built, Francois I himself only actually spent seven weeks in the castle, when he was hunting in the region. A King's hunting party consisted of around 2000 people, making the logistics of a visit very complicated. Since the castle was more or less unused, it also remained unfurnished and of course unheated at that time.

The roofline of Château de Chambord has numerous turrets that give it its distinctive 'skyline': these are the tops of the staircases and chimneys inside the chateau. The central round tower is the cupola for the immense double helix staircase, the design of which is sometimes attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, and is very impressive. Apparently Francois I required a roof that reminded him of Constantinople!

After the death of Francois I in 1547 the castle remained in a state of abandon for almost 100 years, at which point Gaston d'Orleans was given the castle by his brother, King Louis XIII. He started major renovation works, which were subsequently carried on by King Louis XIV who also had the immense stables built, sufficient to house the several hundred horses that were needed for a royal hunting trip.

Despite all this work and expense, Louis XIV (the Sun King) also abandoned the castle after a few years, from 1685.

Chambord castle had a couple more periods of occupation over the following century, both relatively brief, and by 1750 it was once again in a state of abandon. While the revolution spared the structure it did result in the furnishings that had been added during the renovation works to be sold, and the castle remained empty until the early 19th century.

A French miltary leader was then given the property by Napoleon - he died soon after and his widow sold the castle to the Duke of Bordeaux, who soon after got exiled from France. Another forty years on and Chambord was pressed into service as a hospital during the 1871 Franco-Prussian war. Yet again the decades that followed led to the castle changing hands on occasion, and being occupied for some periods.

In the middle of the 20th century the castle passed into government ownership and was subsequently renovated: when you visit and see the extraordinary size and grandeur of the structure it is remarkable to remember that Chambord has stood empty for the large majority of the last 550 years.

In recent decades a great deal of work has been carried out on the castle, now under the control of the French State, and it is now a major tourist attraction in the region. Apart from the splendours of the building itself you can also admire a fine collection of furnishings, works of art and tapestries, and a small interesting collection of horse-drawn carriages.

Arriving

Château de Chambord

Horse and Prey Show

François I began with the construction of the château in 1519. That same year, a royal decree shows that he brought 80,000 vines from Beaune in Burgundy to be planted in the Loire Valley.  

Until 1950s, a dozen farms operated on the estate. But there was no winery. This has changed recently, with the creation of a 40 acres vineyard and the convertion of the Ormetrou farm in a winery.

In June 2015, the National Estate of Chambord replanted the "François I Vineyard”, 500 years after its introduction in Val de Loire. The grape varieties chosen were those from the region of Romorantin, in memory of François I, who brought the fruit of the vine to Val de Loire in 1519. Plantation entailed two phases: While 15 acres were planted in June 2015 (5 acres of pre-phylloxera Romorantin and 10 acres of Pinot Noir), 20 acres were added in 2016 and 2017 (pre-phylloxera Romorantin plants, Gamay and Pinot blanc).

The Chambord winery is located in the old buildings of the Ormetrou farm, near the vineyards. The buildings, made up of two barns, one dating from the 17th century, and the other from the early 19th century, were renovated to accommodate 14 stainless steel vats and some oak barrels from Chambord’s forest.

The rehabilitation was completed the first trimester of 2022, after one year. A tasting room had been set up in the former dwelling house, with a magnificent view of the château.

The wines being produced now are:

• a red wine, a blend of Pinot Noir and Gamay (about 84% Pinot Noir and 16% Gamay, in accordance with the “AOC Cheverny” specifications),

• a white wine made from the Orbois variety blended with the Sauvignon variety (about 60% Sauvignon and 40% Orbois, in accordance with the “AOC Cheverny” specifications),

• a white wine made from a single historical grape variety called Romorantin.

When Annette and I visited the Salons des Vins in Angers earlier this year, we run into the winemaker of Château de Chambord and tasted the Château de Chambord wines. Then at Château de Chambord, we also went to the vineyard and the winery.  

See: Salons des Vins - all with a Focus on Natural, Organic, Biodynamic and Low-intervention Producers in the Loire Valley and elsewhere in France and Europe - in February in Angers and Samour, Loire Valley, France (February 2024)

Château Royal de Blois

Seven kings and ten queens lived at this place. This Château is a synthesis of all Loire Châteaux. Its four sides are all different. On the walls you can read the history of French architecture from Louis IV to Louis XII. The Château is also the scene of the drama of Blois: the assassination of the Duke de Guise instigated by Katharina de Medici because she thought him becoming too powerful: high point of the religious wars between the Catholics and Protestants which ravaged France in the second half of the sixteenth century. This château is interesting to visit to get an idea on court etiquette, design in
Renaissance times because people actually lived here.

Lonely Planet

Seven French kings lived in Blois' royal château, whose four grand wings were built during four distinct periods in French architecture: Gothic (13th century), Flamboyant Gothic (1498–1501), early Renaissance (1515–20) and classical (1630s). You can easily spend a half-day immersing yourself in the château's dramatic and bloody history and its extraordinary architecture.

The most famous part of the Gothic wing is the richly painted Hall of the States-General, from the 13th century. Along one wall, interactive screens illustrate the development of the château over the centuries.

In the Renaissance wing you'll find the extraordinary spiral loggia staircase, decorated with fierce salamanders and curly Fs, heraldic symbols of François I. Other highlights include the Queen's Bedchamber, in which Catherine de Médicis (Henri II’s machiavellian wife) died in 1589, and the King’s Bedchamber, setting for one of the bloodiest episodes in the château’s history. In 1588 Henri III had his arch-rival, Duke Henri I de Guise, murdered by royal bodyguards (the king is said to have hidden behind a tapestry while the dastardly deed was done). He had the duke’s brother, the Cardinal de Guise, killed the next day. The bloodletting of the Wars of Religion continued when Henri III himself was murdered just eight months later by a vengeful monk. Dramatic and very graphic oil paintings illustrate these gruesome events next door in the Council Room.

Arriving

Tour

Leaving

Il est le nouveau classique du Val de Loire. Jean-Francois Beauduin, natif de Cognac, qu’on découvrit jadis en adjoint de Rémy Giraud à Onzain aux domaine des Hauts de Loire. Ce jeune (31 ans) ancien de chez Bernard Loiseau à Saulieu, Arnaud Lallement à Tinqueux et Jerome Nutile à Nîmes au Mas de Boudan, s’est installé dans une ancienne des bords de Loire où il pratique la tradition ligérienne avec art.

Tout ce qu’il réalise possède le ton de l’évidence : filet de caille poché, avec la cuisse en pâte chaud au foie gras, son condiment de raisin et jus de verjus, Saint Jacques poêlées aux légumes racines (cerfeuil, topinambours), sa sauce mousseuse au vin jaune, lièvre à la royale en deux façons : à la manière Escoffier présenté traditionnellement avec foie gras, sauce au sang et aux abats, mais aussi celle du sénateur Couteaux en filaments vinaigré façon Parmentier en crème de pommes de terre.

On y ajoute un impeccable soufflé flambé au cognac Baché-Gabrielsen – bon sang charentais ne saurait mentir -, avec sa crème glacée à la vanille. Les vins au verre suivent le fil de la Loire en des chemins parfois imprévus, comme ce blanc Lucile au domaine des Vaucornelles à Onzain ou ce rouge issue de syrah, eh oui, en terre de cabernet franc, signée Philippe Pain au domaine de la Commanderie à Panzoult.

Le lieu a du charme, avec ses tables bien mises, sa charpente en bois apparente et les menus sont fort bien équilibrés et très raisonnables, comme le premier à 33 € qui vaut çà Jean-François son « bib » chez Michelin. Nul doute que ses aspirations aillent au-delà…

Welcome

Aperitif

Amuse-bouche

Viande/ Poisson

Cheese Cart

Instead of bringing us a plate of pre-selected cheeses, a cart full of cheese was wheeled to our table, the cheeses explained, and we had the ability to choose whichever we liked.

Dessert

Soufflé flambé au Cognac, crème glacée à la vanille

Accompagné d'un verre de cognac 2cl
Américan Oak, Bache Gabrielsen, 5 €

My favorite.

Bye-bye

2024 Loire by ombiasy Wine Tours, led by Annette Schiller, took place from Sunday, June 9 to Thursday June 20, 2024. The tour started in Nantes and ended in Sancerre.

Following

Guided Tour of Château Royal de Blois, where 7 Kings and 10 Queens lived - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

With a Large Cheese Cart and Soufflé Flambé au Cognac: 5-course Menu Inspiration - Leisurely Sunday Lunch at Restaurant La Croix Blanche on the Banks of the Loire between Amboise and Blois, with Owner/ Chef Jean-François Beauduin (Bib Gourmand Michelin) - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

we visited Château du Clos Lucé where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last three years before he passed away in his bedroom on May 2, 1519.

Amboise

The impressive Château Royal d’Amboise is regarded as the cradle of the Renaissance in France and French history was written here for over a century. Five kings of France resided in the Château d’Amboise. Under King Charles III. and his wife Anne of Brittany, Italian splendor and enlightened thinking unfolded here. The metamorphosis from a feudal fortress to a Renaissance palace dates back to this era and the triumpf of the Renaissance began here.

Much later, in 1560 during the religious wars an unimaginably horrific bloodbath that lasted several days occurred at the château when Catholics brutally killed hundreds of Protestants. 

Worth visiting is the richly decorated jewel from the Gothic period, the St.-Hubert chapel, on the castle grounds. This is the burial site of Leonardo da Vinci.

Château du Clos Lucé

King François I. was fascinated with Leonardo da Vinci and has lured the genius to Amboise with three convincing arguments: a castle at his sole disposal, a monthly pension, and - most importantly - the promise of artistic freedom. 

Leonardo da Vinci spent his last three years at this château before he passed away in his bedroom on
May 2, 1519. An interactive cours runs through the park, impressively showcasing the genius’s many visions.

Château du Clos Lucé - Lonely Planet

It was at the invitation of François I that Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519), aged 64, took up residence in this grand manor house, built in 1471. An admirer of the Italian Renaissance, the French monarch named Da Vinci 'first painter, engineer and king's architect', and the Italian spent his time here sketching, tinkering and dreaming up ingenious contraptions.

Fascinating scale models of 40 of his many inventions, some of which kids can climb on or operate, are on display inside the house and around its lovely 7-hectare gardens, where you can picnic and walk along a meandering stream. Visitors also visit furnished ateliers that look as they did when Da Vinci worked and painted here and the bedroom where he drew his last breath, on 2 May 1519.

Rick Steves - Amboise’s Loire Delights and Leonardo da Vinci Sights

Arriving

Tour

2024 Loire by ombiasy Wine Tours, led by Annette Schiller, took place from Sunday, June 9 to Thursday June 20, 2024. The tour started in Nantes and ended in Sancerre.

Château de Pray is a 4-star romantic hideaway close to the town of Amboise, in the heart of the Loire Valley. The origins of this Loire château dates from the 12th century. It is tucked away in a vast park with a nice pool and a terrace to relax.

As soon you step into this beautiful château with its gorgeous garden you leave the modern world behind and get carried back to the glory days of life in the Vallée de la Loire. This authentic Loire château is still privately owned. It was the first one that was converted to a hotel and restaurant in 1950. In 1992 it achieved its 4-star designation. Today there is a 1* Michelin restaurant on the premises. 

We stayed there on a Sunday night, when the restaurant is closed. But for hotel guests there is the possibility to be served a more simple dinner at Château de Pray. Unfortunately the weather did not allow us to take a swim in the pool before dinner and have dinner on the beautiful terrace. Instead, we started out with an aperitif in one of the gorgeous rooms of Château de Pray and then moved for dinner across the hallway to another, larger room. 

When Annette and I were here on the pre-trip, we had dinner the Michelin-starred restaurant. See: At Château de Pray, a Loire Château from the 12th Century and a Michelin Star: Overnight Stay and High-end Dinner in an Historic Setting (February 2024)

Château de Pray

Hôtel Château de Pray is a 4-star romantic hideaway in the heart of the Loire Valley. The origins of this magnificent Loire Château dates from the 12th century. It is situated a couple of miles from the town of Amboise and is tucked away in a vast park with a very nice outdoor pool and a huge terrace to relax. 

As soon as we step into this beautiful Château – close to the town of Amboise - with its gorgeous garden we leave the modern world behind and get carried back to the glory days of life in the Vallée de la Loire. This authentic Loire Château is still privately owned. It was the first one that was converted to a hotel and restaurant in 1950. In 1992 it achieved its 4-star designation.

Château de Pray

After a day of sightseeing, you can relax in the château’s cozy lounge among a 19th-century tiled fireplace, rich wood paneling, antiques, and leaded-glass windows, or linger in the garden with its lovely views of the Loire.

An attractive staircase leads to the charming guest rooms, many with four-poster or canopied beds.

The dining room at Château de Pray is highly regarded, and it’s wise to make a reservation. The restaurant is set in two rooms: one is all in shades of gold, while the second features stained glass windows, beautiful tapestries, and a fine, sculpted-wood fireplace.

Since the Loire is easy to cross at this point, the site has always been strategically important. A fortress has existed here since the 6th century. Named after Geoffroy de Pray, the Château de Pray has been home to a long line of families closely connected with the French royal court who resided at the Château d’Amboise.

This circa 1244 Renaissance house was built around the same time as the Château d’Amboise. Perhaps because of its small size, the Château de Pray always had an owner to protect it from the ravages of time: Elizabeth I’s commissioner of artillery in 1631, a councilor to the kings of Spain and France in the 18th century, and later, one of Lafayette’s officers.

Arriving

Walk in the Garden

Apperitif

Dinner

Breakfast

Bye-bye

At Château de Pray, a Loire Château from the 12th Century and a Michelin Star: Overnight Stay and High-end Dinner in an Historic Setting (February 2024)

See: At Château de Pray, a Loire Château from the 12th Century and a Michelin Star: Overnight Stay and High-end Dinner in an Historic Setting (February 2024)

 

Today we explored the famous Vouvray region. 

At Domaine Denis Meunier in Vernou-sur-Brenne, we were received by the "previous generation", Daniel Meunier and his wife Mauricette Meunier. We took a quick tour of the winemaking facilities and did a tasting of the Domaine Denis Meunier wines in the cellar.

Domaine Denis Meunier is represented in the USA by Schatzi-Wines.  

Vouvray

I found the perfect description of Vouvray on Kevin Pike’s Schatzi Wine (one of the great importers to the US of German and other European wines) website: “Vouvray is one of the Loire’s great terroirs for Chenin Blanc. As part of the Paris basin, the soils are largely fossilized marine based. The bedrock, from which the region’s myriad historic cellars are cut, is tuffeau. The topsoils are flinty clay, limestone, gravels, and marls. The climate is marked by the tension between moderate maritime and more extreme continental influences. This, and the fact that Vouvray is traditionally one of the last parts of France to harvest, opens vignerons here to great risk -first, of severe weather, foremost hail (as Denis Meunier experienced in the string of vintages between 2014 and 2016, when he and many around him suffered devastating crop losses), later, of disease. The reward is a cool climate that allows both the acid edge and haunting, subtle depth of chenin to develop to maximum potential. Multiple vineyard passes are key to producing the traditional range of style from sec to moelleux to sparkling. The wines can fall anywhere between austere and opulent, depending on the ripeness and botrytis levels of the vintage.” The Vouvray AOP classification only allows Chenin and Pineau d’Aunis grapes.

Denis Meunier in Vernou-sur-Brenne, Touraine

This family winery was founded in 1927. In 2012 third generation Denis Meunier took over and immediately started to move the domain towards organic viticulture. The 42 acres of vineyards are mostly on south-facing gentle clay and limestone slopes and are planted mainly with Chenin and some Pineau d’Aunis and Grolleau. Denis produces wines in the classic expression of “Vouvray”: Chenin that are sec (dry), sec tendre (with little residual sugar), demi-sec and moelleux where the fermentation is stopped to arrest the sugar level at a certain point, liquoreux, a noble sweet wine, a selection of botrytized berries which can only be produced in very good growing seasons. He also makes a ‘Pink’, a cuvée of Pineau d’Aunis and Grolleau as well as a Crémant de Loire Brut Zéro with 36 months on the lees before disgorgement.

“Respect for terroir has always been valued here.” — Denis Meunier (Schatzi Wines)

Cellar Tour

Tasting

Bye-bye

Today, in the morning, we explored the Vouvray region. 

Following:

Visit at Domaine Denis Meunier in Vernou-sur-Brenne, Touraine, with Daniel Meunier - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

we visited Domaine des Aubuisières, Bernard Fouquet. This was mainly a tasting in the wine cellar, with a quick look at the winemaking facilities and a longer look at the bottling of a Crémant de Loire.

Domaine des Aubuisières, Bernard Fouquet, is represented in the USA by Weygandt-Metzler. 

Domaine des Aubuisières, Bernard Fouquet, in Vouvray, Touraine

This is one of the top domains in Vouvray. Bernard Fouquet is widely regarded as one of the top Vouvray producers and his ability to capture the mineral tones unique to Vouvray’s soil is legendary. This is a relatively young wine producing domaine, but the Fouquet family was involved in the wine business as grape breeders and grape grafting in their own grape vine nursery. Bernard Fouquet had no interest in continuing the nursery; he wanted to make wine and after stints in Alsace and Burgundy he founded Domaine des Aubuisières in 1982. He crafted a portfolio of superb wines and quickly rose to the top tier winemaker in the region. His children pursued other careers and when Bernard Fouquet fell ill during Covid times, the necessity to find an associate became more pressing. Since 2021 it is Charles Lesaffre, who’s family already had connections to the Fouquet family, who is managing the estate. The domaine has 75 acres of vineyards solely planted with Chenin Blanc. The vineyards have the classic Vouvray
terroir: limestone bedrock and superficial flint (Silex in French), and some limestone mixed with fine clay. This combination, particularly when the limestone is the ‘Tuffeau Jaune’ is locally known as ‘aubuis’, hence the name of the domaine.

Weygandt-Metzler

Despite Vouvray's storied wine-making past (its origins extending back to the monks of the abbey of Marmoutier founded in 372 by Saint Martin), many of the appellation's leading domaines have a fairly short history. Domaine des Aubuisières is no exception. Both the domaine and its reputation owe themselves to the humble work of Bernard Fouquet, who built the estate up from the few small plots of vines he inherited from his father.

Bernard's father André Fouquet was not so much a vigneron as a pépiniériste, a "nurseryman" who specialized in grafting new vines. In 1978 André took over 6 hectares of vineyards from Gérald Bruley des Varannes (the winemaker at Château des Girardières). These holdings became the basis for Bernard's beginnings as a winemaker starting in 1982.

The domaine's parcels contain the two classic terroirs of Vouvray: limestone and flint (silex in French). Some plots are rich in flint fragments of various sizes embedded in clay, a soil type known locally as perruches (flinty clays combined with silica). Others are characterized by limestone (specifically "tuffeau," a lower-density limestone variant formed from sediment and fossilized sea creatures) mixed with clay, a blend known as aubuis, the apparent namesake of the domaine.

From 1990 to 1996 Bernard acquired additional plots in Le Plan de Jean, Le Marigny, and Le Bouchet, all rich in clay-limestone soils. Other acquisitions included the 10 hectares of flint-peppered vineyards in Les Girardières. In 2013, the estate absorbed a coveted 2-hectare clay-limestone plot previously rented by Domaine Huet: Le Petit Clos. The wines from this hillside have been vinified in sandstone amphorae since 2021 to contribute to the wine's roundness.

Bernard retired in 2021, handing the reins to Charles Lesaffre. Charles is the grandson of Gérald Bruley des Varannes, the man from whom Bernard's father André acquired his first vineyards, thereby bringing the story of the Domaine full circle. An avid practitioner of viticulture and oenology, Charles joined Bernard as an associate in 2019. Two years into his tenure, Charles has put an emphasis on organic and biodynamic practices. Charles has continued, as Bernard before him, to capture the unique Vouvray mineral tones, along with the wonderfully balanced expression of fruit of the Chenin Blanc grape, in his wines.

Arriving

Tasting

Quick Cellar Tour

Bottling Crémant de Loire

Château de Chenonceau was the last in a series of Loire castles we visited on this tour:

We spent the whole afternoon there.

Château de Chenonceau

It is the most elegant, most endearing of all the Loire castles. It stretches gracefully across the Cher River, a tributary of the Loire River. Originally it was a mill. The war treasurer of King François I. ordered the castle to be built in 1513. Six women played an important role in the architecture and decoration of the château, the most famous is Diana de Poitier. In 1547 it became the residence of Diana de Poitier, the mistress of Henry II, husband of Katharina de Medici. Chenonceau is one of the few privately owned castles. Since 1913 owner is the family of the chocolate manufacturer Menier.