Master sommelier and Loire valley native, Pascaline Lepeltier, has been working with key Loire producers over the past months in preparation for the October 2017 Loire Wine Study Trip. Take a look at her notes on this carefully curated list of both iconic and rising star estates/producers in the Loire Valley An interesting read to get you re-acquainted with some of the more historically famed estates as well as introduce you to some of the new generation vintners who are pushing boundaries and defining the region’s vinous future…

Summary:  Every classic wine region is associated with a list of producers who manage to bring out the best in soil, site and grape. Their wines have purity of flavor, layers of flavor and concentration of flavor. In essence, these producers manage to bottle the soul of the region itself.  In the Loire Valley, diverse soil types and grape varieties give us three producer groupings who

Summary:  Every classic wine region is associated with a list of producers who manage to bring out the best in soil, site and grape. Their wines have purity of flavor, layers of flavor and concentration of flavor. In essence, these producers manage to bottle the soul of the region itself.  In the Loire Valley, diverse soil types and grape varieties give us three producer groupings who

Summary:  What are the main tasting methods and what are their key characteristics?  How do different cultures, languages and sensibilities impact how wine tasting is approached?  Can we envision a more overarching and universal tasting method?  These are some of the

Summary:  Chenin Blanc is a wonderful grape variety, capable of creating some of the world’s best wines, especially in the Loire Valley. Yet, even here, in the “Kingdom of Chenin,” plantings of Chenin Blanc are limited to very specific areas and appellations. Moreover, the geology of these various appellations significantly influences the resulting style of wine. This session will explore the characteristics of Chenin grown on slate and limestone soils. Presenter: