2021 La Porte Saint Jean Saumur "Les Pouches", Loire Valley, FranceABOUT THE WINE Sourced from a single parcel on limestone and clay soils in the Saumur appellation, Les Pouches is a pure and transparent take on Cabernet Franc. The 2021 vintagea cooler, more classical yearaccentuates the grapes fresher, more floral character. Vinified with minimal intervention, the wine undergoes whole berry fermentation with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats, followed by aging in used barrels for added texture without overt oak

elegant finish with lingering spice and minerality

there are few names as revered as Graillot

While the wines have been spectacular for generations

The base wine was bottled under crown-cap where it underwent secondary fermentation

His brother Eric started Lieu Dit wines in Santa Barbara

and a close partnership

19% Merlot

Sleek and concentrated

This situation forced a long and selective hand-harvest by individual plants and bunches in search of the optimum phenological ripeness

Marco and Francesco who joined the management in 2001

who took over in 1991 (finally buying the property in 1994)

and fermented with native yeasts in small lots