Domaine Patrice Colin 'Pierre François'
Coteaux du Vendômois > Touraine > Loire Valley > FR,
Pineau d'Aunis/Pinot Noir/Gamay, 2022
The unusual Pineau d’Aunis grape, oft overlooked outside northern Touraine, is a niche grape throughout much of the Loire. It’s known for its distinct peppery character, high acidity, and abundant subtle fragrances of muddled blackberry and morello cherry. Here, Patrice Colin blends it with estate Pinot Noir and a little Gamay for aromatic lift. This wine is pure and alive, completely clean, and screams it’s unique terroir - Silex, a soil composed of flint and broken up limestone mixed with clay. Organically farmed.
Coteaux du Vendômois > Touraine > Loire Valley > FR,
Pineau d'Aunis/Pinot Noir/Gamay, 2022
The unusual Pineau d’Aunis grape, oft overlooked outside northern Touraine, is a niche grape throughout much of the Loire. It’s known for its distinct peppery character, high acidity, and abundant subtle fragrances of muddled blackberry and morello cherry. Here, Patrice Colin blends it with estate Pinot Noir and a little Gamay for aromatic lift. This wine is pure and alive, completely clean, and screams it’s unique terroir - Silex, a soil composed of flint and broken up limestone mixed with clay. Organically farmed.
Coteaux du Vendômois > Touraine > Loire Valley > FR,
Pineau d'Aunis/Pinot Noir/Gamay, 2022
The unusual Pineau d’Aunis grape, oft overlooked outside northern Touraine, is a niche grape throughout much of the Loire. It’s known for its distinct peppery character, high acidity, and abundant subtle fragrances of muddled blackberry and morello cherry. Here, Patrice Colin blends it with estate Pinot Noir and a little Gamay for aromatic lift. This wine is pure and alive, completely clean, and screams it’s unique terroir - Silex, a soil composed of flint and broken up limestone mixed with clay. Organically farmed.
Blend: 70% Pineau D'Aunis, with 20% Pinot Noir and 10% Gamay
Soils: Silex
ABV: 12.5%
The Story: This area, where wine-making is all too often a part-time activity, Patrice Colin is one of the few who has amassed holdings, as his family have been in the area since 1735. It was his great grandfather in 1900 who purchased the original 6 hectares and developed the site by himself with two teams of horses. These days Patrice organically farms about 28 hectares of vines, half of which he owns. He plants his vines at very high density to encourage competition and concentration. Certified organic since 1988, Patrice encourages biodiversity and is proud to count over 150 different plant species in his vineyard. He takes care of all operations from vineyard work to vinification and bottling.
Personality: Fragrant and aromatic with bright cherry, both white and black peppercorn somehow, and soft tannins to escort you to the higher plane of existence.
Harmony: This is one of those wines that can truly take you in any direction. Charcuterie meats, lentil stew, or roast salmon all would make splendid fare for this superb blend.