ON THE BAR: THE WRONG SEASON FOR THE RIGHT WINE

cab franc as spiritual salve

Hello, friends.

First, I want to thank those of you who read my last newsletter and either reached out to commiserate or visited ye olde Google to leave us a nice review. It does help, and it did help me feel less despondent. Your support really means a lot.

Things haven’t gotten any easier in the world since then, but I did have a few profound wines recently, so I thought I’d focus on that this week. (Is this the newsletter of a natural wine business or a hospitality industry opinion column? No one knows.)

The thing about these wines is, they’re mostly cabernet franc (with a chenin or two in the mix), and this isn’t exactly what I’d call cab franc season. If I was being asked by a media outlet to contribute to a listicle declaring the best wines for the season—which is about where we’ve ended up with wine journalism—cab franc would land squarely in the vague and frenetic realm of “Holiday.” But, somewhat regrettably, there are fewer and fewer wines I meet that make me go, “Holy shit,” anymore (this is mostly because of the level of exposure I’ve reached at this point in my career, not because there’s a shortage of good wine—I’m just spoiled). Last week, however, I had not one but SIX Holy Shit ™ wines in rapid succession, and so I’m sharing them with you here.

I do just want to call out that they are not cheap. If you know me at all, you know that I’m generally not enthusiastic about paying a lot of money (or suggesting people pay a lot of money) for wine; for all the awards and titles and wine trips, I’m still New Englander, and the Yankee thrift runs deep.

Occasionally, however, I encounter wines that do feel worth the splurge. Rarely are they the “unicorn” wines that are expensive because their reputations precede them/make them particularly Instagrammable for a certain set of natural wine insiders; more often, they’re just undeniably perfect. The platonic ideal of whatever they’re trying to be. Transportive. Evocative. The whole reason I still do this job, despite it all.

So! Here they are, in no particular order except the order I happened to taste them in. They are all available for purchase at Wild Child, and the links will take you to our online shop, where you can purchase online for pickup later. I’m also here ‘til 8:00 tonight if you want to hear it from the horse’s mouth. We only got a few bottles of each of these, so do with that what you will.

holy shit!

THE WINES OF BENOîT COURAULT, FAYE D’ANJOU

“Cultivé dans le respect du vivant.” (Grown with respect for living things.)

Benoît Courault is a natural winemaker’s natural winemaker; that is, he learned to make wine from some of the most quietly serious producers in France, including Eric Pfifferling of Domaine de l’Anglore and Joël Ménard of Domaine des Sablonnettes (one of my all-time favorite producers and a pioneer of organic viticulture). He lived in an airstream trailer with his partner for a decade while they get their vineyards in shape, converting to organics and committing to an extremely labor-intensive program of head-trained, selection massale vines. He is, as they say, committed to the bit.

To read (a lot) more, I highly recommend this article written by one of my personal heroes, Master Sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier. Pascaline “grew up” with Ben (sort of literally), so I won’t try to do better than her exceptional description of Ben’s career and the terroir of Faye d’Anjou.

Here’s a charming little vibe video of the domaine as well:

I bought 3 cuvées of Courault’s wine:

2023 Benoît Courault ‘Empreinte’ (Chenin Blanc) $52

This was the first wine I tasted in this lineup, and if this was the only wine I’d had that day, it would have been enough. I’m tempted to say it’s like standing in a lemon grove on a hot day—pastoral, bright, buzzy and intoxicating—but I think I rely on that imagery too often. Pure and precise, the core of fruit teeters on opulent but snaps back into place thanks to a perfect zip of salty, crunchy acidity. A really great place to start if you’re hoping to get into a lifetime chasing the nuances of Loire chenin. This is Ben’s main cuvée, so we got one whole case :)

2023 Benoît Courault ‘Gilbourg’ (Chenin Blanc) $65

If Empreinte is a little indulgent, Gilbourg is not fucking around. Steely and architectural, this is a wine with understated power and elegance. The Michelle Obama of chenin, if you will. Nuanced, with slightly greener fruit, we’re leaning hard into the realm of make-you-work-for-it schist soil here; the structure’s telling you to sit up straight and get your head right, it’s time to get serious. This is Ben’s top chenin, and one that’s certainly drinkable now but could absolutely age gracefully for 10+ years. We have 6 bottles of this.

2023 Benoît Courault ‘La Grand Maille’ (Cabernet Franc) $125

At this point in the tasting, I stopped listening to the rest of the conversation to focus entirely on the wine in my glass (sorry, Matt, if you’re reading this). I’ve had just a few cab francs that expressed this way, and each of them stands out in my memory for the intensity of pure pleasure they imparted. Heady and gorgeous, this is like your recently-divorced friend who just had a sexual reawakening in Bali. Like, we get it! You’re transcendent! Gosh! In seriousness, though (why?), this is an absolutely mind-bending harmony of sandalwood spice, brilliant forest fruit, licorice root, bramble, hot foraging guide… Vibrant yet earthy, I could go on! This aromatic, woodsy style of cab franc from Anjou is near and dear to my heart, and it’s not particularly common. We got just 6 bottles of this beauty.

THE WINES OF LA PORTE SAINT JEAN, MONTREUIL-BELLAY, SAUMUR

My favorite description of these wines is from Flat Iron Wines in NYC: “red Burgundy with a little shadow.”

La Porte Saint Jean is one of these estates branded both as a disciple/literal sister of the legendary Clos Rougeard estate and as “so hot in New York” before anyone really says anything about the wine or the producers themselves. For a lot of folks, that’s enough, but I myself have been partially devoured by the hype beast often enough to need the wine to actually be good, too. (And of course, just saying that makes me an asshole, because these people have received write ups by everyone who’s anyone, and who the fuck am I? Just being honest!)

Anyway, the wine is very good, representing a burlier style of cab franc typical of Saumur. These are your heavy-hitters, though they never descend into pure displays of power (if only we could say the same for our world leaders). Refined and abundant in their complexity, this is a serious lineup of serious wine for the students of terroir among us (regular people who just like exceptional wine will enjoy these, too).

Sylvain Dittière and his partner, Pauline Foucault (the aforementioned sister of winemaking superstar Antoine Foucault of Clos Rougeard) started their small estate in 2010—Sylvain himself worked with Antoine at Clos Rougeard (and at L’Ecu with Guy Bossard, and with Thierry Germain, and at Chateau Yvonne) before embarking on his own project. They’re now among a group of younger “names to know” redefining the region through natural winemaking.

All of these wines shot me right back to my first trip to the Loire in 2011; I was almost unsettled by how evocative they are. Dark and a little brooding, with aromas of damp earth you rarely find outside a Loire cellar. Mushroom! Currants! Licorice! Evergreen! Holy Shit! ™ The key thing here is Sylvain’s do-nothing approach in the cellar—beyond eschewing additives, once the maceration process begins, the wine goes untouched for around 6 weeks. That means no pumping over, no punching down; a slow infusion, which is how we end up with the refinement shown in each cuvée.

2022 La Porte Saint Jean Saumur-Champigny $65 (Cabernet Franc)

The “entry level,” and a good place to start. Again, if this was the only wine I’d been shown on this day, it would have been memorable. This is everything I hope for in a cab franc from Saumur Champigny; pretty fruit, a whisper of dark earth, refined and integrated tannin, delicate herbs… that platonic ideal I mentioned earlier. Another one that’s drinkable now but will develop beautifully over the next 5-10 years. We have just 6 of these.

2022 La Porte Saint Jean ‘Les Pouches’ Rouge $78 (Cabernet Franc)

If the entry-level above finds its footing in rustic earthiness, Les Pouches is its gracefully stern sibling. From a more recent vineyard purchase of older vines, the fruit is destemmed and fermented in old oak barrel (some of which were previously used at Haut Brion and Clos Rougeard). Soils here are deep, sandy clay silt on yellow marl. A really elegant wine considering the ripping-hot vintage. Brilliant red fruit and fine tannin are surrounded by a perfume of licorice, bay leaf, and just a kiss of the darker leathery notes that dominate the Saumur-Champigny. This one goes to eleven? Idk. It’s gorgeous. We have 6 bottles.

2022 La Porte Saint Jean ‘Les Cormiers’ $106 (Cabernet Franc)

Last, but not least! Because that wouldn’t make any sense at all! From a parcel of 60ish year-old vines, the soil here is Jurassic limestone and flint under a thin layer of sandy clay loam, and there’s a broader profile to the fruit here than in the two previous cuvées. These vines are the first Sylvain ever purchased, and this one tends to be the considered the crown jewel of the estate. After infusing, the wine is gravity-fed into newer barrel and aged for 24 months. I can sense the barrel in that deep fruit, which is definitely sappier and more decadent than the Les Pouches, but there’s no bombastic spice here. Full and fresh, vibrant and luscious. If you’re a lover of Gevrey-Chambertin, Nuits-Saint-Georges, or the wines of Dard & Ribo, this is a fun one. I’d like to hold onto it for a few years, though it’s certainly stunning now.

JUST A FEW MORE THINGS…

A reminder that we have chef and writer Katerina Liakos popping up at Dear Annie this weekend with a Greek feast! Here’s the menu:

I’m cooking up some esoteric Greek wine pairings, including some Hatzidakis BTG (IYKYK). Sunday and Monday only! Make a res via Resy.

Also in the Dear Anniesphere, please don’t sleep on our Good Neighbor list! This special selection of very good wine at very nice prices is only available to guests who show up with a box of diapers or feminine hygiene products! All donations go to the Riverside Early Head Start, providing new Camberville mothers with essential care and support. Pro tip: There’s a Walgreens across the street from Dear Annie. Here’s that list:

We’d really love to see you at Dear Annie this summer; we have some exciting changes in the works, and all the upheaval at Harvard mixed with the Mass Ave construction has been… a lot. Think about it (and us)!

On the Wild Child front, I’ll be releasing July classes next week! And we’re closed tomorrow (Saturday 6/21) for a private event, so be sure to stock up for the BBQ today!

It’s business as usual at Rebel this weekend after a killer Pride weekend party! Thanks to all who came with us to Flavortown—your willingness to get on board with our absolutely unhinged Pride themes knows no bounds, and it’s a beautiful thing. Come visit us this weekend for a nice glass of something delicious and slow blink into the sunshine (or sit in the A/C).

I leave you with this family portrait of some of our most beloved regulars from Pride:

If that doesn’t just warm your heart, what the fuck are we even doing?

XOXO,

Lauren