Each release of our producers allows us to refocus for a minute on what makes them stand out - stand out within our portfolio, sure, but also within the wine world. So, with the impetus being the imminent arrival of Valentin Desloges' new release of Les Quatre Piliers, I posed the question to Thatcher: "Tell me what, in your mind, sets Valentin's wines apart?" The response from the boss struck a chord in me: "You don't drink them and think aboutSauvignon Blanc; it's not about 'varietal character', it's about the place, the person, and the stunning quality." Valentin's background says it all to me - Loire-born, but traveled to see Sauvignon Blanc's iterations in Bordeaux and New Zealand; then he gets a masterclass in small-parcel viticulture & vinification from Pillot & Coche. To some, it may seem random; yet, in finally tasting more of the wines, the intent could not have played out more precisely.

Les Quatre Piliers

When inundated with the career choice of their parents, often one will choose one of two paths: the continuance of tradition, or a strict deviation altogether. Certainly in the wine world, we have seen numerous winemakers' efforts to continue their family's work, to live up to the name of their elders; yet, it takes a special sort to blend both of those aforementioned paths to create what Valentin Desloges has: a singular, delicious and profound winery that expresses Touraine better than perhaps any prior.

The son of a Touraine winemaker, Valentin performed his studies in Bordeaux and got his first hands-on experience outside of the Loire within the Bordeaux region, at Chateau Mangot in Saint-Emilion. Following that, he went on to work in New Zealand in 2015, with a strong focus on Sauvignon Blanc - very much a different essence in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Loire. Returning back to France, it was natural to spend time in Burgundy, where he was able to work alongside some of the top white winemakers we know and love - Raphael Coche and Paul Pillot - with a stint with Vincent Sipp in Alsace (Domaine Agapé) to cap off his travels.

Years of creating a mental amalgam of his experiences led Valentin to his ultimate path; it was not that of taking the helm at his father's domaine, but the creation of his own: Domaine des Quatre Piliers. Formed by a sum of ten hectares between Noyers and Saint-Aignan, Valentin converted the estate to organic viticulture, first focusing all of his energy into the health of his vines. As the plants flourished, Valentin engaged in another passion, creating his own barrels in collaboration with Francois Freres, all produced with wood from the estate that he dries and prepares himself; the aim not to impart oaky flavors, but to bring the whole of the Domaine's environment into play.

Viticulture and Vinification

With just under 10 hectares split into 15 different small parcels, about half of the vineyards are planted to Sauvignon Blanc on clay and limestone soils. Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Pineau d'Aunis and Cot (Malbec) making up the rest. The Cher river acts as a large temperature regulator with close proximity to the vines. There is a large area of tuffeau that has been dug out, creating mineral equilibrium and serving as a natural ventilation system for the vineyard.

This panel of different soils is divided into 4 parcels: Les Puits aux Chiens, totaling 3.5ha Sauvignon Blanc between 15 and 50 years of age, as well as Chenin vines about 30 years old. At the top of Noyer, there is deep white clay with limestone borders; there is a cooler climate here, preserving freshness, high aromatics and acidity in the wines. To the North is Bernardières, one of the warmer parcels with 45 year-old Cot vines planted in sulphate-rich soil close to the Cher river. Finally, the Bel Air vineyard consists of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc; the Quatre Piliers parcel has 25 year-old Pinot Noir and 50 year-old Cabernet Franc vines planted to a cooler climate at the top of the hill with warmer micro climates at the bottom of the slopes that are rich in red clay content. This complementary mix between warm and cold lands is fostering the subtle equilibrium sought by Valentin in winemaking, associating robustness from the clay and delicacy from limestone.

In the cellar, there is great focus on controlled pressing - the amount of pressure used, the length of time the grapes are pressed and which juices are used. All the work is done by the moon calendar. Fermentations occur with indigenous yeast, and there is no fining or filtration of the finished wines. The wines are aged at a natural and constant temperature of 13°C in tuffeau caves at 75% humidity. Cabernet Franc and Cot grapes are carefully de-stemmed before fermenting in tanks for 20 to 30 days. Pinot Noir is cooled down with 20% of entire grapes and ferments for 9 days. Alcoholic fermentation takes places in stainless steel before being transferred to various barrels for malolactic fermentation. White wines only ferment in wood casks, with a varying proportion of new wood depending on the cuvée: 20% for the Grande Cuvée of white Sauvignon, and 30% for the Chenin.

"Look, to be honest, none of our imports have been more hotly requested than those of Domaine des Aricoques; we've been hot on the tail of our friends to refuel us so we can keep all of their loyal fans sated!"

Domaine Les Aricoques

For a label that only began with the 2021 vintage, the duo of Romain Dupont and Guillaume Bellon have sure generated incredible excitement amongst wine lovers. The high school friends took over the farming of a nearly-5-hectare vineyard in Frangy (the locals are dubbed "Frangypans", hence the exuberance behind PAN!) within the Haute-Savoie.

It definitely draws our attention when young winemakers spend their formative years in dominant wine-producing regions - in the case of Romain and Guillaume, that includes the Rhône and New Zealand - and return to their home regions and implement what they've learned; the subtext there is the great hope of the producer to elevate their native appellations' wines and, by virtue of increasing the quality, thereby the notoriety as well!

They are in the extended process of converting their new home vineyard to biodynamic viticulture, which is in their estimation, paramount to creating the finest wines, especially given the poor soils that greatly reduce yields.

The new release, as alluded to earlier, re-introduces the PAN! line of wines: Altesse, a native grape to the Savoie, is complex and exotic in aromas, naturally low-yielding and bright With the duo's guiding hands, 50 year old vines and the 6 months in concrete eggs, this version of Altesse possesses a beautiful, luscious texture akin to Roussanne (but with acid for days!).

Le Rouze is entirely Gamay, with a focus on the freshness of the grape. Coming from the same poor soils, already Gamay here takes on a beautifully, compact, complex flavor of red fruit and spice, but the grapes see very little extraction before their fermenting in egg-shaped vats. There are some whole clusters maintained, which provide that lifted, delicate spice aromatically. The color may more closely resemble a rosé, but don't let that fool you into thinking it's anything less than seriously delicious.

THE 2023 VINTAGE - SATELLITE COLLECTION

Only a couple years into our partnership, we received the text that no importer, wine fan or really anybody ever wishes to see: a tornado whipped through the Savoie, causing a near-total loss in the vineyards in late July of 2023. Grapes are not the sort of thing you can whip together overnight, as each vine is a living embodiment of long-term investment, benefitting greatly from time with its soil and its vignerons. Yet Romain and Guillaume dusted themselves off, assessed the damages, and pivoted with some help from their friends.

Per the Domaine: "In mythology, Saturn represents patience, wisdom, and rigor essential qualities in viticulture. As a planet with spectacular rings, Saturn is surrounded by many natural satellites, each with unique characteristics, just like the vineyard plots that produce these cuvées. Atlas, Rhea, Methone, Dione, and Calypso evoke exploration. Just as satellites orbit Saturn, each of these single-vineyard cuvées tells a story that reaches beyond the Aricoques estate while carrying the same intent and remaining deeply connected to our core expertise and savoir-faire."

"Just as satellites stay in orbit around Saturn due to subtle gravitational forces, these cuvées remain closely tied to the estate through a shared philosophy. Each cuvée is crafted with the same care, respect for the grape, and pursuit of excellence as wines made from the estate’s own vines. This approach reveals a captivating balance: the satellite cuvées revolve “outside” but always “around” the estate. They enrich the estate’s identity while broadening its horizons, demonstrating that diversity and openness are strengths that enhance the whole."

We are proud to be able to continue our partnership with vignerons so dedicated and respectful of their land and that of their friends that they would only choose to continue with the vintage if they could source from like-minded (read: respectful) vignerons. Knowing their work, the 2023s from Romain and Guillaume are sure to excite and be endlessly satiating!