Château de Thésée

La Closerie Pineau d'Aunis, Vin de France

Pineau d'Aunis (also called Chenin Noir because until DNA testing proved otherwise it was for over a millennium thought to be a black mutation of Chenin Blanc) is one of those wonderful little curiosities that keep wine so interesting. I've had the pleasure of encountering this grape a dozen or so times over the year and it always strikes me as smelling of a great tequila, so rich is its aroma of agave-like pepper — a smell completely unlike the peppercorn smell you might be thinking of from wines like Syrah. This pepper is more aloe-esque and boasts a kind of nag champa incense like edge too it, all built on a wild strawberry fruit profile. It is one of the Loire's most distinctive little grapes and I encourage any open-minded wine lover to pick up. If not for budding early and ripening late, it's likely we would see more of it growing, but in these times of spring frosts its a troublesome grape to grow and is often replaced by less fussy varieties. Thankfully the natural wine growers of the Loire have begun to champion it, saving it from total relegation. The wines it makes are so fresh and light and easy drinking and this example is proof positive of that, weighing in at only 11.5% abv. And it's a real dream to play the food pairing game with. Château de Thésée's La Closerie example is rendered in that glou glou mode—it disappears down the gullet like iced tea on a hot day, if not for the aroma keeping you mystified enough to slow down the chugging.