LAURENT SAILLARD PAST WINES
2021 LUCKY YOU
The grapes for this cuvée come from a section of Clos Roche Blanche plated in 1973. The cépage is roughly 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Chardonnay. The grapes are whole cluster pressed into stainless steel where the juice ferments slowly until the spring. Laurent typically makes a few other white cuvées from his estate, but after he lost nearly everything to frost, he decided to blend the whole lot together. After a five-month élevage, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with 10ppm of SO2. 12% ABV
2021 LE GAMAY
This cuvée is made from Gamay Noir, from vines planted in 1978. Due to incredibly high frost damage and late-season disease pressure, Laurent harvested the tiny crop quite early; the wine is so different from previous vintages he opted to change the name for this release (formerly La Pause). The grapes are fermented whole-cluster for five days before being pressed off into stainless steel. After a five-month élevage, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with 10ppm of SO2. 10.5% ABV
2021 ÇA SE DISCUTE
The grapes for this new cuvée are grown by Julien Moreau of Domaine de Cambalu. His vineyards are located next to Le Cher, a tributary of the Loire just east of Tours, on clay-limestone. This cuvée is made from Pineau d'Aunis and Pineau d'Aunis Teinturier fermented whole-cluster for five days. After a five-month élevage in flex-tank, the wine is bottled unfined and unfiltered with 10ppm of SO2. 11.5% ABV
2021 WHITE
After yet another devastating vintage, Laurent was able to purchase some Sauvignon Blanc from his neighbour, as well as some Ugni Blanc from a friend in Provence. The two varieties were vinified separately in a flex tank before being blended after a five-month élevage. The wine sees 10ppm of SO2 at bottling. 13.5% ABV
2021 GRENACHE
Laurent went down to the Gard in southern France, harvested some organic Grenache from a friend’s vineyard, and drove back to the Loire narrowing beating the refrigerated truck back to his winery. The grapes were destemmed and fermented on skins for five days before being pressed off into tank for a five-month élevage. The wine sees 10ppm of SO2 at bottling. 13% ABV
2021 SYRAH (GRENACHE)
This cuvée was originally going to be a mono-cépage Syrah from Laurent’s friend’s vineyard in Vaucluse, but in the eleventh hour it was blended with Grenache from the Gard. The grapes were destemmed and fermented on skins independently for five days before being pressed off into tank for a five-month élevage. The wine sees 10ppm of SO2 at bottling. 12.5% ABV
2020 BLANK
This is our first allocation of Laurent’s top cuvée. These Sauvignon Blanc vines were planted in 1973 at Clos Roche Blanche. The grapes are direct pressed into 400L barrels for a slightly extended élevage. Sadly, in 2021, he didn’t harvest enough to make this cuvée so this will be our last chance to drink it for a while. 13.5% ABV
2020 LUCKY YOU
The grapes for this cuvée come from a section of Clos Roche Blanche plated in 1973. The cépage is roughly 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Chardonnay. The grapes are whole cluster pressed into stainless steel where the juice ferments slowly until the spring. Malolactic conversion took place before the wine was fully dry. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal additional Sulphur. 12% ABV
2020 JOY(FULL)
This cuvée is made exclusively from old-vine Cabernet Franc grown near Laurent’s winery in Pouillé-sur-Cher, Touraine. The grapes were destemmed and fermented as whole-berries in puncheons with a porthole-like door at the top. This allows for natural intracellular fermentation without the risk of volatile acidity. After an extended maceration in these ingenious contraptions, the wine is pressed off and finishes fermentation is neutral barrel. It is bottled with minimal sulphur.
2020 LA PAIRE
The grapes for this new cuvée are grown by Julien Moreau of Domaine de Cambalu. His vineyards are located next to Le Cher, a tributary of the Loire just east of Tours, on clay-limestone. This wine is made from co-fermented Gamay and Grolleau. 11.5% ABV
2020 UN ÉTÉ PARTAGÉ
The grapes for this new cuvée are grown by Julien Moreau of Domaine de Cambalu. His vineyards are located next to Le Cher, a tributary of the Loire just east of Tours, on clay-limestone. This wine is made exclusively from Grolleau. 11.5% ABV
2020 LA PAUSE
This cuvée is made from Gamay Noir, from vines planted in 1978. Whole clusters are put into open top foudres and permitted to ferment with minimal pigeage and über gentle ‘pump overs’ (they fill a bucket with siphoned off juice and pour it over the cap). The wine is then pressed off and undergoes élevage in foudre as well. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal additional Sulphur. Production was incredibly small this year.
2020 ÇA SE DISCUTE
The grapes for this new cuvée are grown by Julien Moreau of Domaine de Cambalu. His vineyards are located next to Le Cher, a tributary of the Loire just east of Tours, on clay-limestone. This cuvée is made from Pineau d'Aunis and Pineau d'Aunis Teinturier. 12% ABV
2019 LUCKY YOU
The grapes for this cuvée come from a section of Clos Roche Blanche plated in 1973. The cépage is roughly 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Chardonnay. The grapes are whole cluster pressed into stainless steel where the juice ferments slowly until the spring. Malolactic conversion took place before the wine was fully dry. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal additional Sulphur. 13% ABV
2019 JOY(FULL)
This cuvée is made exclusively from old-vine Cabernet Franc grown near Laurent’s winery in Pouillé-sur-Cher, Touraine. The grapes were destemmed and fermented as whole-berries in puncheons with a porthole-like door at the top. This allows for natural intracellular fermentation without the risk of volatile acidity. After an extended maceration in these ingenious contraptions, the wine is pressed off and finishes fermentation is neutral barrel. It is bottled with minimal sulphur. 12.5% ABV
2019 LA PAUSE
This cuvée is made from Gamay Noir, from vines planted in 1978. Whole clusters are put into open top foudres and permitted to ferment with minimal pigeage and über gentle ‘pump overs’ (they fill a bucket with siphoned off juice and pour it over the cap). The wine is then pressed off and undergoes élevage in foudre as well. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal additional sulphur. 13% ABV
2017-18 LUCKY YOU
The grapes for this cuvée come from a section of Clos Roche Blanche plated in 1973. The cépage is roughly 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Chardonnay. The grapes are whole cluster pressed into stainless steel where the juice ferments slowly until the spring. Malolactic conversion took place before the wine was fully dry. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal additional Sulphur. 13% ABV
2017-18 JOY(FULL)
This cuvée is made exclusively from old-vine Cabernet Franc grown near Laurent’s winery in Pouillé-sur-Cher, Touraine. The grapes were destemmed and fermented as whole-berries in puncheons with a porthole-like door at the top. This allows for natural intracellular fermentation without the risk of volatile acidity. After an extended maceration in these ingenious contraptions, the wine is pressed off and finishes fermentation is neutral barrel. It is bottled with minimal sulphur. 12.5% ABV
2017-18 LA PAUSE
This cuvée is made from Gamay Noir, from vines planted in 1978. Whole clusters are put into open top foudres and permitted to ferment with minimal pigeage and über gentle ‘pump overs’ (they fill a bucket with siphoned off juice and pour it over the cap). The wine is then pressed off and undergoes élevage in foudre as well. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal additional sulphur. 13% ABV