Domaine Pierre Ménard - Le Quart des Noëls 2023
Located in Faye d'Anjou, in the heart of the Anjou Noir region, Domaine Pierre Ménard is one of those Loire Valley estates that have breathed new life into the artisanal and single-vineyard Anjou appellation. After gaining experience abroad, Pierre Ménard established his estate in 2013 and immediately focused on a few tiny plots of Chenin Blanc, cultivated organically or in conversion, with constant attention to the schist and quartz soils and natural cycles. Each cuvée is conceived as a portrait of a place, with measured winemaking, controlled yields, and a pursuit of precision rather than effect.
The 2023 Quart des Noëls is the estate's historic cuvée, its first wine and undoubtedly its most emblematic. It comes from a tiny plot of Chenin Blanc planted around 1920, on a south-facing slope of quartz and sandstone schist overlooking the Layon River, near Faye d'Anjou. This hillside terroir, once known as Quarts to signify the finest parts of the hill, offers the Chenin Blanc optimal ripeness while maintaining great tension. The nearly century-old vineyard is managed with meticulous soil work, without herbicides, and using organic viticulture practices. The harvest, entirely by hand, undergoes rigorous sorting. The grapes are pressed slowly and gently, fermentations take place with only indigenous yeasts, then aging takes place for about ten months on fine lees in barrels or casks of several wines, with little or no fining and filtration and a very sparing use of sulfur.
The nose of Quart des Noëls 2023 is immediately strikingly pure. Its brilliant golden hue hints at a bouquet mingling ripe lemon, pink grapefruit, yellow apple, and white peach. These fruity notes are complemented by aromas of white flowers, linden blossom, and chamomile, enhanced by a subtle smoky and stony character reminiscent of sun-baked schist.
On the palate, the attack is direct and lively, driven by a precise acidity that stretches the wine from start to finish. The wine is dense without being heavy, with a silky texture where zesty citrus, juicy pear, white peach, and hints of fine herbs unfold. Nuances of light honey, fresh walnut, and toasted almond add another dimension without ever overpowering the wine's dry and taut structure. The minerality from the schist and quartz translates into a tactile, mouthwatering, almost saline sensation that enhances the depth of the Chenin Blanc. The finish is long, persistent, and very clean, with a return of citrus, wet stone, and elegant bitterness reminiscent of a delicately pastry-like lemon tart, but in a perfectly dry register.
At the table, Le Quart des Noëls 2023 performs like a great gastronomic white wine. It pairs wonderfully with fine fish in light sauces, pike-perch with beurre blanc, roasted sea bass, or grilled turbot. Its tension and saline character make it an ideal partner for seafood and shellfish, from a platter of fine de claire oysters to seared scallops. On land, it enhances roast poultry with lemon and thyme, asparagus risotto, vegetable dishes featuring spring vegetables, or a fine selection of cheeses, from Loire Valley goat cheeses to lightly aged pressed cheeses. Thanks to its structure and energy, this 2023 vintage also possesses great aging potential, promising increased complexity for patient wine lovers.
Grape variety: 100% Chenin Blanc
