Tasting Notes Vol. 2

Liner notes and wine details for Tasting Notes Vol. 2: “Stone Heart“, an in-person event held at Hi-Note, a radio listening bar in New York’s East Village, on Wednesday, October 25th 2023.

Vo1. 2: ‘Stone Heart’

What happens when the ground changes beneath your feet? How do you taste a landscape in a glass?

We’ll travel to one of my favorite wine regions to taste the place where metamorphic rock — the hearts of long-dead volcanoes — becomes limestone — the floor of ancient seas. 

What We Drank

MANU HAGET cab franc + pineau d’aunis “Loustic” _{^{PUY NOTRE DAME}}

what plants? cabernet franc and pineau d’aunis, fermented separately—cabernet franc on the skins for three weeks, pineau d’aunis for just eight days—and blended to finish in vat over the winter before bottling.
growing in which stone? greenish chalk limestone
from whose heart? Emmanuel Haget, a geophysicist by training who took over the cellar and vines of a retiring biodynamic farmer; his first solo vintage was 2017. He currently farms 5 parcels spread over 3.8 hectares (which is tiny enough he can do all of the work himself)

BEN COURAULT grolleau + pineau d’aunis “Verger de l’Étanger” _{^{FAYE D’ANJOU}}

what plants? young vines of grolleau and pineau d’aunis that Ben planted ten years ago (pineau d’aunis is a bit unusual this far west)—the name means ‘the orchard by the pond’
growing in which stone? schist with veins of quartz
from whose heart? Benoit Courault, who returned to Anjou to work with organic pioneer Joël Ménard at des Sablonettes after mentoring under Eric Pfifferling of legendary salamander-labeled icon l’Anglore. He lived for ten years in an Airstream trailer in the middle of his vines with his wife and kids before building a house for his family next to it.

SYLVAIN DITTIÈRE sauvignon “Saut Mignon” _^SAUMUR

what plants? old vines of sauvignon blanc on the same slope south of Saumur where Sylvain also farms a plot of chenin lower down. this is really far west for sauvignon in the Loire (we’re in chenin country) and the result is a riper, denser, deeper side to the variety than you might be expecting if you’re only drinking Sancerre. the name is a pun on sauvignon which means ‘soooo cute’
growing in which stone? butter-yellow tuffeau limestone
from whose heart? Sylvain Dittière, who began farming his tiny postage stamp of land after accumulating a killer résumé, biodynamics down south in the Roussillon with Gérard Gauby and Clos du Rouge Gorge, and then Thierry Germain, Château Yvonne, and Clos Rougard back home in Saumur. (He did all of that before turning 30!).

His cellar is a 27 minute bike ride from Manu Haget’s place.

CLÉMENT BARAUT chenin + grolleau gris “Herbes Folles” _{^{SAVENNIÈRES / FAYE D’ANJOU}}

what plants? chenin and grolleau gris purchased from the Domaine des Vergers in Faye d’Anjou; Clément is in Savennières, but des Vergers is a five-minute bike ride from Benoit Courault’s house
growing in which stone? schist with veins of quartz
from whose heart? Clément Baraut, one of those natural winegrowers who brings scientific training and an academic background to his druidic approach to farming. He came to Anjou at the end of the ’80s, and has been part of the region’s transformation from chemically farmed backwater to one of the most exciting nexuses of natural wine in France.

Playlist & Liner Notes

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[Liner notes coming soon!]