Wines

Philippe’s stellar Menetou-Salon Blanc is unfailingly mineral-driven, yet without the straitjacketed citrusy rigidity more conventionally and commercially minded Loire Sauvignon Blanc frequently displays. A sense of lusciousness—one that is distinct from viscosity—provides a texturally attractive counterpoint to the rapier-like acidity, and nods ever so glancingly to its upstream Chenin-Blanc-based cousins, yet this is unmistakably Kimmeridgian-grown Sauvignon Blanc through and through. Fermentation occurs spontaneously, and aging takes place on the fine lees in stainless steel for one year, with total sulfur hovering at a modest 60 milligrams per liter.

One of Philippe’s most prized parcels, Clos des Treilles is a south-facing vineyard of quartz-riddled Kimmeridgian limestone, planted to both Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir by his father in the early 1970s using selection massale. Fermented and aged in well-used 600-liter barrels for 18 months, the Clos des Treilles Blanc is notably smoky, intensely chalky, and sizzling in its driving intensity—a Kimmeridgian exemplar through and through.

This white is produced from the oldest vines of the estate planted in the Les Treilles vineyard in Parassy. After fermentation, the wine is racked into barrels of varying sizes (228 liters to 500 liters) for about ten months of élevage in barrel; then, the wine is assembled to rest another eight months in stainless steel vats before bottling.

Philipppe Gilbert’s rosé, 100% Pinot Noir sourced from vines in Parassy, is replete with a sense of vinosity that is nearly outside category. The thing that really thrills in this wine is its energy, a bracing kinetic drive that feels like biting into cool, fresh, ripe fruit right off the vine. This Rosé is vinified using the direct press method following the same principles as the process used for making the white wine.

Philippe’s flagship Menetou-Salon Rouge offers mesmerizing purity of fruit, with a silken, vibrant texture complementing a sense of mouthwatering sappiness. Fermentation (spontaneous, of course) and aging take place in a massive 90-hectoliter tronconic oak cask, whose large size and relatively low porosity allows Philippe to use a bare minimum of sulfur (40 milligrams per liter in total) during the élevage. The chalky thrust of the terroir asserts itself strongly, even in vintages marked by heat. Biodynamic-certified practices allows Philippe to gain full ripeness at significantly lower degrees of alcohol—a boon in the post-climate-change era, to be sure.

Hors Série”—which translates roughly to “special issue”—comes from a parcel of Pinot Noir planted in 1980 by Philippe’s father. Fermentation and aging occur in a large 90-hectoliter tronconic cask, with no sulfur added at all during the élevage (20 milligrams per liter are added just prior to bottling); neither fining nor filtration are employed. If the “35 Rangs” below showcases the depth Pinot Noir can achieve in this appellation, “Hors Série” presents the dizzying heights: lifted, luminous red fruits, exuberant spice (this was vinified with 50% whole clusters), and sizzling, cleansing acidity make for a remarkably kinetic drinking experience. Only 25 cases are available for the US market.

The Pinot Noir for this wine is sourced from the oldest vines on the estate, found in the Les Treilles vineyard in Parassy. After the fermentation, the wine is racked into barrels of varying sizes for one year of élevage on the fine lees; then, the red is assembled and left in stainless steel vats to finish its aging for an additional year. Thus, two years after harvest, this prestige cuvée of red is bottled without filtration.

From 4 ha of southeast-facing vines in the Chandelières lieu-dit in the commune of Menetou-Salon, the Chandelières offering from Philippe Gilbert is captivating in its elegance, grace, and balance. This wine shines in its crystal-clear rendition of this parcel’s kimmeridgian limestone. 12 months ageing in 600-l neutral demi-muids followed by 8-10 months in concrete vats.

“35 Rangs” is produced from 35 rows of Pinot Noir planted by Philippe’s grandfather in the early 1960s in the iron-laced Kimmeridgian soils of the Champaloin vineyard. He employs 40-50% whole clusters in the vinification, which lends the wine an upper register of savory spices that beautifully complements its ripe, tangy cherry fruit. Aged for 18 months in well-worn 600-liter barrels, the “35 Rangs” offers surprising depth for a Pinot Noir from this zone, with rippling energy that speaks of ultra-healthy fruit, and enough lurking power to suggest at least a decade more of upside in the cellar. Only 20 cases are available for the US market.