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Berry Bros & Rudd: Loire en primeur reflects ‘region-wide rise in quality’

15 October 2024 By Arabella Mileham

Berry Bros is shining a light on the Loire with its second en primeur offer from the region, which it said has seen a “region-wide rise in quality”.

Speaking to db ahead of the tasting next week, Yoan Bernard, fine wine buyer for the Loire said that the team were adding to its existing line-up with new growers for its second campaign, with the addition of Charles Joguet, “one of the pillars and greats from Chinon”, and a brand-new Estate in Saumur called Domaine Moly, “already a rising star”.

The portfolio is now composed of 17 growers spread out across Anjou-Saumur, Touraine, Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume, Bernard said.

“Muscadet is not yet on the horizon but for how long can the market continue ignoring the gems to be found in this fast-developing region?” he asked.

Producers in the portfolio include Philippe Alliet, Charles Joguet, Domaine du Bel Air, Frédéric Mabileau, Vincent Careme, Arnaud Lambert, Domaine des Closiers, Clos Rougeard, Domaine Moly, Domaine Théo Blet, Terra Vita Vinum, Domaine Belargus, Simon & Daniel Chotard, Domaine Claude Riffault and Alexandre Bain.

“During our last trip over, Adam [Bruntlett] and I identified Saumur as the region to focus on due to the region-wide rise in quality, amount of new dynamic growers pushing boundaries and the general energy/excitement from growers,” he added. “Anjou Noire is also a sleeping beast who is starting to awaken. Aside from Savennieres consistently being one of the best Chenin appellations globally, you have players such as Ivan Massonat’s Belargus who is successfully putting still Anjou Noire wines back at the forefront of consumers’ radars.’

BBR’s Adam Bruntlett has previously called wines from the Loire Valley “underrated ” and that there is “momentum” that speaks to the “huge and as-yet-unrealised potential”

In a blog on BBR.com last year, he called it a “region full of energy and dynamism” that was seeing “a significant movement towards making wines that put terroir at the heart of everything they do”. He name-checked young growers such Arnaud Lambert, Stéphane Riffault and Simon Chotard, along with established names Vincent Carême, Philippe Alliet and Gauthier Frères and relative newcomers Anatole de la Brosse at Domaine des Closiers and Luc Briand and Bénédicte Petit at Terra Vita Vinum as ones to watch.