REGION: Loire

"One of Pouilly-Fumé's Best Producers" -Robert Parker Alain Cailbourdin came to Pouilly-Fumé to work harvest while attending university and never left, buying a 2ha silex-laden parcel in 1980. Since then, his reputation has grown exponentially, with wines of complexity and intense minerality.

Antoine Sanzay is the seventh generation of the Sanzay family to farm vines in the village of Varrains. With 11 ha of prime sites in the limestone haven of Saumur-Champigny, including 4 ha of the famed Les Poyeux lieu-dit, Antoine is widely considered one of the finest growers in all of the Loire.

Jérémie Batard is the third generation of his family to farm and make wine in the village of Maisdon-sur-Sèvre. Today, Domaine Batard Langelier is a leading voice of the newer generation of Muscadet, with organic farming, agroforestry, and terroir-focused wines.

Domaine de L’Enchantoir, run by the dynamic Brunet family, sits on a remarkable site of largely ancient limestone that was recognized by the creation of the appellation “Saumur Puy de Notre Dame”. The domaine has worked organically since 2010, making balanced and textured Chenin and Cabernet Franc.

“Using the same farming [organic] practices that created his reputation in Montlouis, [Jacky] has created a host of dramatic wines that have helped add new life to the reputation of the appellation [Bougueil]. These are without any doubt among the finest Bourgueils being produced today.” -Vinous

Domaine de la Géraudrie is a 5th generation, family-owned Muscadet estate in the village of Château-Thébaud. One of their flagships is the Clos de la Géraudrie, a top vineyard in the region, sitting on that famed solid granite that gives the wine its distinct crunchy and mouthwatering minerality.