Tasting Notes
This is a new cuvée for the Robinot family and it reflects the obsession that Jean-Pierre has long had with the lights and sights of the city of Venice. Much of the photography that graces his labels has been carried out in this wonderful city.
This wine adds to the stable of wines made from Pineau d’Aunis that are produced by the Robinot family. The fact that the label sports l’Opera des Vins this means that the grapes have been purchased elsewhere. In this case the grapes were grown by well-known Loire organic and biodynamic producer Philippe Tessier in Cheverny. This is an excellent addition to the Robinot stable of wines!
The grapes underwent whole bunch fermentation and were then pressed and transferred to the famous Robinot aged barrels for around fifteen months.
There is a real spiciness on the nose that is typical of Pineau d’Aunis and there is the characteristic slight bitterness at the end which is so endearing. The tannins in this wine are restrained and there is a streak of acidity which will ensure that the wine will continue to provide pleasure for a number of years. The alcohol is a pleasant 12%.
- Importer Note
Jean-Pierre Robinot is a legend! His wines are served in the best wine bars in Paris, Copenhagen and New York. When we drop into the famous l'Entree des Artistes in Paris and ask for the most interesting wine in their cellar, it is a Robinot that is reverentially brought to the table.
He's in his early 70s with the energy and enthusiasm of a teenager. He had one of the first natural wine bars in Paris, called l'Ange Vin, and, while living in Paris also was one of the founders of Rouge et Blanc, still one of France's most influential wine magazines. But he eventually sold the bar and in 2000 bought a vineyard, just out of the village of Chahaignes, where he now lives. It's also where he grew up.
This is almost midway between Tours and Le Mans in the Loire Valley, although more specifically in the Loir Valley (the Loir is a tributary of the Sarthe River which eventually flows into the Loire River. He has about 10 hectares, split across several locations. Some of the vineyards would be classified as Jasnières if he worked within the appellation rules.
All his wines are fermented naturally (often very slowly over more than a year) and his still wines in old barrels in humid cellars cut directly into the hills many years ago, some so old that it's hard to believe that they stay together. He is patient, holding wines in barrel until he believes they are ready, which can sometimes be more than 5 years.
Jean-Pierre has two domaines that he releases his wines under. The first in Les Vignes de l'Ange Vin where the wines are made from plots of vines that he owns and manages organically and biodynamically. His other wines are released under the L'Opera des Vins label. Here he buys the grapes from friends who also manage their vineyards in the same way as Jean-Pierre. In both cases, the approach to the winemaking is the same.
He has always had the patience to wait until the wine is ready to release rather than rushing it to the market. And the results show the wisdom of that approach.
- Importer Note
| Product Type | Wine Red Other Varietals & Blends |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | France |
| Region | Loire Valley |
| Sub Region | Touraine |
| Winemaking Practices | Natural |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |