2020 Domaine de Belliviere Jasnieres - Calligramme

The Loir River, without the “e”, is a northern, indirect tributary of the Loire River that gives its name to the AOC (Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée) Coteaux du Loir, north of Touraine. This off-the-beaten-path Loire sub-zone produces chenin blanc, red wine featuring the local variety pineau d’aunis (one of which we featured back in August 2023), and a little rosé. Within the Coteaux du Loir AOC is a more restricted AOC called Jasnières - restricted both in geography and in grape variety: Jasnières is always and only white wine made from chenin blanc. Domaine de Bellivière is Eric and Christine and their son Clément Nicolas’s certified biodynamic estate halfway between Tours and Le Mans. They are indisputable stars of the Coteaux du Loir / Jasnières appellations and among the leading lights of the entire Loire area. 'Calligramme' is their old-vine cuvée of chenin blanc: It comes from 10 small parcels of 50-75-year-old vines growing in a complex mélange of flint, clay, and limestone so