Non-French Speaking Wine Noob Seeks Loire Producer Visit Recommendations

M

Michael Lewis

Michael Lewis
A patient of my father's has asked for some recommendations of producers to visit in the Loire. I know where I'd like to visit, but the patient and his wife, who is traveling with him, are subject to the following circumstances:

1) Neither of them speak any French.
2) They claim to like wine, but admit knowing absolutely nothing of French wine ("hence this trip!" he says).
3) 99% of the wine they drink is red, although they did not expressly specify that they would be unwilling to visit a producer that had no red to offer.
4) They will be in France from June 4 through June 18.
5) The trip is not entirely wine-oriented, so proximity to other tourist attractions is considered a plus, although not a requirement.

In addition, as I am finding it difficult to ask the question politely, I have been unable to ascertain whether their prior wine excursions are the type where a group of people show up in a limo to a fancy tasting room and are poured a range of wines without much discussion or real understanding and are gone within 20 minutes, or the type where one actually sees the vineyards, the cellar, and tastes some wines with the winemaker while having a meaningful and lengthy conversation about how the whole thing works. It could be either (or somewhere in between), so for the (perhaps necessary, perhaps unnecessary) protection of the vignerons, this isn't the sort of situation where one would call in a favor to get these folks in to see your personal favorites, if you know what I mean.*

That said, can anyone make some recommendations?

*Of course, if any of your personal favorites would like to have such a couple visit them, then I do not mean to exclude your personal favorites. My understanding is that the husband and wife are perfectly nice people, after all.
 
2) They claim to like wine, but admit knowing absolutely nothing of French wine ("hence this trip!" he says).
3) 99% of the wine they drink is red, although they did not expressly specify that they would be unwilling to visit a producer that had no red to offer.
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If they drink 99% new world red, with all due respect to Chinon, Saumur-Champigny or Pineau d'Aunis, they are in the wrong region wine-wise. They may find the wines quite tart, light, and lacking in density or lush unctuousness. Maybe not if they're fans of Oregon Pinot Noir, Missouri Norton or Virginia or Finger Lakes Cab Franc. Or if they drink a lot of Chianti or Barbera. Otherwise, I'd downplay expectations on the wine side, or suggest they visit the Rhone or Southwest.
 
The only reasonable option I could see, if they are willing to go up to Sancerre, is Alphonse Mellot.

A lot of option in terms of restaurants and hotels nearby Sancerre.
 
The bigger the producer, the more likely they are to have English speaking staff and be organized for tourists, so, given the level of expertise, it's best to avoid the artisanals and go for the more industrial scale (but not necessarily bad) producers like http://www.baudry-dutour.fr/.

They should also visit Chateau de Brézé, which is a functioning winery, and the ticket includes a tasting. The wines are nothing special, but they're OK and some are reds. Should fit the bill nicely.

And the town of Richelieu, not far from Chinon, one of the most amazing and, I think, underpublicized in France. As a rule I don't like planned cities, but this one is fascinating. There's a good restaurant there operated by a Parisian couple on weekends.
 
Do they still make wine at Chenonceau? I still have a bottle of 89 sweet. They could see the place and take a few souvenir bottles with them.
 
Thanks for the suggestions so far. Clearly it is not easy to recommend something for these folks, given their knowledge/preferences, but they have specifically asked for Loire recommendations so I have to limit it accordingly. Eric, Oswaldo and Don, your suggestions make good sense. I'll do some checking. Thanks.
 
Last time I drove by Filliatreau, they had open tastings for tourists, with a nice selection. And the place is grand.
 
originally posted by .sasha:
Last time I drove by Filliatreau, they had open tastings for tourists, with a nice selection. And the place is grand.
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Great suggestion. There was plenty of English speaking among the Filliatreau contingent at the Loire Salon.
 
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