A new star has emerged in the heart of the Loire Valley: he is Jacky Blot of Domaine de la Taille aux Loups, in Montlouis, located on the southern bank of the Loire not far from Tours.  Blot, a Loire wine broker by profession, acquired about 8 hectares of 50-75 year old vines in 1989. These prized, ancient parcels belonged to families that could no longer continue to cultivate the vines and so entrusted them to Jacky Blot and his team. Blot brings a passion and exacting determination to make wines of only the highest quality. The estate now comprises 12 hectares in Montlouis, Vouvray (and now 14 hectares in Bourgeuil at his Domaine de la Butte, acquired in 2002.)  The core of estate lies in the Montlouis appellation, on a high plateau overlooking the Loire River. The soil is a mix of stony limestone and clay that allows for perfect ripening of the Chenin Blanc grapes. As the vine rows are now plowed (instead of being treated chemically) the roots descend deep into the limestone bedrock. This, combined with severe pruning and late season leaf-stripping, keeps yields low and enhances the concentration and complexity of the wines. Average yields are very low, and lower still in the botrytis-effected selections.  Harvest is carried out by hand, as late as possible, in successive passes through the vineyards, with a sorting table placed at the end of each row to eliminate unsuitable grapes. After pressing, the wines ferment in barrels that have been crafted for the domaine from Troncais oak, with regular batonage and two rackings. None of cuvees undergo malolactic fermentation, thus preserving acidity and enhancing the wines’ freshness.

The Montlouis Sec Les 10 Arpents comes from 50- year-old vines across several parcels on clay-limestone-siliceous soils. The vineyards are plowed and cultivated following the practice of lutte raisonnee. Blots prunes severely, with the goal of attaining a yield of about 20 hectolitre per hectare, which is tiny for the region. The grapes for the 10 Arpents are all harvested by hand in the first of three (or more) passes through the vineyard. They are then hand-selected on a sorting table. After a gentle pneumatic pressing, fermentation begins with the native yeasts and no chaptalization. The wine develops on its lees in neutral, 4-5 year old barrels until the spring, when it is bottled. Blot’s 10 Arpents is a full, pure, dry Chenin Blanc with great intensity of vivid citrus and pear flavor and a soft underlying minerality.    

Blot’s Vouvray Sec Les Caburoches originates in a 30-year-old, south-facing vineyard with limestone-clay soil on a pure limestone base. The vineyard is plowed and cultivated following the practice of lutte raisonnee. Blots prunes severely with the goal of attaining a yield of about 20 hectolitre per hectare, which is tiny for a Vouvray. The grapes are all harvested by hand and then hand selected on a sorting table. After a gentle pneumatic pressing, fermentation begins with the native yeasts and no chaptalization. The wine develops on its lees in neutral, 4-5 year old barrels until the spring, when it is bottled. Blot’s Vouvray is a deeply textured, concentrated yet fresh and vivid Chenin Blanc.

The dry Montlouis Remus comes from non-botrytised grapes picked at the end of the harvest. The yield is about 20ha/hl. The Remus cuvee is aged in 50% new and 50% one- year-old barrels and is bottled in the fall, after the harvest. It is a hugely concentrated, dense wine that will age well in bottle for up to 10 years. When young, it profits from decanting. The Montlouis Demi Sec is made from vines averaging 50 years of age, harvested in late October. Blot describes the wine as “reasonably demi-sec,” meaning that he aims to balance the freshness and elegance with 15 grams of residual sugar. As such, the Demi-Sec is very food-friendly and can age for up to 20 years. The exquisite Brut Tradition is derived from hand-harvested and selected grapes that are less ripe than those selected for the still wines. It is fermented in barrel and then matured and bottled according to the methode champenoise, with aging in the Domaine’s cold underground cellars, cut into the limestone cliffs. Its fine texture and delicate and pure fruit flavors make it a great pleasure to enjoy.

 One of Jacky Blot most striking creations is his TRIPLE ZERO, a lightly sparkling wine that he describes as “above all a natural wine that happens to have some bubbles.” The story of how it made is interesting in its own right, and also for how it illustrates Blot’s dedication to quality and originality. Exceptionally for a sparkling wine, the TRIPLE ZERO begins with fully ripe Chenin Blanc grapes from low-yielding, 50+-year-old vines in the Montlouis appellation. There is no chaptalization; this is the first of the three ZEROS. The grapes are all harvested by hand. Any fruit insufficiently ripe (i.e., under 12 degrees natural sugar) or showing any sign of rot is eliminated. The grapes are gently pressed in a pneumatic press and the two-stage fermentation begins slowly in barriques with only native yeasts. Blot bottles the wine after about 3 months, when the fermentation in barrel has proceeded to the point where the natural sugars have almost fully fermented and only about 14 grams per litre of sugar remain.  It then finishes fermenting in bottle; the delicate bubbles develop in these bottles while resting on their sides, or sur latte. At this phase, Blot adds no liqueur de tirage, or sugar syrup, as is common practice in champagnisation; this is the second of the three ZEROS.    

  Just as the Triple Zero is made in traditional method with two fermentations in bottle, it also clarified and finished in the traditional way before the final corking. This procedure is necessary to remove the yeast deposit that develops in the bottles as the wine rests on its lees after the 2nd fermentation, for about 15 months. The traditional procedure of gently shaking and tipping the bottles upside down (remuage) to move the yeast cells closer to the cork is done mechanically, in large crates called gyropalettes, which were invented and are widely used in Champagne. After two to three weeks, when the sediment has collected entirely in the neck of bottle, the bottle cap is removed and the pressure blows out the sediment; this is called degorgement, or, literally, de-necking. At this moment, the Triple Zero is topped up with a small amount of the wine itself. And at this last stage before final bottling, Blot adds no liqueur d’expedition or dosage of sugar-rich juice, as is commonly done; this is the third of three ZEROS. The result is an unfiltered, naturally made sparkling wine with unsurpassed elegance, purity and expression of fresh, soft citrus and pear flavors. The Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Triple Zero is ideal on its own, as an aperitif and as an accompaniment for a wide variety of foods and fruit-based desserts.