Vanessa

9.2

“Nothing added, nothing removed” is a phrase some use to describe the philosophy of low-intervention (or “natural”) winemaking. 🌱

The winemaker is like a vessel, carrying Mother Nature’s gifts from the land (and vintage) to your glass, where each sip can transport you to a particular place and time.

Nicolas Joly is an illustrious vigneron revered for his deep commitment to biodynamics and minimal intervention winemaking. 👏 He leads his family’s estate – Famille Joly – located in the prestigious appellation of Savennières in the Anjou-Saumur region of Loire Valley and specializes in top quality, cerebral, age-worthy dry whites made from the Chenin Blanc grape.

This takes patience, strength, and resilience for which the seahorse is a spiritual symbol (among other things). 🌊 It’s no wonder the Famille Joly features this beautiful, gentle creature on its bottle and labels.

This wine comes from ‘Les Vieux Clos’ where vines are harvested at 25 hL/ha which is HALF of the appellation’s allowance of 50 hL/ha.  👀

As a result of favorable growing conditions and these low yields, the grapes were allowed to become ripe, which explains the high alcohol at 14% ABV and round but balanced fruit expression.

This wine underwent a wild fermentation, followed by a natural malolactic conversion (MLC), and then it aged 12 months in large neutral oak with no fining or filtering before bottling.

The color is pale gold. On the nose and palate are harmonious notes of yellow apple, quince, papaya, dried orange peel, citrus blossom, chamomile, ginger, saffron, cinnamon, cream, white pepper, lanolin, wet slate …

It has power and elegance, nuance and vibrancy, with a persistent finish.  We think it pairs nicely with the baked herb & lemon salmon, asparagus and couscous.

Cheers to winemakers who share a piece of their land and heritage with the world one glass at a time! 🥂🥂🥂
— 2 days ago

with Deked1

Gilbert Van Hassel

9.6

Relatively light in color and structure. Very fruitfwd. Modern style barollo. — a month ago

Jay Kline

9.6

Chilled and opened about an hour before dinner and allowed to gently come to temp. Served alongside charcoal grilled Thai sausage, sticky rice, coconut Thai curry, herb salad, shallot, lime, garlic, chiles. Tonight, this bottle was nothing short of remarkable. A deep golden color with gorgeous notes of squishy tropical fruit, white flowers, and turmeric. Wooly and waxy with acid for dayzzz. Stunning now but this bottle would show well through 2029 without breaking a sweat. — 24 days ago

Ed Chin

9.2

Quite youthful still and maybe too polished. I — 22 days ago

Josh Morgenthau

9.4

Exceptional. Heady orange blossom perfume and orange taffy. Cointreau. Very concentrated. — 25 days ago

Ted

9.1

Delicious to the last drop. Better the colder it gets. — a month ago

with Jeni

LM Segal

9.6

Fragrant and red-fruit-driven nose shouting clarity of purpose led a crisp, somewhat linear palate of nicely delineated red and black fruit, black tea, asian spice. After a while in the glass secondary notes emerged of strawberry and even lilac. Great now but miles from peak with delightful acidity still driving the palate. Outstanding. — 23 days ago

Douglas Braun

8.9

2020 -Vintage — 10 days ago

UWS

9.0

20241111 Rest. Osteria Vicoletto, Alba with Wakano
2017
Elegant wine from La Morra with taste of raspberries, dried cherries, black tea.
Ripe but not the greatest Barolo I had.
€71.00 — 15 days ago

Scott@Mister A’s-San Diego

9.2

2017 vintage. Not much on the nose currently. PNP'd. Medium body. Darker fruit (plum, cherry, blackberry) with the corresponding musculature. Some tannins but mostly dispersed to the peripheries at the moment. Needs a few years/hours open but showing nicely for a less than "A" vintage. 10.22.24. — a month ago