We’ll start with a simple statement. We’ve been criticized in certain circles for speaking out against ‘natural wine’. It seemed a good time to clarify our message. We have nothing against ‘natural wine’ per se. It is a perfectly viable choice when done correctly. The problem for us is that most of what we taste under the ‘natural wine’ banner (and deifying how the wine is made as relevant over what is in the bottle is a whole different peeve) is not well made. Far too many have oxidative notes, microbial quirks, dull edges, and scents of old peanuts. Supporters suggest we should accept these flaws because the wines were made ‘naturally’. Our response is ‘talk to the hand’.
Natural winemaking is very difficult and takes a fair bit of talent. A lot of things can go wrong. But there are folks that do it well. Celine & Benoit Blet are among them and their Les Terres Blanches estate’s newest offerings are prime examples of what we are talking about. In 2004, Celine and Benoit took over the 8.5 hectare domaine of Bernard Coutel, who was retiring and had no family members to follow in his footsteps. Certified in Organic Agriculture since 2010, they also work in the cellar to the rhythm of the wines. The wines are the expression of a grape variety on the specific terroir and their mission is to produce grapes and develop natural wines while protecting their environment throughout the farm.
The estate is located in Anjou, in the Loire Valley. The grapes varieties are Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. The vines are planted between 4,500 and 4,800 vines per hectare with natural grassing every other row, the other row is plowed after the harvest to bury the compost and maintained by hoeing the rest of the year. They refer to what they do as ‘peasant agriculture’, adhering to centuries old traditions that predated chemicals and machines. In their words, “To offer you hand-sewn natural wines, we strive to produce beautiful ripe grapes.”
The Celine et Benoit Blet Les Terres Blanches Brut Ancestral Blanc 2018 got our attention right off the bat. This is 100% Chenin Blanc hand harvested with the grapes fermented in buried cement tanks. The wine is then bottled then bottled to finish fermenting, disgorged, and then resealed without additional dosage. The soils for this bottling are raw quartz sand and marl. The slow fermentation yields a delicate, fine, not too aggressive bead and flavors of pear, peach, and a finishing kick of grapefruit. Bright, refreshing, dry, and sleek on the palate.
The Celine et Benoit Blet Les Terres Blanches Les 3 Poiriers Anjou Blanc 2018 is also 100% Chenin made from a later harvest of grapes from similar (or the same?) soils. These ‘healthy, golden’ grapes were pressed into neutral barrels via gravity where they fermented slowly without SO2, and then bottled with minimal addition. The subtle, complex Chenin reminds us of a top-notch Vouvray sec, except for the price. Pear, peach, maybe a little orange, with well woven in delicate minerality, this is a star. For reference, ‘Poiriers’ are pear trees. Two are pictured on the label along with a person doing a handstand. Clearly they are having fun.
Like all of the others in this lineup, the Celine et Benoit Blet Les Terres Blanches Anjou Rouge Demon 2018 exudes great purity. In keeping with the theme this 100% Caberenet Franc was harvested at optimum ripeness, destemmed, and given 5 weeks maceration then transferred to neutral (2-5 year old) barrels. Bottled unfiltered and unfined, with minimal SO2, this exudes ripe Franc character of dark red and blue fruit, is tender on the palate and without any green of funky notes. A gentle, engaging red, the ‘peasants’ drink pretty well around these parts it seems.
In closing, we didn’t buy these because they were ‘natural’, but because they were really good, well priced, and quite unique. Clearly these folks are working hard and, in our eyes, setting an example for the genre.