{"id":17970,"date":"2017-06-21T22:39:56","date_gmt":"2017-06-21T22:39:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.wineanorak.com:\/wineblog\/?p=17970"},"modified":"2018-08-19T21:15:33","modified_gmt":"2018-08-19T21:15:33","slug":"loire-adventure-visiting-the-remarkable-francois-saint-lo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.wineanorak.com:\/wineblog\/natural-wine\/loire-adventure-visiting-the-remarkable-francois-saint-lo","title":{"rendered":"Loire adventure: visiting the remarkable Fran\u00e7ois Saint-L\u00f4"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Fran\u00e7ois
Fran\u00e7ois Saint-L\u00f4<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The rain was easing as we arrived for an appointment with Fran\u00e7ois Saint-L\u00f4, but it was still a cold, damp day. Not ideal for tasting wine. There’s nothing fancy about his place, but it has a good feel about it. It’s a gem of a project: it seems like a wine-making commune, with a varied group of people living together and making wine under his leadership, with huge catherdral-like troglodyte cellars and no fancy modern equipment at all. Unconventional and very natural.<\/p>\n

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Fran\u00e7ois has been making wine here for five years now (debut vintage was 2012). Originally from Normandy, he began working in restaurants in Paris, then made some wine in Montpellier, and then spent seven years travelling, working with a range of natural winemakers. Notably he worked with Olivier Cousin, and through him met Eric Dubois, with whom he worked for a couple of years. Dubois was instrumental in helping Francois set up on his own. The property he currently rents has lots of caves, which are ideal for vinifying wine because of the natural temperature control and humidity. He uses fibre glass tanks (they are cheaper) and old barrels. ‘I started with no money,’ he says, ‘but lots of people are helping me, and slowly I grow.’<\/p>\n

\"OLYMPUS<\/p>\n

\"OLYMPUS\u00a0Like his mentors, Fran\u00e7ois likes to work the vineyards with horses, and as his vineyards are currently 15 km away from the home base, he’d like to buy some vines a bit closer to save transporting the horse so far. The project is growing. In 2016 he made 10 000 bottles, and hopes to do double this in 2017.<\/p>\n

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\"OLYMPUS<\/p>\n

We began by tasting some unfinished wines:<\/p>\n

Fran\u00e7ois Saint-L\u00f4 Hey Gro!! 2016 (in tank)<\/strong>
\nThis is a Grolleau at 9% alcohol. So fresh and bright with red cherries and plums. Fresh, juicy, sappy and delicious. 90\/100<\/p>\n

Fran\u00e7ois Saint-L\u00f4 Les Palli\u00e8res Cabernet Franc 2015 (in barrel)<\/strong>
\nSpicy, intense , lively and edgy with juicy raspberry and red cherry fruit. Lively and detailed with real edges. Vivid, grippy and tannic with high acidity. 90\/100<\/p>\n

Fran\u00e7ois Saint-L\u00f4 Le Bois Guyon Cabernet Franc 2015 (in barrel)<\/strong>
\nPowerful, lively and spicy with cherries and herbs. A bit meaty and with nice cherry and raspberry fruit. 90-92\/100\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Fran\u00e7ois Saint-L\u00f4 Les Fontenelles Chenin Blanc 2015 (in barrel)<\/strong>
\nFrancois has had this vineyard for 2 years. It was dying: in the first year they got 8 hl\/ha, and with some hard work they got 20 hl\/ha the second year. Oxidative but with lovely pear and apple fruit and a fine spiciness. Very mineral with high acidity. 93\/100<\/p>\n

Fran\u00e7ois Saint-L\u00f4 Gamin! 2016 Vin de France<\/strong>
\nGamy. Sappy, bright, juicy and intense. Very fresh with a green edge. Grippy with good acidity. 89-91<\/p>\n

Fran\u00e7ois Saint-L\u00f4 Gamin! 2015 Vin de France<\/strong>
\nSupple and juicy with lovely red cherries and raspberries. Very fresh and delicate with nice pure light red fruits and lovely acidity. Very delicious and drinkable. 92\/100<\/p>\n

Fran\u00e7ois Saint-L\u00f4 Simplement Nature (what is now Le Bois Guyon) 2013 Saumur<\/strong>
\nVery detailed, fresh and grippy with blackcurrants, cherries and raspberries. Fresh with some spiciness and lovely grippy structure. Pure with nice weight: a supple, gravelly wine. 93\/100<\/p>\n

Fran\u00e7ois Saint-L\u00f4 Pette 2014<\/strong>
\nPink bubbles. Gamay, Grolleau and Chenin. Fresh with supple cherries and nice pear and apple fruit. Fruity and juicy with a sappy edge. 88\/100<\/p>\n

Fran\u00e7ois Saint-L\u00f4 Pet 2014<\/strong>
\nChenin Blanc. Wonderfully spicy citrus and pear nose. Intense, tangy and herby on the palate with a nice savouryedge. So distinctive and dry with hints of cheese and spice, and lovely acidity. 90\/100<\/p>\n

\"OLYMPUS<\/p>\n

Find these wines with wine-searcher.com<\/a><\/p>\n

Loire Valley Road Trip<\/strong><\/p>\n