A gift to the planet: Biodynamic Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley (#Winophiles)

“Share a French wine gifted to you for the holidays,” she said. Nope. OK, “share a French wine you wish had been gifted to you.”

That was the prompt from Wendy at A Day in the Life on the Farm for this month’s French Winophiles blogging event. New year, new approach. Hope you’ll click the links at the end to read all of the posts and join in the convo Saturday, Jan. 13, at 8 am PT/11 am ET on Threads.net. You can find us by searching #winophiles. Not signed up for Threads yet? Give it a try! More civil than other social media, at least for now.

My fervent wish for the winemaking and wine-drinking world is that we focus on saving the planet. I may sound like a Pollyanna to state something so grandiose. But seriously, folks, we can be out for our hedonistic pleasure alone or we can do our part to fix this mess – and enjoy delicious wines while we’re at it.

Now I’ll climb down from my soap box and share the story of one Loire Valley producer who is embracing a caring approach toward growing grapes and making wine.

The Red-Head Manor

Le Manoir de la Tête Rouge (“the Red-Head Manor”) was built in 1649 at the foot of a hill in Saumur, in the central section of the 3,000-mile-long Loire Valley that stretches from Nantes to Tours. In 1995, the Reynouard family acquired the property with 25 acres of vineyards on the region’s highly regarded, ancient clay-limestone soils.

By 1996, the Reynouards had restored the house and cellar and purchased another 10 acres. In 1998, they converted the vineyard to organic viticulture and got certified by Ecocert, an international organization that approves organic content in products. Their first certified organic vintage was made in 2001.

The conversion to biodynamic agriculture and Biodyvin certification took place in 2010, and in 2013, they bought another 12 acres of Cabernet Franc already grown through biodynamic techniques. Biodyvin is an organization of approximately 215 wine estates located mainly throughout France, but also in Belgium, Germany, Greece, Italy, Moldova, Portugal and Switzerland. Members apply biodynamic principles and receive Biodyvin approval.

Guillaume Reynouard, now the owner and winemaker at Le Manoir de la Tête Rouge, passionately describes his commitment to biodynamics: “The planting of forgotten grape varieties such as Pineau d’Aunis, the incorporation of trees into the cultivation of the vine (agroforestry) or the gradual abandonment of all modern oenology are avenues that I have followed for more than 20 years. Other projects will emerge in the coming years. Revitalizing authenticity, durability and liveliness is an integral part of the culture of my estate.”

Why biodynamics?

Biodynamics started in the 1920s with an Austrian philosopher named Rudolph Steiner. It is the oldest, anti-chemical agricultural movement in the world, predating organic farming by about 20 years.

Organic farming is growing produce without the use of synthetic pesticides and herbicides. The concept behind biodynamics, as the website states so eloquently, is that everything in the universe is interconnected, including celestial bodies like the moon, planets and stars. Biodynamic viticulture is the practice of balancing this resonance between vine, humans, earth and stars. Essentially, biodynamics is a holistic view of agriculture.

“We consider our 18-hectare area as a living being, the cultivated soil and the surrounding air become the energy base of the vine. Our goal is to provide the plant the best possible environment to grow.”

La Manoir de la Tête Rouge

With this goal in mind, the Reynouards use preparations based on natural products – plant matter, animal and mineral – to strengthen the process of decomposition of the earth into humus. They apply these preparations at specified conjunctions of the year to bring the plants into alignment with natural events.

Living, breathing soil. Harmony with nature. This is the ticket to healthy grapes and fresh-tasting wine. Soil is everything.

The wine: 2021 Le Manoir de la Tête Rouge Tête d’Ange Chenin, Saumur AOC
100% Chenin Blanc

Grapes for this wine are from the Enchantoir, a single parcel of vines planted on the ancient Tuffeau sedimentary chalk characteristic of the central Loire region. This porous rock, a combination of sand and marine fossils, was formed in the late Cretaceous period, about 90 million years ago. Extremely porous, the rock absorbs water rapidly and releases it slowly to the vines.

Grass grows between the vineyard rows on the Le Manoir de la Tête Rouge estate. Manual harvesting is followed by pressing for four hours. After settling, the juice ferments in concrete tanks for seven months. No sulfur is added to the wine prior to bottling.

My tasting notes: Straw yellow in color. White flowers, toasted brioche and citrus on the nose, followed by the crisp (medium+) acidity characteristic of Chenin Blanc in cool climates and a round mouthfeel ending in orange peel and honey, incongruous though it seems, because the wine is dry. Chenin has “wet wool” in its aroma profile. I smell something vaguely pasture-ish, but clean. Wet wool? Hmmm. Medium finish. Alcohol: 13%. Price: $26.

Pairing: Socca (chickpea flatbread) with dried rosemary, topped by seasoned and sautéed mushrooms, shallots and bok choy, and a sprinkle of finely grated parmesan cheese. Heavenly match. An egg soufflé, poached fish or lightly breaded chicken strips would pair compatibly, too. 

Here are the posts the French Winophiles are sharing:

• Camilla of Culinary Cam shares “A Red Blend from the Slopes of ‘The Giant of Provence’, Slow-Braised Venison Stew, and Merci“.
• Terri of Our Good Life says “Thank You for the Bordeaux! Plus the cassoulet we paired with it“. 
• Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm is “Celebrating a New Wine Collaboration with a Bottle of Cahors gifted to me from Family visiting from France“.
• Jeff of Food Wine Click tells “How to Gift a Wine for Your Wine Geek Friend“.
• Linda of My Full Wine Glass tells of “A Gift to the Planet: Biodynamic Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley“.
• Susannah of Avvinare is “Drinking Aged Bordeaux from Chateau La Mission Haut Brion“. 
• Gwendolyn of Wine Predator is doing double duty with “Birthday Wishes, Gifts: Cassoulet with Cotes du Rhone from Domaine du Pegau, Maison Sinnae, Famille Ravoir” and “The Gift of Wine and A Gift of Wine: 2019 Famille Perrin Cotes du Rhone Reserve with Cassoulet“