Clau de Nell (Anne-Claude Leflaive) Grolleau | 2020

Located in the Loire Valley wine region of Anjou in the village of Ambillou-Château, Clau de Nell was purchased and rescued in 2008 by the great Anne-Claude Leflaive and her husband, Christian Jacques. A couple of years prior, they created a company to assist new biodynamic wine growers, and Clau de Nell flagged their attention as it was struggling financially and unable to produce wine for three years. Today, the estate is a terroir gem with exceedingly low yields and centuries-old, historic limestone caves carved from the Loire's iconic tuffeau quarries. Planted almost a century ago on silty clay, this Grolleau undergoes a natural, long fermentation, followed by extensive resting in old barrels. The result is shivering, pretty pearls of fruit and sweet leafy earth that is unmistakably Loire. ~Allegra A