Jean-Pierre Robinot Lumiere des Sens 2021

Origin: Loire, France
Grapes: Pineau d’Aunis (Chenin Noir)

Pineau d’Aunis is always a thrill when Jean-Pierre is involved. This comes from a forty year old parcel and the grapes are fermented in whole bunches for three weeks, before being pressed off to barrel to rest for just over a year. This vintage sees the cracked white peppercorn and wild herb fragrance that characterises this varietal dialled right up, which we absolutely love. A slick, supple feel to the body carries some prickly, sharp forest berry fruit and finishes with long acidity.

For lovers of real wine, the name Jean-Pierre Robinot and his story are legendary. He fell in love with wine at a young age, moved to Paris, met some of the natural wine movements true pioneers and subsequently opened one of the first bars dedicated to such wines in the city, L'Ange Vin and founded France's premier journal on the topic, 'Le Rouge et le Blanc'. It was only a matter of time before he could not resist the urge to join the vignerons he so loved and in the early two thousands he left Paris and moved back to the village where he grew up in the very north of the Loire to do just that. Parcels are harvested by hand individually and fermentations take place in the labyrinth of ancient limestone caves beneath the vines. They go slow and steady and can often last months, even years. The wines rest on their lees in the barrels which line the dark, damp cellars here for as long as they need.