2021 La Porte Saint Jean Saumur "Les Pouches", Loire Valley, France

ABOUT THE WINE

Sourced from a single parcel on limestone and clay soils in the Saumur appellation, “Les Pouches” is a pure and transparent take on Cabernet Franc. The 2021 vintage—a cooler, more classical year—accentuates the grape’s fresher, more floral character. Vinified with minimal intervention, the wine undergoes whole-berry fermentation with indigenous yeasts in concrete vats, followed by aging in used barrels for added texture without overt oak influence. Farming is fully biodynamic, and no sulfur is used at bottling. The result is a wine of clarity and energy, ideal with dishes like grilled quail, lentil salad with herbs, or young goat cheese.

ABOUT THE PRODUCER

La Porte Saint Jean is the personal project of Sylvain Dittière, a gifted winemaker who began his career apprenticing with the likes of Gérard Gauby and Thierry Germain. Since founding his domaine in 2010 near Montreuil-Bellay, Dittière has become a leading light in the Loire’s new wave. His approach combines rigorous biodynamic farming with a naturalist ethos in the cellar: native yeasts, no fining or filtering, and minimal to no sulfur use. Each cuvée reflects precise vineyard work and an uncompromising dedication to purity. Known for both his Saumur whites and reds, Dittière crafts wines that are elegant, age-worthy, and deeply expressive of their limestone terroirs.