The Grammar of Grapes: Jean-François Mérieau’s Wines Embody Touraine’s Diversity While Celebrating Each Grape’s Identity: Accessible Yet Layered, Local Yet Distinct. * Five Bottles, $99 (Three Reds, One White, One Sparkling)

Finding new ways to express old vines is the Eldorado of modern winemaking, and with multiple generations tending the family vineyards, where many of the vines are over one hundred years old, Jean–François Mérieau has had a jump start. A biodynamic approach didn’t hurt, either:

“2023 marks an important milestone for the estate,” he says, “with the organic certification achieved on all vintages. This step is the fruit of a long-standing commitment to produce quality wines while respecting the environment.”

The history and terroir from which Jean–François so eloquently draws is located in the heart of the Cher valley, nestling in the hills above Saint-Julien-de-Chédon in AOP Touraine. The estate began in the ashes of World War II, when his widowed great-grandmother Georgina began producing wine on her own. Georgina’s daughter Paulette and her husband Jean looked after the estate’s economic development. It was their son Jacky, Jean-François’ father, who brought the 86-acre Touraine estate (planted Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin, Pinot Noir, Côt, Pineau d’Aunis, Gamay, and Chardonnay) to international attention.

After studying in Bordeaux, Jean-François began his professional career at Châteauneuf-du-Pape and in Sancerre and South Africa; he took over the family estate in 2000.

Although the largest segment of Touraine is given over to Sauvignon Blanc, Jean-François’ experiences abroad and at CdP have convinced him to expand his range to include to red and sparkling wines in order to highlight the diversity of his soils and to showcase his skills as a winemaker.

Touraine’s Singular Pluralism

Touraine’s weakness is its strength; often regarded as a hodgepodge AOP, stretching over seventy incongruous miles between Bourgueil to Blois in the east. But any French wine region where land remains affordable becomes a lodestar for experimental winemakers, generally young and eager to break with convention, which in Touraine’s past life often meant a lot of second-rate Sauvignon Blanc. Of course, the viticultural school in Amboise was also a lure for new talent, and as you travel up the Cher river, the concentration of avant-garde vignerons grows proportionately.

To understand the concept of ‘Singular Pluralism,’ one has to reference a different Touraine—sociologist Alain Touraine (August 1925-June 2023) who was the research director at the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales. He coined the term ‘Singular Pluralism’ to explain modern societies characterized by a growing separation between rationalized environmental action (driven by economic and technological forces) and the formation of individual moral identity or communal feelings regarding the same.

In Touraine, this idea can be extrapolated to include the AOP’s growing diversity, exhibiting multiple identities, interests and communal coexistence. New energies continue to suffuse the region, an offshoot of the natural winemakers of the 1990s like Thierry Puzelat and Christian Chaussard. To this day, the town of Montrichard remains a nucleus for pét-nat.

Unusual grape varieties like Romorantin and Fié Gris also fueling the innovation while winemakers like Jean-François Mérieau are applying experience and foresight to wines built from old standbys, giving credibility to his view that Gamay belongs among the small roster of ‘noble grapes.’

Below the Surface: Touraine’s Diverse Soils Shape Distinct Wines

The vineyards of Touraine grow at the crossroads of oceanic and continental influences, and likewise, the soils are as varied as the breezes, being predominantly limestone, sand and siliceous clay from the Paris Basin, while the terraces bordering the Loire and the Vienne contain deposits of pebbles smoothed to roundness by the action of the water. Such variety supports a cornucopia of grape varieties and multifarious styles—easy-drinking white, red and rosés and sparkling wines along with sweet wines that will bend your mind as they crumble your molars. Whether red, white or shades between, Touraine wines are always vibrant with acidity and delicate, precise flavors.

Jean-François Mérieau
A Vigneron of Many Voices

Cher is sunny, and no apologies to the ‘I Got You, Babe’ crowd. Named after a tributary of the Loire, the Cher runs just south of Montlouis-sur-Loire and converges with the main river at Tours. The Loir-et-Cher Department provides the majority of fruit used in Touraine AOP wines; 80% of the white wines are made from Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc as well as Grolleau Gris, with lesser roles played by Pinot Gris, Melon de Bourgogne, Folle Blanche and Arbois Blanc. The red and rosé wines are produced from Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis and Merlot. Meanwhile, the oak forests around Bourges is used for the production of barrique barrels. The wood is perfect for Touraine’s middling clout, with fine fibers lending only mild tannins.

Jean-François Mérieau

Based in Cher’s historic town of Montrichard, Jean-François Mérieau works alongside three generations of his family to produce mineral-rich whites, racy and savory reds, Méthode Champenoise sparklers and sweet wines. Much of his winery is subterranean, built within a cave carved during the 14th century to mine stone for local walkways. The structure on top that houses many of fermentation tanks (referred to as ‘new,’ by Jean-François) was used by Americans soldiers during World War I; some of their inscriptions remain on the walls.

Jean-François and the team

Despite the age of the facilities, the wines reflect both the superb Touraine terroir and Mérieau’s exquisite mastery of modern thinking. His Sauvignon Blancs come from the best slopes overlooking the river Cher where they benefit from the rich clay and limestone subsoils. These wines age for five months on lees, providing rounder structure than is usual for the area; he showcases the varietal’s aromatic profile and exotic fruit notes while maintaining an underlying brightness and acidity. His Chenins are racy iterations tinged with apple and minerality; his Rosé of Pineau d’Aunis is exuberant, fresh and gregarious while his old vine Gamay and Malbec are delicious delights with lingering finishes. His sparkling wines are also standouts—vintage Touraine with little dosage.

In addition to his estate wines, Jean-François operates as a négociant, buying fruit from several neighbors to make varietal wines under the Hexagonales label.

Sauvignon Blanc: Loire Precision

Having originated in Bordeaux, Sauvignon Blanc’s westward journey was inspired. As blending fanatics, Bordelais whites often contain both Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon, a combination that takes the edge off the acidity, as does a bit of barrel time. Although 12 AOPs in Bordeaux are approved for the production of Bordeaux Blanc, Pessac-Léognan and Graves tend to be the most reliable.

In the Loire, climate and terroir, with the tiller in the right hands, Sauvignon Blanc as a monovarietal reaches heights that are arguably not duplicated elsewhere. Sancerre and Fumé Blanc are the most familiar, but in Touraine, when the ludicrously generous, legally allowable yields (65 hectoliter/hectare) are restrained, this sensitive and a fairly delicate grape strongly reflects the terroir where it is grown. As a result, these wines tend to be rounder, richer, weightier and more aromatic than their cousins from Sancerre.

 1  Jean-François Mérieau ‘L’arpent des Vaudons’, 2023 Touraine ‘Sauvignon Blanc’ ($19)
An ‘arpent’ is an antiquated land measurement term that predates the French Revolution; it equates to about 4/5ths of an acre. Jean–François uses this term to refer to several small parcels of 60-year-old, southeast-facing Sauvignon Blanc vines, the source of this cuvée. Hand-harvested, and fermented on natural yeasts, the wine rests on its lees for seven months in stainless steel tanks. It shows pronounced notes of freshly cut grass with gooseberry and lime.

Gamay: A Touraine Interpretation of a Beaujolais Classic

Far from its spiritual home in Beaujolais, Gamay from the Loire can be vibrant, polished, tense and nervously exciting. It accounts for about 20% of Loire’s red wine production. In the Touraine, it is generally released as an aromatic display of ripe raspberry, strawberry and blackcurrant perfumed with subtle notes of violet and white pepper. When blended with Côt—as is often the case in Touraine—the wine is offered a tannic supplement that allows it to age longer and develop tertiary tastes of leather and dried cherries.

 2  Jean-François Mérieau ‘Bois Jacou’, 2023 Touraine ‘Gamay’ ($19)
100% Gamay from vines between 10 and 60 years old grown on clay/limestone and chalk. The grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, fermented on natural yeast and allowed a semi-carbonic fermentation in stainless steel. The wine is waxy and complex and features jammy blackberry and ripe cherries above a balanced, acidic finish.

Côt: Malbec’s Lighter Mood in Touraine

Côt, of course, is a regional name for Malbec—a grape which in France’s southwest produces tight, tannic wines that may be tough to appreciate on release and need a span of bottle-time to mellow. Malbec is the foundation of the famous ‘Black Wines’ of Cahors.

In Touraine, the grape shows a brighter face and a lighter soul; these wines are juicy and fruit forward with an acidic profile underscored by minerality.

 3  Jean-François Mérieau ‘Cent Visages’, 2023 Touraine ‘Côt’ ($23)
Cent Visages means ‘100 Faces’; it refers to Jean-François’ 100% Côt cuvée drawn from a single vineyard in St. Julien de Chédon where the 50-year-old vines are an old Massale-selection planting. Cent Visage is hand-harvested, destemmed and allowed ambient yeast fermentation in concrete tanks, followed by manual punch downs through 42 days of maceration. The wine opens with a bouquet of sweet cherry and plum and evolves into a full-bodied palate with chewy tannins and high acidity—baking spices, truffles appear on a lengthy finish.

Pinot Noir: A Delicate Thread

Pinot Noir is a grape whose reputation has been staked in a single region—Burgundy, and plantings outside this hallowed appellation have rarely matched the paradigm. And in the Loire, which is not physically far from Burgundy, Pinot Noir plantings are scant compared to the main red varieties of Cabernet Franc and Gamay. Even in the areas where it can be found—Sancerre, Cheverny and eastern Touraine—it remains a bit player.

Still, with deft handling, Touraine’s Pinot Noir examples can be ethereal and transparent, allowing the region’s unique terroir to shine through with subtle hints of chalk and flint complementing fruit-forward cherry and strawberry notes.

 4  Jean-François Mérieau ‘Valala’, 2023 VdF Loire-Touraine ‘Pinot Noir’ ($17)
‘Valala’ is Jean-Francois Mérieau’s brainstorm project wherein he produces affordable wines from sustainably-farmed parcels owned by friends. The Pinot Noir comes from a parcel of chalky clay-limestone soils in Saint Pourçain. It is fermented and aged in tank, preserving the crisp and crunchy raspberries, spicy herbs and orange peel. typical of Pinot Noir grown in the Loire Valley.

Chenin + Chardonnay: A Dual Act

Chardonnay is a grape of such diversity that plantings can be found in virtually every viticultural region on earth; Chenin’s ubiquity is the result of naturally high yields, making it ideal for bulk wine production. Blending the two has been the norm in South Africa for many generations, where Chenin is the most planted variety and Chardonnay is not far behind. South African Chenin-predominant wines enjoy the depth and complexity Chardonnay brings to the table, while Chardonnay-dominant wines are given a lift of acidity from the Chenin.

In the Loire, Chenin is responsible for some of the finest sweet wines in the world, but when picked with acids high and blended with equally high-acid Chardonnay, it forms the base for sparkling wines that can rival those from nearby Champagne at a fraction of the cost.

 5  Jean-François Mérieau ‘J’Ose – Les Fines Bulles’, 2019 Brut Touraine ‘Chenin, Chardonnay’ ($21) Sparking
J’ose Les Fines Bulles means ‘Josephine’s Bubbles;’ it is a Méthode Champagne sparkler made from 80% Chenin with the remainder Chardonnay. It is aged sur-latte for 24 months before disgorgement, followed by an additional 12 months in bottle. Les Fines Bulles is a reference to the fine bubbles, which rise through a succulent palate with summer peach on the nose and hints of fresh bread. It is difficult to name another vintage Méthode Champagne that delivers as much for the price tag.

Notebook …

Chenin Finds Favor in a Warming Loire

If the climate hands you lemons, it may be times to rethink grapes. In regions where warming trends are playing havoc on many stand-by varieties in their traditional stomping grounds (wine pun intended), even a slight rise in temperature and small decrease in rainfall changes the game considerably. Chenin is no stranger to the Loire, of course, but areas that did not produce top-shelf wines from the grape are finding that longer hang-times and judicious cellar manipulations can tame the sharp acids that have long prevented Chenin from becoming a true rival to Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Not only that, but unlike these two familiar grapes, harvesting Chenin later does not seem to significantly decrease the ‘freshness’ quality so prized by tasters. Barrel-fermented and cask-aged Chenin are poised to take their due place on the world’s wine stage; a small upside to a global disaster.

‘”Les Vins des Coteaux de la Loire” – Coteaux de Touraine’ (Atlas de la France Vinicole L. Larmat) by Louis Larmat (1946)

The New Geography of Wine: France Confronts a Changing Climate

Late frosts, hailstorms, repeated heatwaves and historic droughts—the plagues of winemakers in 2024 make the plagues of Egypt look like a kindergartner’s runny nose. There is adaptability and there is impossibility, and these challenges have caused winemakers not only to re-evaluate their techniques, from trellising to site selection, but to revamp the entire industry.

“The nature of the French wine industry is going to be completely different by 2050,” says Nathalie Ollat, an expert on winegrowing at French agricultural research institute INRAE. “And the precise nature of that change will be determined in part by the results of the experiments going on throughout the country. We could have irrigated vineyards in the south, others that have disappeared, as well as long-forgotten grape varieties brought back. Perhaps certain regions will go from using one variety of grape to several varieties. And maybe we’ll have entirely new vineyards in entirely new places on top of that.”

Meanwhile, despite the numerous negative impacts of climate change, warmer temperatures have proven advantageous for some French winemakers. Along with a vineyard’s soil and the expertise of its agronomist and winemaker, heat and rainfall are crucial to the final product. Warmer days help grapes mature properly and develop an optimal amount of sugar, resulting in higher-scoring wine. While critic opinions are subjective, there has been a consensus in these scores over the years, and top wines tend to come from years with warmer, drier summers, cooler, wetter winters, and earlier, shorter growing seasons—conditions that climate change is expected to make more frequent.

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Posted on 2025.07.09 in Touraine, France, Wine-Aid Packages, Loire