2013ClosduTueBoeuf2013 Clos du Tue-Boeuf, Cheverny “Rouillon” Loire Valley Red, France.
Thierry Puzelat and his brother Jean-Marie run a small winery in the Le Montils area in Touraine, and are the Natural Wine gurus of the Loire Valley, crafting a beautiful selection of wines, including this gorgeous Pinot Noir & Gamay blend from the historic Clos du Tue-Boeuf, a 10-Hectare family estate Lieu-Dit, which has been noted as a great or excellent source of fine wines since the middle ages. The Loire Valley of France is maybe the spiritual home to the Natural Wine movement, certainly in France, and it was the birth place to the modern guide to biodynamics with Nicolas Joly pioneering the way, this influence has spread around the world with remarkable success. While the Natural Wine, no sulphur, no chemicals, native yeast fermentation(s) and no new wood, still seems a mere curiosity, it is also gaining traction, though it is meeting some hard push-back in certain quarters, but if you try the wines of Thierry Puzelat you can see just how good and expressive these wines can be, they are not all brown/funk that some critics have suggested, in fact these are stunningly pure and stylish wines that merit attention and are joyous in the glass. The Puzelat 2013 Clos du Tue-Boeuf Cheverny Rouillon Gamay/Pinot Noir is delightful and wonderful, it shows fresh and vibrant flavors, interesting mineral, subtle complexity and terroir character with tangy acidity and stony mouth feel. The nose is bright with hints of floral elements, wild herbs, crushed raspberry, currants and old wood leading to a zesty palate of black cherry, plum, strawberry and cranberry as well as apple skin, anise, red peach, peppery spice, nutmeg, truffle and concord grape. This is zippy youthful wine with a light to medium body, but should fill out over the next few years in bottle, but it should be enjoyed sooner v later, it’s charm is it’s energy and freshness, drink from 2015 to 2018, this is very pretty and pleasing wine, lovingly make and shows Natural Wine in it’s best light, a superb effort.
($25 Est.) 92 Points, grapelive

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