The most cutting edge producer making some of the most interesting wines today is Nicolas Joly. Go out now, quickly, and buy any of his Chenin Blancs from the AOC of Savennieres in the Loire. He’s not that new to the scene since taking the reigns from his mother a couple of decades ago, but his wines are super distinctive and balanced. That's a rare positive duo of adjectives, to be way sure...
Plenty of distinctive wines from talented winemakers from all over the world fill wine list real estate, yet these wines often tip the scale toward high extraction, big alcohol, and/or overly ambitious new barrel aging. A lot of big, pure fruit in a bottle. I sheepishly admit that they can be satisfyingly fun to drink along with the right food.
If you’re familiar with Nicolas Joly you’re first thought might be, “He’s the pioneer of modern biodynamic wine. Freaky stuff.†Yes, biodynamic farming is foreign to most with its incorporation of vineyard and winery practices in bed with organic farming, astrology, post-scientific theory, mysticism and God, goddess, god and/or Goddess, among other celestial factors. I tend to lean toward the dogma of my atheist boyfriend/partner. Yet I’m not at all critical of what Nicolas Joly thinks and practices as long as he produces his beautiful, rich, balanced, spot-on beautifully oxidative, complex and balanced wines.
What’s my point? There are two.
1. The most cutting edge producer today is Nicolas Joly.
2. Set aside your religion and all other weighty matters at the forefront of your conscious and subconscious before you determine if you like a wine.
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