While Vincent Ricard comes from a long line of grape growers, he was the first member of his family to estate-bottle their wines. Today, Domaine Ricard is considered one of the elite producers of Touraine, in the Central Loire Valley.
"At last count, Vincent's wines were on the wine lists of over 36 Michelin-starred restaurants." - Importer Charles Neal
Vincent's Le Petiot Touraine Blanc has been a fixture at the shop for 15 years, and I am loving the 2023 version. Ricard's old vines, low yields, and biodynamic methods in the vineyards resulted in a fabulous bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.
It might seem like a stretch, but I truly believe this gives many Sancerres a serious run for the money, but this comes to you at less than $20.
2023 Domaine Ricard Touraine Blanc 'Le Petiot'
Beautiful Loire Valley Sauvignon Blanc at an incredible price!
This wine is a prime example of why France's Loire Valley is considered the spiritual birthplace of Sauvignon Blanc. It's so expressive, so evocative, and it's actually quite layered and complex. More on that later, but let's talk a bit about Monsieur Ricard.
Vincent Ricard is a serious over-achiever. Since joining his family's estate in the late-1990's, he convinced his father to stop selling all of their pristine grapes to the local cooperative, and in 1999, Domaine Ricard was born. Today, their wines are enjoyed just as much in France as they are in Asheville!
Vincent also convinced the family to start farming according to the principles of biodynamics and organics, and today, the estate is certified organic. Vincent chose this path not for marketing purposes, but because through trial and error, he became convinced that this type of farming led to healthier vineyards, better grapes, and most importantly, tastier wines.
I like his pragmatic approach to agriculture, and those aforementioned proclamations are fully evident in his 2023 Le Petiot. Produced from 35-40 year-old, south-facing vines located on the upper terraces of the Cher River, the soils found here are a mix of limestone, flint, and clay, much like you'd find in Sancerre or Pouilly-Fume. The only difference is price.....Touraine just doesn't demand the premium price....for the time being.
All of this attention to detail is on full display in this wine. I love the layered and complex style this wine presents -- it smells of ripe citrus, tropical fruits, lemon verbena, fresh herbs, and stony minerality. Vincent ages about 20% of the finished wine in older French oak barrels, so there's an elegance and refinement to the fresh and zesty palate.
In case you hadn't noticed, Sancerre prices are through the roof. This wine is the solution to that problem, for now. I predict that prices on Touraine Sauvignon Blancs of this impeccable quality will soon approach those of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume.
