JON-DAVID HEADRICK SELECTIONS It is with great pleasure that Cascade Trade welcomes Jon-David Headrick Selections to the Pacific Northwest. Jon-David is a national importer of small-production, artisanal wines from the Loire Valley, France. The company is run and managed by Jon-David Headrick who prefers to work with young growers who are using more progressive techniques with older vines and gives preference to organic and biodynamic farming. More than half of the properties in the portfolio are organic and all are harvested by hand in small baskets. The wines of the portfolio are selected by Jon-David and imported by European Cellars/Eric Solomon Selections a preeminent importer for whom Jon-David worked for several years as operations and general manager. The goal of Jon-David Headrick Selections is to be able to present the most complete, comprehensive, and quality-oriented portfolio from the Loire Valley that is imported into the United States.

Loire Valley

Domaine Benedicte De Rycke, Jasnieres   The Jasnieres appellation is one of the many small sub regions in the Loire Valley covering a mere 300 meters by 3 kilometer strip on the slopes running parallel to the Loir River (not the Loire River – the Loir is a small tributary that ultimately dumps into the larger Loire). The appellation covers 128 hectares of which only 70 – 80 hectares are effectively planted. Here, when not in the Jasnieres, the vineyards are in the Coteaux du Loir appellation. Benedicte and her husband Thierry work their 5 hectares by hand and it’s all about Chenin Blanc. During their free time, they both enjoy motorcycling. Hmm, a woman-vigneron-biker – you gotta’ love it! Benedicte makes dry, steely Chenin Blanc with bracing acidity and sweet, ripe fruit. Her wines are amazingly fresh and mineral with subtle hazelnut and peach flavors. WOW! Who knew Chenin Blanc could be so many wonderful things?

Domaine Damien Laureau, Savennieres   At the age of 30, Damien Laureau left his post as an agricultural consultant to take over 6 hectares of vines from his uncle who was entering retirement. Damien knew a lot about growing fruit; his family produces some of the finest pears and apricots in the country; working Chenin Blanc vines in Savennieres was a different venture all together. Without a lot of help from the locals, Damien experimented in the vineyard and in the cellar eventually taking the top prize in a highly coveted, local wine tasting of Savennieres usually won by the same old guard. He produces only two cuvees and in very different styles – “Cuvee des Genets” is aged almost completely in tank and “Bel Ouvrage” is aged predominately in 2-4 year old barrels from his oldest vines. Cascade Trade is thrilled to introduce “Genets” for the summer – a 100% Chenin Blanc 90% aged in stainless steel and 10% in neutral barrel for 18 months. The outcome is a very rich, almost creamy body of acacia honey, butter and almonds with a mineral background that is crisp and fresh.

Claude Riffault, Sancerre, Loire Valley   Sancerre is known for lively, white wines that reflect perfect balance between mineral, acid and fruit. They are likely the most imitated Sauvignon Blancs in all the world. The vineyards of Sancerre lie on a series of hillsides dominated by the “Piton” or peak of Sancerre. The geology is a wonderful combination of terroir: chalk and marl to the west, gravel and limestone dominating the center and silex-clay soil to the east. Les Boucades is an elegant and richly aromatic, varietally correct Sauvignon Blanc perfectly balanced with weight of fruit and tingling acidity in the mouth. The unique stony-chalk soil of Sancerre imparts a lovely depth of mineral complexity to this wine and while the fruit is rich and ripe, with flavors of guava, green citrus, grapefruit and Asian pear, it retains a lovely sense of delicacy despite its obvious weight. 90 points Wine & Spirits.

Jean-Francois Merieau, Touraine   The quality of Jean Francois Merieau’s wines are amazing. While Touraine is a large region including the appellations of Vouvray, Montlouis, Chinon and many others, it is also an appellation in itself, planted mostly to Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Gamay, and Malbec. Most Touraine is mass-produced, harvested by machine, and of little interest. Jean-Francois Merieau breaks the mold and is one of the few artisans to really champion this AOC. He believes his organic approach and patience with his wines will help to put these wines on the same level as more prestigious appellations. To judge by the full, lees-rich style, of his Touraine Sauvignon Blanc, he has already achieved this. It is delicious and and rivals or exceeds many a Sancerre.

Michel Delhommeau, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine   Muscadet Sèvre et Maine is located where at the mouth of the Loire where the river meets the Atlantic. It is known for its high mineral content and is the best and most important of the four wine terroirs surrounding the city of Nantes. Muscadet, or Melon de Bourgogne, is the grape from which this wonderful light, very dry, crisp white wine originates. Based in the village of Monnieres, a village with a high proportion of gabbro (plutonic rock formed from molten lava), Michel and his wife Nathalie are producing very mineral rich Muscadets. While some other appellations can get away with high yields and still produce a quality product, it’s much harder to do in Muscadet. High yields result in mediocre wine with little complexity and sense of style. Michel Delhommeau understands this and therefore keeps yields ridiculously low; he vinifies only by soil type, and further separates out tanks by vine age. The result is complexity and flavor in a wine that has been often known for being lean, overly acidic and not too interesting. Break out the oysters or your favorite shellfish and enjoy the ride!