Les Justices Sanguine 2022

Sophie and Clément Maire-Kurdziel are the talented winemakers behind Les Justices, a small but innovative natural wine estate in the Loire Valley, France. Both trained as oenologists, they traveled extensively, gaining experience in vineyards worldwide before settling in the Loire in 2018. They found their first vineyard, an old parcel of Cabernet Franc vines planted in 1947, and named their estate Les Justices after this special plot.

Dedicated to organic and biodynamic farming, Sophie and Clément focus on creating authentic, terroir-driven wines with minimal intervention. They hand-harvest their grapes and use indigenous yeasts for fermentation, avoiding added sulfites and chemicals. Their wines are known for their freshness, purity, and vibrant character, including cuvées like La Bamboche, a joyful red made from Cabernet Franc, and Juste, a complex Chenin Blanc.

The Loire Valley wine region in central France is renowned for its diverse wine styles. Its extensive geographic spread and the variable climates within its boundaries significantly influence it. This region, often called the "Garden of France," stretches over 800 kilometers from the Atlantic coast in the west to the center of France in the east, encompassing several distinct wine-producing areas along the Loire River.

The region produces excellent Sauvignon Blanc, with the appellations of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé particularly prestigious for their expressive, mineral-driven styles. Chenin Blanc is another key variety, central to the wines of Vouvray and Anjou, which are used to make everything from dry to sweet and even sparkling wines. Muscadet, near the Atlantic coast, focuses on the Melon de Bourgogne grape, producing crisp, saline wines that pair excellently with seafood.

In addition to white wines, the Loire Valley produces reds and rosés, primarily from Cabernet Franc. This grape thrives in the appellations of Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur-Champigny, producing wines known for their floral aromas and crisp acidity. These wines often exhibit a characteristic freshness and are typically consumed young.

The region's climate varies from maritime in the west, which provides a cooling influence ideal for Muscadet, to a more continental climate in the east, which supports the ripening of Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc. This climatic variation, coupled with the diverse array of terroirs, from chalky limestone to flinty clay, allows the Loire Valley to produce diverse wines highly reflective of their specific locales.