Loïc Mahé
Loïc Mahé Savennières
Chenin Blanc · Savennières, Loire Valley
Orchard fruit, with a Loire soul
Baked apple, quince and pear, with subtle floral and savoury notes underneath, carried by bright acidity and a mineral, almost saline freshness. Generous and precise at the same time.
The producer
This month, I wanted to introduce you to Loïc Mahé through Savennières, one of the Loire Valley’s most distinctive expressions of Chenin Blanc. What interests me here is the connection between the producer and the place. Rather than looking for a familiar grape name alone, we are discovering a wine through the small appellation that gives it its identity.
The place
Savennières lies in Anjou, in France’s Loire Valley, where Chenin Blanc is capable of remarkable texture and depth. The region is particularly known for dry Chenin with freshness and structure. If you usually think of Chenin as simply crisp and fruity, this is a lovely opportunity to discover another side of the grape: a wine with presence at the table and a character that continues to unfold in the glass.
Why I chose it
What I love about Loïc Mahé’s Chenin Blanc is the way it manages to feel generous and precise at the same time. There is real texture here, but it is carried by bright acidity and a mineral, almost saline freshness that keeps the wine lively. With a little air, the fruit becomes more expressive, moving through apple, pear and other orchard fruit, with subtle floral and savoury notes underneath. That balance of richness and tension is very much what makes Chenin Blanc from this part of the Loire so compelling.
In the glass
Baked apple, quince and pear, with subtle floral and savoury notes underneath, carried by bright acidity and a mineral, almost saline freshness. Generous and precise at the same time.
Food pairing
At the table, I would love this with pork and apples, roasted squash, or a squash ravioli with brown butter. Those dishes have enough richness and gentle sweetness to meet the wine’s texture, while its acidity keeps everything fresh and brings the fruit back into focus.
