2019 Domaine Pichot Le Peu de la Moriette Vouvray Loire Valley 750 ml

The Pichot family has been fine-tuning their Chenin Blanc since long before the United States existed, and their 200+ years of mastery are on full display in this single-vineyard Loire masterpiece… which only gets more delicious when you factor in the price.

The Pichots are simply the best at what they do. A pioneering family and one of the first wineries to introduce Loire Valley Chenin Blanc to American drinkers, they haven’t given up an inch of their superiority in recent years. 

In fact, Pichot’s wines sparked our obsession with the Loire decades ago, and in this bottling, they display the Chenin Blanc grape at its pinnacle. While some Chenins are dry, this one boasts pristine fruit, deep complexity, and irresistible sweetness perfectly balanced by mouthwatering acidity. It's a combination that makes stopping at one sip impossible.

The only thing that has changed over the years is how many sommeliers around the country we have to compete with in order to score an allocation of Pichot wines, which have been a staple at Parisian bistros for generations, and are essential items at savvy wine-focused restaurants in the 21st century. 

Their single-vineyard Le Peu de la Moriette—a crystalline Chenin Blanc from one of the most prized vineyards in the entire Loire Valley—shows why Vouvray is a staple on tables worldwide. Its easy charm owes to a hint of fruity sweetness combined with an electric minerality, and makes the wine perfect as an apéritif or a complement to fish tacos, roast chicken, or salad—and stopping after a single glass is a serious challenge.

The Pichots are one of the oldest families in Vouvray, and that longevity has gained them access to some of the best land along the right bank of the Loire River. Their vineyards—like Coteau de la Biche, Le Marigny, and Le Peu de la Moriette—are widely recognized as the greatest of the appellation, full of organically cultivated old vines with grasses poking up between the rows.

The Pichots’ stewardship of the land and the nobility of the Chenin Blanc grape are both captured in Le Peu de la Moriette. Mineral and crisp, displaying a deep structure, this is a true delight to drink—and an unaccountably good deal.