White wine from the Loire! Chenin Chenin Chenin.
Chenin Blanc, or "Ch'nin" as they say in the Loire, is a grape that can produce everything from sparkling to sweet wines, and it is emblematic of the Loire Valley, a vineyard of a thousand faces. Here we are in the Anjou Noir, black like the schist that Galaxy Caaaaaaat chose to land on.
gold, with golden reflections
loose and flowing as spring water, with an attack that is broad and dense. The wine's matter lets a spine of schist run through it, holding the line from first sip to last. The finish takes up the soil and the salt, stretches out, bows at last, and it is the bedrock that remains.
pear, candied lemon, fresh straw
salt grilled nodoguro, its white flesh rich with fat melting into the weight of the wine, with a squeeze of sudachi and a few grains of Noto salt to bring out the schist driven freshness of the wine
Vines on flat ground, soils of schist with falun alterations.
Biodynamic viticulture. Hand harvest, with sorting of the grapes in the vineyard. Spontaneous fermentation on indigenous yeasts, vinification with no added sulphites, bottling with no filtration, no fining and no added sulphites. The ingredients are simple: healthy grapes.
Chenin Blanc: from the Varenne du Poirier parcel, grey black schist from the Precambrian period (610 to 570 million years ago). Vines planted in 2009. East to west exposure on a raised plain (varenne also means plain). First ageing of 12 months in 225L barrels, then racking, followed by a short second ageing in stainless steel tank.
This wine is a four hands cuvée, created by Christophe Kaczmarek and the Vaillant family, natural wine growers at Domaine Les Grandes Vignes in Anjou.
As always at Caaaaaaat, the wines are vinified, blended, bottled and packed at the domaine. From vine to cellar, everything is done with respect, with the aim of regenerating the soils, encouraging biodiversity and respecting the people who are part of it.
Jordi, wine merchant at Le Sourire au Pied de l’Échelle, Paris 11
“From the very beginning, I was convinced by Caaaaaaat. First of all, the way Christophe shouts the name, again and again, you immediately sense there is an idea behind it. I was never worried that, in the end, the wines would be offbeat and built on strong convictions. And when I first tasted the Caaaaaaat wines, it was obvious. Free wines, original, yet approachable, with unbeatable price-to-pleasure ratios. From day one, the wines were an instant success at Le Sourire. The label catches attention, and then we can tell the story of the wine and the people behind it. Many times, customers bought a bottle saying ‘it’s for the joke’ or ‘my friend loves cats’. Then, not long after, they came back for more, simply because they loved the wine. In the end, there is no better compliment: when it’s good, you come back for it.”
Olivier Criou, Director at Miam Miam, Lithuania
“Caaaaaaat is a collection of Vin Méthode Nature wines that reflects a wide range of regions and grape varieties. Each cuvée is crafted with precision, in outstanding estates, by talented artisans. Caaaaaaat brings them together and embodies an approach that delights my customers as much as it delights me.”
Rachel Gay, France's Best Young Wine Merchant
“I remember the first time a Caaaaaaat landed in my glass. I said, word for word, ‘Whoaaaaa, I’m going to drink gallons of this stuff! Show me the label! Oh my gosh!’
It was Atomic Caaaaaaat, and I fell in love with the project. Then I met the creator, and it was love at first sight all over again.
Having a Caaaaaaat in your glass guarantees a good time, a great drink, and the chance to hunt for Easter eggs all over the label,all thoughtfully designed and crafted by a fantastic person who deserves to be in the spotlight!
Drink Caaaaaaat!”
Please do not share with anyone under the legal purchase age for alcohol. Drink responsibly.
