Eric Chevalier's Fie Gris
Fié Gris, better known as the sauvignon gris grape, is an old Loire variety and a pink-skinned mutation of sauvignon blanc that delivers gorgeous, zesty, green-bean and green tomato-spiked fruit with a fatter, fuller greengage-packed finish. No wonder this grape is staging a comeback among vignerons across France.
Eric Chevalier (click his new year card above to go to his website, available in English) has written to let me know that the 2006 Fie Gris is more or less all gone, and that his other wines are running out too. Looking ahead, there are some good aromatic qualities in his 07 Sauvignon and one of the tanks of Muscadet is particularly impressive. What's more, he's working with Cedric Allion (whose wines we also like very much) to supply Malbec. The last Allion Malbec I sampled was really delicious, and the price was very agreeable too. I think our customers' liking for those fresh, supple Loire reds - which are generally not too strong in alcohol either - is growing.
