Les Quatre Piliers Touraine Première Cuvée Pineau d’Aunis 2022 (6 Bottles) Loire Valley, France

Silver Medal (Concours des Vins de Loire)

Pineau d’Aunis is making a comeback in the Loire Valley. This enigmatic variety almost vanished in the early 1970s before starting a slow but steady renaissance. Today, nearly 500 hectares of Pineau d’Aunis are planted (so we’re told), chiefly in the lesser-known Loire regions such as the Touraine appellation and Coteaux du Loire. Loved by the natural people,not to mention a favourite of the thirsty fruit fly Drosophila suzukii,we’ve not had too much experience with Pineau d’Aunis outside of some lovely, fragrant reds from Eric Nicolas Domaine de Bellivière.