After visiting Arthur & Achille in the Loire a couple of weeks ago, we're very pleased to have a second tranche of wines from the two childhood friends working together under their own name as Peltier Ravineau in Cheverny.
A three-hour drive from Nantes to Cheverny, with a detour to hunt for a missing airbnb key meant we arrived in the dark, unable to walk the vines this year - but we were so pleased to be greeted by their wonderful hospitality - a shed full of new wines to taste and a dinner together around the wood-fired stove at Achille's home.
Tasting the wines together, we were struck by their versatility and layered profile. Highlights included their dynamic, textural whites, and nimble, characterful reds.
Arthur and Achille grew up in Cheverny and have known each other since they were teenagers. Both studied winemaking in Beaune from 2015 to 2019, and cut their teeth with mentors like Philippe Pacalet and Les Foulards Rouges. Returning home they furthered their education with local luminaries Hervé Villemade, and Clos du Tue Boeuf (Arthur's father had spent many years working with the Puzelats) before taking the leap into their own project.
They started their domaine, Peltier Ravineau in 2021 with one hectare, one barrel, and one tractor. The first couple of vintages were undertaken part-time, with the fruit sold to local growers, before bottling their first vintage in 2023.
They now farm 5 hectares organically on limestone and flint, planted to Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Gamay, Côt and old-vine Romorantin, alongside a little carefully chosen négoce fruit. It's a farming-led approach here, shaped by intuition and limited equipment "Most of the time we are in the vineyard," says Achille. "We don't have the luxury of over-complicating things, being just two of us and five hectares to look after."
Working delicately, they produce alive and direct wines with bags of character. Similar to the lads themselves, the wines boast a jubilant energy and a maturity beyond their years.
From their 2024 vintage - the second from their own space - we have the following wines:
WHITE
2024 - La Marnière - Sauvignon Blanc, Menu Pineau
An assemblage of 80% Sauvignon, 20% Menu Pineau, pressed slowly, aged in fibreglass for six months on the lees. Mineral and long, with crisp pear and spice, lovely texture and snappy acid.
2024 - Les Rosiers - Romorantin
From a 65-year-old half-hectare parcel of Romorantin that they have taken over from Hervé Villemade, the wine is pressed directly to barrel and aged for 8 months. A really beautiful expression of the regional variety - with lovely waxy reduction, herbal aromatics, and a profound mineral length. Drinking well but will reward patience too. We missed out on the Romorantin last time so are glad to have been able to take some tiny quantities on this order!
2024 - Les Bois ont Brûlés - Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay
A co-planted parcel of 50% Sauvignon and 50% Chardonnay, planted over clay and flint, pressed slowly and aged for 12 months in barrel, great length and depth, with beautiful orchard fruit, crushed citrus and juicy acids. Only small quantities to go round.
RED
2024 - Balle dans le Pied - Gamay, Cot, Cab Franc
A welcome top-up of their perfect bistro red, negocé fruit from organic neighbours, 12 days of whole bunch maceration for the Gamay & Côt, together. Cab Franc pressed directly and added on top. Aged in a large truncated oak vat for 6 months. Delicate but bountiful fruit, bright aromatics and pepper.
