Domaine Dyckerhoff Reuilly Petit Gris 2021

Domaine Dyckerhoff’s 2021 Reuilly Petit Gris, a traditional Vin Gris, emanates from a tiny 1.25-acre parcel. Although it is a white grape, Pinot Gris is the rare white grape variety with a slight gray or pink hue to its skin, which can lend a light hue to the juice; hence, the moniker Vin Gris. And, in Reuilly, Pinot Gris must by law exhibit a slight hint of rose, as does Domaine Dyckerhoff’s eye-catching 2021 Reuilly Peitit Gris. Imbued with the palest salmon or rose hue, Christian Dyckerhoff’s 2021 Petit Gris not only delights the eye, it also ingratiates the nose and palate with its high-toned aromatics. Soft scents of wild strawberries, white peaches, and apple blossoms greet the nose and become suffused in the flavor profile of this wine. Textured, yet bright and energetic, the wine’s lovely fruit components complement Reuilly’s natural acidity and mineral-rich terroir. For optimal enjoyment, we suggest only moderate chilling (about 40°-45° F) of the palate pleasing 2021 Domaine Dyckerhoff Reuilly Petit Gris. Anticipated maturity: 2022-2024. Enjoy!

The 2021 Domaine Dyckerhoff Reuilly Petit Gris makes an ideal aperitif, as it exudes elegance, flavor, and a lithe spirit that gently enlivens the senses and invigorates the soul. Yet, this quintessential Vin Gris also provides the ideal companion to a host of shellfish as well as freshwater fish such as trout, crappie, catfish, and most especially striped bass and walleye. And, unlike many other dry wines, Dyckerhoff’s Reuilly Petit Gris also provides a good companion to sushi, sashimi, and California spring rolls. With a bottle of the 2021 Dyckerhoff Reuilly Petit Gris and fresh seafood one can easily recall summer and re-create halcyon days of summer by the beach or lakeshore. Clams, crabs, mussels, oysters, and shrimp, prepared just about any way you can imagine, also provide memorable accompaniments to Domaine Dyckerhoff’s 2021 Reuilly Petit Gris. And, like many of the Loire Valley’s other fine white wines, Domaine Dyckerhoff’s Petit Gris offers the perfect companion to soft cheeses with rinds such as Brie, Camembert, Saint-Nectarine and Reblochon as well as mild goat and sheep’s milk cheeses. Bon appétit!

The Dyckerhoff family migrated from Germany in the 1960s and settled in Reuilly where now vigneron/winemaker Christian Dyckerhoff grew up amid his family’s vast cereal farm. Although Christian is relatively new to winemaking, Christian’s wife, Benedicte, hails from a family of wine growers in Ribeauvillé, Alsace, and together the Dyckerhoffs created Domaine Dyckerhoff in 2004.

Domaine Dyckerhoff consists of just 12.5 acres in Reuilly, an appellation located in the eastern Loire near the beautiful medieval city of Bourges. After little more than a decade, Domaine Dyckerhoff had become one of the most influential ambassadors of the reinvigorated Reuilly appellation and a very reliable source of tasty Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Gris. Not surprisingly, Sauvignon Blanc takes center stage at Domaine Dyckerhoff, as it does among the majority of Reuilly producers. However, small quantities of rare and exceptional Pinot Gris (also called Vin Gris) and Pinot Noir are also produced by this rising star in Reuilly.

The Loire is France’s longest and most picturesque river, and the valley that bears its name is known affectionately as le jardin de France (the garden of France). From the Loire’s lush gardens, pastures, and vineyards flow a treasure trove of fruits, vegetables, and wines to grace elegant tables throughout France, including those in the most fashionable temples of gastronomy in Paris.

Given the Loire’s length, varied terroir, and multitude of microclimates, it is not surprising that this vast region produces a wide array of wines. From the chalky hills on the upper reaches of the river as it bends in sight of Burgundy come several of the world’s finest dry white wines in the guise of Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Menetou-Salon, Quincy, and Reuilly – mostly from Sauvignon Blanc but also small quantities of very fine Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir. As the river flows west towards the heart of France, Chenin Blanc predominates with still and soft sparkling wines, while the superlative sweet wines of Touraine and Anjou emerge from green hills in sight of stately châteaux. And by the time the slow moving Loire reaches the sea near Nantes, it becomes the home of Muscadet, a quaffable, fresh, bone dry white wine that is superlative with seafood.

The majority of the Loire’s most celebrated wines are white, but one should not miss the region’s traditional Pinot Gris (aka Vin Gris for this white grape’s slight hint of color) and the growing number of excellent red wines being made in “the garden of France.” Cabernet Franc is the most important red varietal in the Loire, at least in terms of quality, but some very good Gamay based wines can be found as well. Bourgeuil and Chinon are the most notable appellations along the Loire for Cabernet Franc, each with a history for fashioning distinctive velvety red wines.