Grolleau is an ancient variety and the third most widely planted red grape in the Loire after Cabernet Franc and Gamay. The vast majority of Grolleau is used to add a gregarious fruitiness to red blends and sparkling wines but rarely gets top billing as a 100% pure, still red wine. Sadly, its acreage is decreasing, but luckily Pauline Lair sources some 60-year-old Grolleau Noir planted on sandy clay soils from a grower in the Anjou. A natural-yeast fermentation, carbonic maceration, and aging in concrete preserve all the delicious charms of this unique variety – one which more people should have a chance to experience.
