2024 Mary Taylor, Sophie Siadou Red Blend, Valençay AOC, Loire Valley, France

A distinctly Loire-style red combining Pinot Noir’s elegance, Gamay’s juicy freshness and the firmer structure of Côt, the local name for Malbec. Raspberry and blackcurrant fruit, floral lift, spice and refreshing acidity are supported by fine chalky-mineral character and gentle tannin.

Sophie Siadou and Francis Jourdain are the vignerons behind Vignobles Jourdain, a multigenerational family estate on the Coteaux du Cher that they have run together since 1990, farming approximately 30–32 hectares and vinifying their own fruit. Siadou provides a direct woman-producer connection, while importer Mary Taylor adds another female-led element as founder of Mary Taylor Wine. Gamay, Côt and Pinot Noir create a juicy yet earthy combination particularly well suited to cool fall afternoons, mushrooms, roast poultry and harvest suppers. Grown and produced in the Lye Village of the Touraine District in the Valençay Appellation of the Loire Valley, this  unique blend, is both an uplifting and classic blend for the seasonal change.