The wines at Loire Valley Lodges, a list built on respect for the living
Gastronomy is rightly at the forefront at Loire Valley Lodges, but the wine list, and the drinks list more broadly, is every bit as considered. A taste for wine has been part of the estate’s DNA from the start: Bertrand Frey, who founded Loire Valley Lodges, is an enthusiast himself.
A selection guided by respect for the living
Coherence came quickly, from criteria that are simple but meaningful. First among them: favour wines that are made with respect for living things, as the current sommelier puts it. That is meant in the broadest possible sense, respect for the vines, for the terroir, for craft, and for the people who work and cultivate the land.
Four hundred labels, mostly from the Loire
The result comes down to one figure: around 400 labels, chosen with care, patience, taste and conscience. Loire vineyards make up the large majority, with a particular emphasis on Touraine, without setting aside the rest of France. It is a selection that has proved itself over the years yet refuses to rest on its laurels, shifting with regular visits to vineyards and encounters with growers, the very ones you meet along the Loire Valley wine route. A list that is small but precise, choosing beautiful wines exactly as the kitchen chooses its favourite produce.
The sommelier facing forest cuisine
The carte blanche menu at Ardent is always an occasion for imagination and dexterity. Because forest gastronomy brings unusual flavours, the sommelier becomes a tightrope walker of taste, finding what best accompanies what is on the plate. Asking a specialist what he looks for in a wine is a thorny question, and there are probably as many answers as there are sommeliers. Here, the reply is that taste may be simple, but emotion has to be stirred. Something that makes you vibrate, and only then leads to flavour. As for his latest favourite, it is the Vouvray from Guillaume and Baptiste Frey at Clos Thierrière, a wine that is precise, straight and vibrant.
Touraine is an extremely varied region and cannot be reduced to any single style. Historically, the white wines and the remarkable work done with chenin stand out, but what is more interesting is the energy of the sector, driven in particular by younger generations of growers.
At the bar, house cocktails and alcohol-free creations
Alongside its wine selection, the list at the bar offers house cocktails and an increasingly developed range built on alcohol-free ingredients. To stay in step with the kitchen at Ardent, the forest can be drunk as well as eaten: a forest-herb syrup made with lemon balm, Douglas fir needles and wild mint, for instance. Add to that grand cru teas and sparkling drinks crafted with as much attention as wine. Proof that the list at Loire Valley Lodges, while holding a coherent line, keeps adapting to how people drink today.
To go further, the passion for wine stay pairs a lodge break with the discovery of Touraine’s vineyards.
Frequently asked questions
How many wines are on the list?
Around 400 labels, with Loire vineyards forming the large majority and a particular emphasis on Touraine, without setting aside the rest of France.
What is the selection criterion?
Respect for living things, in the broadest sense: respect for the vines, the terroir, the craft, and the people who work and cultivate the land.
Are alcohol-free options available?
Yes. The bar develops alcohol-free creations built on forest ingredients, such as a syrup of lemon balm, Douglas fir needles and wild mint, alongside grand cru teas and crafted sparkling drinks.
