Schist (slate) deserves more respect. Wine growers in Anjou in the Loire Valley are a bit upset about the fact that limestone gets all the attention.
So they organized La Paulee de l ‘Anjou Noir on July 29 in Coteaux du Layon to honour the schist of Anjou.
The message of the day was: Anjou is not just a simple, unpretentious wine, but also complex chenin blanc wines from grapes grown in black, blue and anthracite schist. Just think of a bone dry Savennières or a honey sweet Quart de Chaume.
Other regions in France also stress their schist soil. Faugères in Languedoc has made Terroirs de Schiste its slogan. In Faugères they say that grapes that grow in schist soil give flavourful wines, round in taste but with a distinct acidity and freshness.
Schist also give low yields, says Bernard Vidal, owner of Château de la Liquière, one of Faugères most famous estates.
Other famous wine regions with schist is Priorato (Priorat) in Catalonia, the Mosel valley in Germany, the Douro in Portugal and parts of Roussillon in France.
Read more about La Paulée de l’Anjou Noir here: mon-viti.com.
