Gift set: Cépage Grolleau

Contrary to what one might think, the Loire wine region is a land of immigrants: Cabernet Franc comes from the Basque Country, Gamay and Pinot Noir from Burgundy, and Côt from Cahors. Grolleau, however, is an exception: it is one of the only truly indigenous grape varieties of the Loire Valley, likely a descendant of Gouais Blanc.

Its first official written record dates back to the beginning of the 19th century, under the name "Grolleau de Cinq-Mars," named after Cinq-Mars-la-Pile in Touraine, where it made the fortune of local winemakers; it was even nicknamed "gros-lot" (a play on the French word for "jackpot"), as its generous and regular yields were worth more than a lottery ticket. Its name is said to come from "grolle," a regional word for crow, echoing the dark color of its berries.

In 1958, Grolleau Noir was even the most widely planted red grape variety in the entire Loire vineyard, before the more refined charms of Cabernet Franc and Gamay took over: today, it occupies third place.

Grolleau Gris is a natural mutation of Grolleau Noir, confirmed by molecular markers. Its surface area has experienced its own roller coaster: 225 hectares in 1979, a peak of 908 hectares in 2000, then a slow erosion to about 530 hectares in 2018 (source INRAE/Plantgrape).

Long relegated to the rank of a common table grape, good for simple, thirst-quenching Anjou rosés, Grolleau has been enjoying an unexpected comeback for a few years now: discerning winemakers, often working organically or biodynamically, are now vinifying it as a red wine or using maceration, revealing a fine, spicy texture, full of freshness.

The true local child perhaps had not yet shown its full potential: these six bottles are the proof: