Lé Thio Noots / Romain Verger

(Anjou, France)

It reads as almost too good to be true; Romain Verger has spent time working with all of the great experimentalists of the Anjou—Jerome Saurigny, Patrick Desplats, Babass, and Didier Chaffardon—and now, with just over two and a half hectares in the area, is beginning to release his own wines under the name Lé Thio Noots. While there are clear lessons learned and tasted from the aforementioned iconoclasts, in a short time, Romain, an actual Anjou native, has already established himself and his beautiful wines as singular entities within the Loire, greater France, and internationally (the Japanese are always on it first). While our introduction here in Los Angeles to Romain’s wines consists mostly of his reds, this is not to be lamented. These are all unique expressions of place and of Romain’s preternatural techniques—long macerations, slow one to four day presses, and experimentations with oxygen all resulting in a special kind of magical rusticity in the glass.

Gamhénade 2019
Gamay / Gamay Chaudenay
$25

I love this wine so much—a silken Gamay blend that feels both pastoral and modern; a quintessential LA sipper but also so of its origin.

L’Gallo 2019
Gamay / Grolleau
$27

A rustic Anjou red blend that is simultaneously high toned and deep—do not drink this too cold as a bit of air and warmth does it wonders in the glass.

Gris Bull 2019
Grolleau Gris pet nat
$27

Honeyed and bright with transportive noble reduction on the nose—beautiful apéro gear.

Red Cox Knock 2019
Cabernet Franc
$42

One of the most expressive and nuanced noses I’ve experienced from a red wine in a long time. This is deep in most senses of the word. A perfect wine for a rich meal at the end of the week; cozy and experimental at the same time and so of the Anjou—one feels the dirt and the earth in the glass and goes back for more.