At the start of June, Chad and I hosted a Loire Valley-inspired dinner with our friends at the Wolf. We were joined by many loyal shop customers along with a handful of industry veterans—all equally eager to embark on this journey. We had no idea there would be such immediate interest in the event, and the high demand meant that our meal was a slightly snug fit, which only emphasized the intimate, friendly atmosphere.

And the food! From the first bite, we knew that we were in for a delight. The potato pavé was a little square of joy leaving us all craving more—crisped on the outside, the layers of potato sliding apart in the mouth. It was absolute perfection, especially when paired with Domaine de la Paleine Saumur Brut.

Already off to a great start, the most unusual and thought-provoking course was the “surf & turf” steak tartare served on top of octopus carpaccio with herbs, all wrapped together with a most luxurious olive oil. Shocking, but highly effective! This was paired with Paul Prieur’s Sancerre ‘Pieuchaud Silex,’ a focused, mineral, chalky sauvignon blanc, as well as his Sancerre Rouge, a lifted, delicate pinot noir boasting red fruit and dried earth that did not overpower the food.

As the evening continued, chef Yang Peng continued to impress. With the two cabernet francs—the 2015 Domaine de la Chevalerie Bourgueil ‘Bretêche’ and the 2021 Bernard Baudry Chinon ‘La Croix Boissée’—she served the most melt-in-your-mouth pork belly and a spiced beef brisket (garnished with shaved jalapeño and a kiss of basil). It takes such skill not only to pair the wines but to elevate them; both of these wines tasted better than they ever have!

One goal of the dinner was to disrupt the expected serving progression of lightest wines to richest. Not only did we have the Sancerre blanc and rouge served side by side, but we also toggled from cab franc to chenin blanc and then back to red, before moving on to dessert wine. We also snuck in a brief cheese “interlude” to refresh the palate and the mind—an ash-rubbed goat’s milk served with an aged Muscadet (the 2015 Huchet Muscadet Monnieres Saint-Fiacre). It was a brilliant choice.

One of my favorite wine duos was a “battle” of chenin vs. chenin: the 2019 Thibaud Boudignon Savennières ‘Clos de Frémine’ against the 2020 Domaine Belargus Anjou Noir. At first, these two wines were vastly different, the Belargus being the richer, nuttier, more generous wine (a product of the warmer vintage and élevage in slightly more new oak), and the Boudignon being stony, mineral, and filled with mouthwatering acid. But as they sat in the glass, the Boudignon gained richness, and the Belargus grew focused—both wines coming together toward the center.

After the plethora of wines on the menu, Chad surprised the group with two bonus selections from his cellar: Boudignon’s 2013 Savennières (a blended wine from the estate’s early days) and the 2013 Domaine du Collier Saumur Blanc ‘La Charpentrie.’ Again, the two wines couldn’t have been more contrasted at the outset—and from two winemakers that are very close friends!

The night ran somewhat longer than expected, as we were all reluctant to depart such a warm, welcoming place. We eventually pulled ourselves away and made our way home—sleepy, content, and dreaming of France…

— Ailis Peplau