Loire Chenin MasterClass with Charlie Gaeta
Few grapes offer the range, character, and sense of place of Chenin Blanc—and few importers have done as much to champion some of Europe's most exciting growers as France & Western.
Join acclaimed Boston sommelier Charlie Gaeta for an in-depth exploration of Loire Chenin, featuring a selection of distinctive wines represented by boutique importer, France & Western. A longtime Boston hospitality professional and wine educator, Charlie has built his career around discovering distinctive, terroir-driven wines and sharing them with curious drinkers. His wine programs have earned local and national recognition, and his approach to wine is rooted in digging deeper into regions, finding emerging growers, and balancing classic expressions with new discoveries.
Charlie will lead us through two of the Loire’s most compelling Chenin-focused regions—Anjou and Vouvray—exploring how geology, vintage, farming, and winemaking shape the personality of this remarkably versatile grape.
We’ll begin with Domaine Grebet et Fils’ Pouilly-Fumé “Les Loges” 2025, offering a brief look at Sauvignon Blanc as a point of reference before turning our attention to the star of the evening: Chenin Blanc.
From there, we’ll explore the wines of Domaine des Myosotis, one of the young and exciting estates emerging from Anjou Noir, tasting La Fuye 2023 and Myosotis 2024 side by side. Founded in 2022 by Justine Rivet and Romain Bourreau, the estate is based in Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay, where the pair organically farm just under five hectares. Trained with respected Loire growers including Bonnet-Huteau and Thierry Germain, they now craft Chenin Blanc from schist and clay-limestone soils.
The wines are precise, mineral-driven, and deeply expressive of place, combining the smoky salinity and tension of Anjou Noir with impressive texture and depth. With native fermentations, gentle pressing, and restrained barrel élevage, Domaine des Myosotis produces thoughtful, energetic Chenins that showcase both the character of the soils and the remarkable potential of this young domaine.
We’ll then move to Le Clos de la Meslerie in Vouvray, where three wines demonstrate just how dramatically Chenin can express itself. Peter Hahn’s Le Clos de la Meslerie is a deeply personal expression of Vouvray, rooted in the belief that great wine is grown, not made. Since taking over the four-hectare estate in 2002, Peter has tended its old Chenin Blanc vines—many 60 to 90 years old—with an uncompromising, hands-on approach, farming at the pace of the seasons and treating each vine as an individual. His wines are a reflection of this intimate relationship with the land, shaped by the site, the vintage, and the careful stewardship of a place he sees himself as only temporarily entrusted to protect. We will taste the 2023 Vouvray Sec, the gently off-dry 2022 Sec Tendre, and the 2022 Brut Nature.
Along the way, Charlie will explore the remarkable versatility of Chenin Blanc, from the influence of schist, clay, limestone, and tuffeau to the ways vintage and site shape its expression. We’ll look at the delicate balance between acidity, ripeness, and residual sugar, and why Chenin is capable of developing extraordinary complexity with age. This is Chenin Blanc through the lens of France & Western: an evening with Charlie Gaeta exploring the growers, vineyards, and wines that demonstrate why Chenin has become one of the most compelling grapes in the world of fine wine.
Featuring:
Domaine Grebet et Fils, Pouilly-Fumé “Les Loges” 2025
Domaine des Myosotis, Anjou Blanc “La Fuye” 2023
Domaine des Myosotis, Anjou Blanc “Myosotis” 2024
Le Clos de la Meslerie, Vouvray Sec 2023
Le Clos de la Meslerie, Vouvray Sec Tendre 2022
Le Clos de la Meslerie, Vouvray Brut Nature 2022
$25 ticket price includes 1.5 hr tasting of wines and cheese & charcuterie boxes by Baker's Best. Space is limited. All wines will be available for purchase with special event night discounts. Please email chelsea@gordonswine.com if you have any allergies at least 48 hours before the event.
TICKETS CANNOT BE REFUNDED WITHIN 48 HOURS OF THE EVENT.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PICK UP YOUR WINE FROM MAIN ST. ON THE EVENING OF THE EVENT, PLEASE LET THE WINE DEPARTMENT KNOW AT LEAST 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE BY CALLING (781) 893-1900 EXT. 130 OR EMAILING DAILYFLASH@GORDONSWINE.COM.
EVENT QUESTIONS? PLEASE EMAIL CHELSEA@GORDONSWINE.COM
