White Loire by Svitlana Serhiivna
A Dionysian detour through white Loire @Garage.
By Boris · Hosted by Svitlana Rzhavikina
Kyiv. I'm knee-deep in a drinking sprint. I came home and immediately started playing catch-up: meet friends, taste new releases, run a few of my own tastings, and sneak into others. If my grandma ever asks whether I've made it in life, I'll answer without hesitation: da, eu sunt întruchiparea succesului dionisiac.
So when I saw that Garage was hosting a white Loire tasting, I naturally dropped by. Not just for another glass of Les Hauts de Husseau, but to see how Venise is holding up, to finally try Alexandre Bain's Sauvignon Blanc (yes, I was still a Bain virgin), and to get a read on their Melon de Bourgogne - the one priced like minor mischief.
And you know what? It worked. Sabotage has clearly got their tasting game streamlined: solid lineups, fair pricing, a mix of crowd-pleasers and niche picks. Everything is clear, everything is clickable, and everything is on the website. And 12% off any Sabotage bottle afterwards - though Barberry Garden folks know how to get 20% off.
So yeah, I'm glad I went. Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups? Still top-tier. Bain? Cool, though the price bites. As for those melons... let's just say they're more mortal than mythical. Still, every curiosity was scratched. Thanks to Sabotage and to Svitlana Serhiivna for pulling it all together.
P.S. The table contains only my scores as no one else shared theirs with me.
| Wine | WAVG | SD | Price | QPR | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Cœur de raisin2023 La Sénèchalière | #5 | 3.70 | 0.00 | 920 ₴ | 0.59 |
 Miss Terre2022 La Sénèchalière | #5 | 3.70 | 0.00 | 1,250 ₴ | 0.51 |
 Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups | – | – | 2,272 ₴ | – | |
 Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups | 🥇 | 4.30 | 0.00 | 1,946 ₴ | 1.38 |
 Pierre Précieuse2019 Alexandre Bain | 🥉 | 4.00 | 0.00 | 1,800 ₴ | 0.77 |
 Mademoiselle M2019 Alexandre Bain | 🥈 | 4.20 | 0.00 | 2,400 ₴ | 1.01 |
 Les Vignes de Babass | #4 | 3.90 | 0.00 | 1,350 ₴ | 0.73 |
La Sénèchalière Cœur de raisin 2023
Cloudy lemon in colour. The nose is simple -- a vague mix of white apple, pear, a bit of citrus and that unmistakable homebrew tang. Not exactly expressive. Lightly fizzy, with medium-plus acidity and a mid-weight body. There's an odd tension between creaminess and sharpness. The finish is where it gets peculiar: apple skins, nuts, and nettle all jostling for space. But as it breathes, the intrigue fizzles out, leaving behind something that feels a bit off -- bruised, borderline rotten apples.
La Sénèchalière Miss Terre 2022
More oxidised than the Coeur de Raisin. Yellow apple, lemon, a touch of cream, wax, smoke - and grapefruit. The acidity is decent, there's some volume on the palate, but the smoky edge and bruised apple character overwhelm things a bit. There's an intriguing side to it, sure, but the sense of decay feels excessive. It also comes off a little heavy. Not quite my thing.
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Venise Cuvée Parcellaire Monopole 2022
Oh, what a beauty this could've been. But it was corked. So no score for this wine.
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Les Hauts de Husseau 2022
Oh yes, this is pure bliss. Everything in its place. I just love this wine - so drinkable, so effortlessly beautiful. And the way it opens up early, inviting you in, is a real charm. The bouquet is almost perfumed: quince, bruised apples, seaside pebbles, a touch of smoke, lemon, and just a whisper of gingerbread. Bright, expressive acidity, mineral core, creamy roundness. The balance is spot on. It's delicious, layered, and stylish.
Alexandre Bain Pierre Précieuse 2019
Surprisingly clean nose - I was bracing for wild funk, but it's more composed than expected. Toasted pumpkin seeds, lilac, elderflower, even a touch of acacia honey with that salty Moldovan edge. A bit of tropical fruit, but nothing garish or overripe. That saline kick plays well with the sweet creaminess. Acidity sits around medium, but everything's in balance - nothing jarring. It's tasty, a little marmalade-like, with a gentle nutty twist.
Alexandre Bain Mademoiselle M 2019
Heh, now we're getting into the wild stuff. Bruised apple, candied fruit, canned pineapple, caramel, nuts, iodine. And it's so tasty. Salty, iodine-laced, deeply mineral. The acidity is high but tightly knit - everything feels composed. Long, engaging, packed with flavour. And absolutely nothing like a textbook Sauvignon Blanc, which only adds to the charm. Sitting somewhere between 4.2 and 4.3 in my mind.
Les Vignes de Babass Joseph Anne Françoise 2020
Tasted blind and guessed it right, though I knew the region going in. Mead, fermented mash, a touch of wool (in the best possible way), roasted pumpkin seeds. It definitely improved with air - relatively creamy and rounded, with sharp, exposed acidity and a long finish. Maybe lacking a bit in depth, but the drinkability is off the charts.