Pineau d'Aunis

Pineau d'Aunis is an old red grape of the Loire, now grown mostly in the Coteaux du Loir, Coteaux du Vendômois and around Touraine. It is not related to Pinot despite its name. It is prized for a distinctive white-pepper spice, with red currant, raspberry and a lifted, almost floral perfume, light color and soft tannins. Long overlooked, it has been revived by a small group of growers, many of them natural-wine producers, who make it as a pale red, a delicate rosé ('gris') and occasionally sparkling. It is a wine to serve cool and drink young.