Jacky Preys

Jacky! Jacky! - you cry greeting the rabelaisian man with white short cut hair holding a glass of white wine in his hand.

He's standing in Ma Petit Cave of Michel on the boulevard de Port-Royal, as though the world stood still, tasting Colombelle, before general closing time for the summer.

It is his last drop-off - great bottles of Valençay wines... Jacky Preys - and now his sons, too, - are legend. But first of the all the father, Jacky, who drove up to Paris from Valençay to sell his petit vin de pays to clients who knew what was nectar then, 20 years ago...

Who slept at the Old Navy on boulevard Saint-Germain until sober enough to drive back. Who defended light, traditionally made wines without too much chemical honky-punky. No sulfurous vapors, no sugar (if the years allowed.)

His Valençay wines are now well known in Paris, while still considered Appelation d'Origine Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure, the Rouge Cuvée Prestige 2002, which won a sélection Guide Hachette 2004, they are prestigious wines that flow well with our times. Light, enjoyable, happy.

His Gamay, and Sauvignon are recommended, but specially the Pinot Noir 2000 produced, like all his other vines, on silex soil - pierre à  fusil - splendid, splendid. Their price in Paris for a bottle varies from 5-10 euros.

Read the excellent blogger story of a harvest visit with great on location photographs by Bertrand for more!