Jérôme Billard (Domaine de la Noblaie, Chinon) takes testing Cabernet Franc to extremes!
Rather than adopt Jérôme's whole cluster tactic, Philippe Boucard (Lamé Delisle-Boucard) prefers the single berry approachJust passed a most enjoyable day 'taking the temperature' in these three appellations now well started in picking the 2009s. The forecast last Sunday for this coming week was pretty depressing – a hitherto largely favourable forecast had completely turned around with the prediction of a week of frequently rain. When it started to rain around 7am on Monday I feared the worst. Fortunately once the rain stopped in eastern Touraine around 10.30-11am, there has been little rain apart from a downpour early evening last night. However, Chinon etc. has been much less rain this week and the grapes still largely look wonderfully good and healthy and, unlike last week, have become ripe, especially where they ripen early – on the sand and gravel soils. There are a few instances of rot but for the moment very isolated.
Jean-Max Manceau (Domaine de la Noire, Chinon) with his barely fermenting Chinon 2009 with some Cabernet Franc still to be picked. The 2009 Chinon will have much more colour in a few days time when it has spent ponger macaerating on its skins
Yannick Amirault (Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil)@his chai
"The fruit is now ripe – we need to get it in quickly."
Philippe Boucard with some of his ripe Cabernet Franc
Picker@Domaine de la Noblaie – this Cabernet Franc will be used for rosé
Domaine de la Noblaie: another bunch
Domaine de la Noblaie: CF grapes arriving at the press – destined for Chinon Rosé
Noblaie: unloading the grapes
Picker@Château de la Grille (Chinon)
Another picker@Château de la Grille (Chinon)
Cabernet Franc@Château de la Grille
Frédéric Mabileau: sorting before destemming machine
Frédéric Mabileau: another check after destemming
(More details and pictures to add.)
Jean-Max Manceau, Domaine de la Noire, 160 Rue de l'Olive, 3750 Chinon
Jean-Max Manceau (Domaine de la Noire, Chinon) with his barely fermenting Chinon 2009 with some Cabernet Franc still to be picked. The 2009 Chinon will have much more colour in a few days time when it has spent ponger macaerating on its skins
Yannick Amirault (Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil)@his chai"The fruit is now ripe – we need to get it in quickly."
Philippe Boucard with some of his ripe Cabernet Franc
Picker@Domaine de la Noblaie – this Cabernet Franc will be used for rosé
Domaine de la Noblaie: another bunch
Domaine de la Noblaie: CF grapes arriving at the press – destined for Chinon Rosé
Noblaie: unloading the grapes
Picker@Château de la Grille (Chinon)
Another picker@Château de la Grille (Chinon)
Cabernet Franc@Château de la Grille
Frédéric Mabileau: sorting before destemming machine
Frédéric Mabileau: another check after destemming(More details and pictures to add.)
Jean-Max Manceau, Domaine de la Noire, 160 Rue de l'Olive, 3750 Chinon
