The 2010 edition of the Salon des Vins de Loire (1st-3rd February) is just over a month away. This has been an annual event since 1987 and remains France's only annual regional wine fair. Time to receive the annual reminder and invitations from Charles Sydney, a courtier based in Chinon who works with many UK wine importers and retailers supplying them with Loire wine.Charles's message concludes with: 'it'd be great to see the UK press out here in force!'
Although I agree with him, I suspect it's a pious hope. It is years since a UK wine journalist with a national column attended the Salon. It is the same for those with popular internet sites and blogs. There was a time in the early 1990s that critics like Tim Atkin MW, Anthony Rose and Jancis Robinson MW got out to Angers for the Salon. But that has long past. Until recently the entire UK press presence at the Salon could be fitted comfortably into a Fiat 500.
Sarah Ahmed In 2010 the long-term habituées – Sarah Ahmed (The Wine Detective), Neil Fairlamb and myself – will again be at Angers' Parc Expo. We will be joined again by Chris Kissack (winedoctor), who made his Salon début last year, and again by Ray O'Connor from the William Reed stable, where he is mainly responsible for organising the International Wine Challenge, and by Richard Kelley MW, buyer for Richards Walford and author of The definitive guide to the wines of the Loire. I guess that for 2010 a Fiat 500 might be a bit of a squeeze so we may have to go for an economy Mondeo.
Chris Kissack I rather doubt if we will see anyone else from the UK press at the Salon. In part one can blame the UK press for not showing enough interest and initiative to make the easy journey out to Angers. Equally, however, the Salon's organisers do little or nothing to promote the Salon to the UK press.
Anyone, who does make the journey, should find a number of good 2009 wines to taste at a friendly and very professionally run Salon.
