Alain Cailbourdin
Loïc pushing grapes along the press
Following the visit to Florian Mollet we headed across the Loire into Pouilly, where like in Sancerre there was some picking activity despite the miserably wet weather. First stop was to Domaine Cailbourdin in Maltaverne where Alain Cailbourdin has now been joined by his son, 23 year-old Loïc.
They had started picking last Tuesday and worked through to the weekend but hadn't picked on Monday. Everything is picked by machine and they had started again Tuesday morning but stopped because of the weather. "We have got another four days picking," said Alain. "Alcohol levels are averaging out at around 12.9% with 5.6 acidity with yields varying between 45 hl/ha to 60hl/ha depending upon the parcel and age of the vine."
Our next stop was up in Saint-Andelain to see Benjamin Dagueneau, who was clearly very pleased to have virtually finished picking. "95% is in," he said. "We started last Thursday and finished on Sunday. Degrees vary between 12.5%-12.7% with the acidity around 5.5." We tasted the some very clean and precise juice from a number of vats. Benjamin is particularly pleased with the potential of the 2010 Buisson Renard.
They had started picking last Tuesday and worked through to the weekend but hadn't picked on Monday. Everything is picked by machine and they had started again Tuesday morning but stopped because of the weather. "We have got another four days picking," said Alain. "Alcohol levels are averaging out at around 12.9% with 5.6 acidity with yields varying between 45 hl/ha to 60hl/ha depending upon the parcel and age of the vine."
Our next stop was up in Saint-Andelain to see Benjamin Dagueneau, who was clearly very pleased to have virtually finished picking. "95% is in," he said. "We started last Thursday and finished on Sunday. Degrees vary between 12.5%-12.7% with the acidity around 5.5." We tasted the some very clean and precise juice from a number of vats. Benjamin is particularly pleased with the potential of the 2010 Buisson Renard.
Benjamin Dagueneau in September 2007
