Last night a powerful bottle of 2003 Anjou Villages from Domaine Ogereau. made from 100% Cabernet Franc. Still young and very concentrated and, like many 2003 Loires, tastes as though it comes from considerably further south. A question of power rather than elegance. Still doesn't really answer the long-running debate over the longevity of the 2003s, although this does offer a pointer since it was still youthful and likely to continue to develop.

**

News of another Porte Ouverte in May: 8th – 9th May

Domaine Aupetitgendre, Isabelle and Claude Aupetitgendre, 12 Rue des Fougères, Thoré, 37150 Civray de Touraine

Tel: 02.47.23.92.50
Email: vin-aupetitgendre@wanadoo.fr

17th October 2009

2003 Anjou Villages Brissac, Domaine de Bablut, Christophe Daviau
1990 Anjou Villages Domaine Vincent Ogereau

Having started our Saturday evening with the 1982 Roche aux Moines, Savennières from Château de Chamboreau followed by a interlude provided by a bottle of Jacky Blot's Triple Zero, we moved onto a couple of Anjou Villages wines, which both showed extremely well.

2003 Anjou Villages Brissac, Domaine de Bablut, Christophe Daviau

Made from 100% Cabernet Franc, this has all the power and richness of a 2003 – sweet black fruits, soft but powerful structure, length and a lower level of acidity than is normally customary in an Anjou Villages. There are some that maintain that the 2003s will not last. As yet this shows no signs of tiring and I think it is likely that this 2003 will develop further.



1990 Anjou Villages Domaine Ogereau, Vincent and Catherine Ogereau
This was a real delight – a fine mature bottle showing at its best with soft, silky prune and figgy fruit, fully integrated tannins. 1990 is another vintage that has been attractive from its youth but yet has stayed the course. I'm not sure that this will develop further but it should happily last for at least another five years would be my guess. Probably made from 100% Cabernet Franc but may have had a proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon as this was before the Ogereau's bottled their Cabernet Sauvignon separately.

It would be interesting to taste these blind against some good Bordeaux and see how they fared. They are certainly more reasonably priced.

I was reminded today by a tasting note on the wine forum of Tom Cannavan's wine-pages that I have been meaning to post something on the 1996 vintage.

Tim York noted that the 'Chinon 1996 from L’Echansonne Sélection Noël Pinguet - Olga Raffault was a nice youthful seeming, savoury and robust Chinon full of red fruit, especially plums and damsons, abundant acidity offset by good body and an appealing wet leather tang'.

1996 Clos Rougeard, Les Frères Foucault,
Saumur-Champigny

For some time I have thought that 1996 is the best vintage the 90s decade, especially for reds, notwithstanding the fine and very appealing 1990s. 1996 is a classic good Loire vintage. It has a lovely balance of fruit, structure and acidity and has aged well as Tim's comment 'nice youthful seeming' bears out. 1996 and 1997 were both good years and naturally frequently compared. 1997 has always been ripe and opulent – a crowd pleaser. While the best have lasted better than they thought they might, they don't have the same level of balance and complexity found in 1996 reds. 1995 was potentially a good year for reds too but while I've had a few good 1995s the high level of acidity has meant that they have taken a long time to come round and it seems likely that marked acidity will continue to be a feature of the 1995s.

As well as the Clos Rougeard above other 1996 reds I have recently drunk and enjoyed include Les Châtains from Domaine de Nerleux, Grand Clos from Château de Villeneuve and the Anjou Villages from Domaine de Bablut. The 1996 Gamay from Clos Roche Blanche was showing well about two/three years ago – will have to check on its progress.

Not the Clos Roche Blanche's Gamay
but the 1996 Touraine Sauvignon

1996 is also a fine year for dry whites and demi-secs along with good sweet wines. With the sweets 1995, 1996 and 1997 make a fascinating trio with perhaps the 1997s being superior.

Brissac-Quincé

The market town of Brissac-Quincé is both the centre of the Coteaux de l' Aubance and can add its name to Anjou Villages as this is considered to be the best area for Anjou Villages. This is not to say that individual producers of Anjou-Villages from elswhere in Anjou do not make equally good wines – Vincent Ogereau and Claude Papin to mention but two.

Château de Brissac

(23 September 2008)

We stayed overnight at the Château d’Yseron, which is about three kilometres north east of Vallet. Owned and run by Olivier de Saint-Albin this is a very comfortable place to stay. We had a large room with a bed that would have easily accommodated three people with a good firm mattress and luxurious sheets. The property used to belong to the Benedictine order. The monks left in 1750 and in 1830 the property was bought by Olivier's grandfather, who built the current château. Olivier, who used to sell TGVs and other forms of transport in the US and Canada, is now retired. He has impeccable English but is happy to speak French.

The estate has 10 hectares of vines – making Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine and a bottle-fermented sparkling wine from a blend of Melon de Bourgogne and Chardonnay.
Rooms: 5 from €80-€120 including breakfast. WiFi. Credit cards accepted.

Olivier de Saint-Albin, Château d'Yseron, 44330 Vallet
Mobile: 06.10.76.54.28
Email: ostalbin@wanadoo.fr
Web: pagesperso-orange.fr/olivier.stalbin/

Auberge Chez Pipette
That evening we enjoyed a simple meal at the Auberge Chez Pipette, which specialises in various grills over sarments des vignes (vine cuttings). We shared a plate of grilled calamari rings followed by an entrecôte and a fillet steak – both good and fine partners for the 2005 Anjou Villages from Château de Passavant. Although we could have ordered some garish ice-cream sundaes, we each opted for a couple of scoops of ice-cream. Chez Pipette is well outside La Haye-Fouassière. It’s just off the D149 to Clisson and close to the junction with the N249.

Auberge Chez Pipette, 13 Impasse Tournebride, 44690 La Haye - Fouassière
Tel: 02 40 54 80 47
www.aubergechezpipette.com