Philippe Germain taking a sample of Anjou Blanc@La Roulerie 

 
At the end of May Philippe Germain (Château de la Roulerie in Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné) sent me samples of four of his recent whites: all Chenin Blanc – two Anjou Blancs and two Coteaux du Layon.

2010 Chenin Blanc (Anjou Blanc) 

Philippe is well aware that in a number of markets Chenin Blanc has higher value than Anjou Blanc so isn't afraid to emphasise Chenin Blanc on his 'basic' dry white cuvée. The 2010 is attractively fresh and lemony with a hint of honey in the mid-palate finishing cleanly mineral.

2010 Les Terrasses

The 2010 Les Terrasses has more weight, depth and length than the straight Anjou. Well balanced with quite marked acidity this needs a year or so to show its best. 

2010 Coteaux du Layon
 

Philippe makes two Layons: this 'basic' cuvée and Les Aunis. Once again here is a demonstration that concentrated sweetness isn't everything in sweet wines. The 2010 basic Layon makes a most attractive aperitif with its fresh citric sweetness and clean finish. This is a Layon to drink with sauced dishes – a pheasant or chicken à la normande (apple and cream) for example or with blue cheese even rich patés but certainly not with desserts. The 2009 Les Aunis is considerably richer with peach and apricot fruit, some honey but is more cloying lacking the fresh acidity you find in a 2007 or a 2010. It would, however, be a reasonable bet with a fruit tart or a fresh summer fruit dessert.   

2009 Saumur Blanc, Domaine de Nerleux

Last night three of us had a quick bite to eat at the RSJ Restaurant before heading off to the National Theatre to see a gritty Glaswegian play called Men weeping buckets (Men should weep – ed). Naturally short of time we chose a half bottle of Régis and Babette Neau's 2009 Saumur Blanc from Domaine de Nerleux. 100% Chenin Blanc this is showing very well at the moment with rich peach and quince fruit but with enough acidity in the finish to carry it off.   

2009 Anjou Rouge (Cabernet Franc), Château de la Roulerie

We following this with a half of Anjou Rouge from Philippe Germain. Delicious at the moment with soft, quite opulent sooty fruit – very 2009.

Philippe chatting over the aperitif 

The always enthusiastic Philippe Germain was over in London this week and on Tuesday evening presented a short range of his wines at the RSJ. Philippe moved from Bordeaux in 2001 and initially worked with his father, Bernard, selling the range of Germain wines that included Château de Fesles that was subsequently sold to Grands Chais de France. 

In 2006 he acquired the lovely Château de la Roulerie in Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné in one of the best parts of the Layon.   

Wines were:

Aperitif:  

2007 Chenin Blanc, Anjou Blanc 
This 2007 is showing very well at the moment with lovely pure citric fruit, especially grapefruit – all the precision and purity that is typical of the 2007 vintage.

Whites:
2009 Chenin Blanc, Anjou Blanc

Naturally still youthful with the weight you would expect of 2009 with floral and grapefruit notes. Closed with a screwcap.

2008 Les Terrasses, Anjou Blanc 
Philippe's top dry white from vines on terraces created by Gaston Lenôtre in the early 1990s. Very clean with brilliant minerality.

Served with goats cheese and asparagus salad with crouton




Philippe is happy to admit that the schisteous terroir of La Roulerie is not ideally suited to making red wine. Indeed he would rather concentrate on the whites but his brother, Thierry of Domaine des Roches Neuves, urges him to continue to make red as well. In truth the Roulerie reds are pleasant and well made but they are ones to drink young, enjoy young and not to be taken particularly seriously.  

Philippe in full flight   

Reds:
2009 Cabernet Franc, Anjou Rouge 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, Anjou Rouge 

Philippe waited until around 20th October to pick when the fruit was fully ripe. Unusually this has 10% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. Youthful black fruits with some structure  and still attractive freshness in the finish despite the wine having 13-13.5% alcohol. 

2008 Cabernet Franc, Anjou Rouge  

Soft attractive, easy drinking fruit.

Served with roast rib eye beef with new potatoes, summer vegetables and red wine sauce

 1990 Cuvée Louis

Sweet: 
1990 Cuvée Louis, Coteaux du Layon Chaume, Château de la Roulerie,
The definite star of the evening a lovely sweet wine made by Dominique Jadeau – the last vintage he made before he sold Roulerie to Lenôtre. Medium gold – the 1990s took on colour very early – with rich dried apricot and peachy fruit and the typical Loire acidity that stops these rich wines being cloying. Very long flavour too. Really a wine to enjoy by itself instead of a dessert or after the end of the meal.

Served with apple meringue pie with pecan ice cream