28th September: Quarts de Chaume

My post today on Les 5 du Vin is about Quarts de Chaume becoming a Grand Cru.

http://www.les5duvin.com/article-quarts-de-chaume-grand-cru-85738739.html

Passerillage well advanced here 

Bunch in the Quarts de Chaume today 

The INAO today accepted unanimously that the Quarts de Chaume should be a Grand Cru and Chaume a Premier Cru Coteaux du Layon. The décret has yet to be signed by the relevant French government minister. It can take some time before the Minister finds the appropriate pen but this is normally a formality. Quarts de Chaume is the first Loire appellation to be made Grand Cru.  

On the two previous occasions when a distinction for Chaume has been agreed; there has been a successful legal challenge from Domaine des Baumards. It is not yet known whether this will also attract a legal challenge. 

It looks like 2011 will be a magnificent year in Chaume and Quarts de Chaume. Some of the grapes are now extraordinarily rich - a mix of passerilage and noble rot - reports of 26% potential already. Such are the levels of potential alcohol that some vignerons are instructing their pickers not to be too selective in their picking and to include golden grapes that might normally be left to mature and be picked at the next tri, so as to reduce the wine`s potential sweetness and to give greater freshness.     

 Cabernet Franc arriving at Domaine de Noblaie (27th September) 

The fine, hot weather of the last week or so with the wind now from the east has made a big difference to the vintage. Yesterday in Chinon and Saumur it was like mid-summer with the temperature over 30C. Jérome Billard: "The last ten days has transformed the vintage from average to exceptional! We just started this morning picking the Cabernet Franc for our sparkling wine." 

Golden Chenin Blanc at Noblaie 

Cabernet Franc at Noblaie waiting to be picked and destined for red Chinon

Jérome on tractor

Generous bunch of Cabernet Franc in a Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil vineyard on the gravel

Despite some rain in September the Cabernet Franc looks for the moment to be resisting rot in Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. Picking is at different stages in the three appellations. The vineyards on the gravel and sandy flats of Saint-Nicolas have now been largely picked often by machine. Despite reports of rot in these vineyards the grapes that remained looked healthy and there appeared by be very little rot about. Bourgueil is now underway – some started at the end of last week while others waited until Monday. In Chinon some have started on the reds, while others like Baudry-Dutour and Couly-Dutheil are picking for rosé this week and will start on the reds at the beginning of next week. Others, like Nicolas Grosbois and Bertrand Couly, are picking the reds now. 

For the white Chinon, Baudry-Dutour have picked their domaine white but waiting to pick for their barrel fermented Chinon Blanc. Couly-Dutheil are picking their most fragile parcels of Chenin.  

 Chenin Blanc@Couly-Dutheil (above and below)

 Reasonably nobly rotten

 Less noble 

Trailer of Chenin

 An appreciative spider on a bunch of Chenin Blanc@Vouvray

Vin O Naturel: Do Lise and Bertrand Jousset (Montlouis) have Irish connections? 

Picking Cabernet Franc@Château de Villeneuve

Update from Cathy Shore (Le Tasting Room) on Villeneuve's vintage plans: start the Chenin this Tuesday and the Cabernet Franc on 19th. Further details see here.

**

Also from Saumur the use of micro-barriques (also called wood chips) is to be allowed during the alcoholic fermentation for AC Saumur Rouge. See here. The idea is that the use of micro-barriques masks the astringency of Cabernet Franc. There is, of course, another way of avoiding astringency – pick the fruit when it is ripe. Apparently their use is also permitted in AC Bourgueil.

**

2009 vintage – treading the grapes

News from Epeigné-les-Bois 'Grand Cru' – Clos Chossay (Mark Robertson reports):

'Squeaky bum time in the vignoble, Sauvignon harvested Sunday (3rd September) at 13%, after torrential rain on Saturday night (Bourgueil had widespread flooding).

Côt is close, but Cabernet has 3 weeks to go. Hope the grass soaks up the rain....'

Christophe Daviau (Domaine de Bablut, Brissac-Quincé)

Christophe (5.9.11): "We started picking our Chardonnay for the Crémant today. Later this week we'll pick the Sauvignon and the Grolleau. The Grolleau is around 11% potential alc. and part will be used for the Rosé de Loire and part for Topette (Christophe's fresh, easy drinking red closed with a screwcap). The Sauvignon is at around 12.4% potential alcohol with 5.2-5.4 acidity. Then early next week we'll pick the Chenin and Cabernet Franc for the Crémant.  

"It has been a really bizarre year with a lot of rain during the early part of the winter until January and then very dry after that until July. Hot and summery in April, May and the early part of June. Cold and unsettled in July and August with the occasional heat spike, especially around 18th-22nd August.

"There's no panic to pick – it is only early September. We'll pick the early varieties and then wait for the Chenin, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon for the still wines. The Chenin and the Cabernet Sauvignon are looking good, while the Cabernet Franc (on limestone for Petra Alba) is more complicated. The flowering was very drawn out and the last Franc berries only changed colour at the end of August. I will wait until the Franc is really ripe – end of September beginning of October. Planted on limestone Franc resists rain weather as the limestone acts as a sponge and the grapes don't take up the rainwater." 

*

Christophe's Coteaux de l'Aubance was recently selected by Biocoop – see video here. 

 

'

Xavier Fortin

Message from Xavier 

'Bonjour à toutes et à tous, j’espère que tout le monde a passé un bon été. Le mien a été laborieux et studieux. C’est pour cela que j’ai hâte de vous faire découvrir le résultat de mes investigations. 3 Vouvray de chez Lemaire Fournier (winemaker: Nicolas Renard*)  absolument hors du temps et 2 Bordeaux à vous couper le souffle ! Je vous donne donc rendez-vous le lundi 19 Septembre 2011 à partir de 17 heures pour vous faire gouter toutes ces belles cuvées.

Château des Graves 2006 : 12.90 euros

Un bordeaux encore jeune avec des tannins assez fondus. Le nez est dominé par les fruits rouges confits et un léger boisé harmonise une bouche déjà généreuse.

Château Peyrabon 2001 : 14.90 euros

Un beau bordeaux : mais pour les amateurs de vieux vins. La finesse et la puissance font de ce haut médoc, aux arômes de cuir et de fruits rouges très mûrs, l’allié idéal de vos volailles et viandes blanches des soirées d’hiver à venir.

Vouvray les Morandières 2004 : 11.80 euros

Un demi-sec avec beaucoup de minéralité, très aérien, superbe chenin sur un millésime froid ! Ce vin appelle les plats riches de l’automne qui arrive : fricassée de volailles, champignons, boudin blanc.

Vouvray les Perruches 2003 : 12.50 euros

Un moelleux légèrement perlant avec une grosse richesse à boire à l’apéritif avec du pain grillé accompagné de foie gras.

Vouvray Tartemains 2003 : 12.50 euros

Un moelleux aux arômes complexes de cire d’abeilles et de raisins de Corinthe. Equilibre parfait avec une pointe d’amertume qui s’accorderait avec une tarte aux prunes ou un dessert chocolaté. Ce moelleux sera la cerise sur le gâteau de vos fins de repas !

La cave où aura lieu la dégustation sera fléchée à partir de la boucherie du Petit Pressigny. Elle se trouve à environ 200 mètres du restaurant. Si toute fois vous êtes dans l’impossibilité de venir gouter lors de notre dégustation veuillez me faire parvenir votre commande accompagnée de votre chèque à l’ordre de La Cave Par 3 à mon adresse ci-dessous :

X.Fortin 6, Chemin des Coteaux 37350 Le Petit Pressigny France'

Sincèrement Xavier Fortin

* Nicolas Renard used to make very good Jasnières and then worked for Prince Poniatowski (Clos Baudoin) for two or three years. I suspect that this was an uneasy working relationship as they are very different characters.

The viewof Château de Moncontour from the road along the northside of the Loire from Rochecorbon to Vouvray

This morning before heading to Pauillac we had a fleeting look at some vines in Vouvray, just to try to gauge how the grapes were coming along.

Ripening Chenin – signs of the grapes turning translucent

Blitzed vines – desherbage: 5 biodiversité: 0

Domaine de Bablut bunch of grapes concentrating


Small bunch of Chenin with morning dew

Mechanically harvesting Cabernet Franc

Château d'Avrille (Biotteau family)

Haute-Perche vineyard with high rise buildings of Angers in distance

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.   

Fabulous mid-summer evening in London. A glass (or two) of the easy drinking, undemanding 2010 Le Gravelot from Clos du Porteau – lemony with a light touch of honey – an ideal start to the evening. Under the reformed AC Touraine 100% Chenin will no longer be allowed – lunatics running the asylum.


The 2010 Le Gravelot is made by Isabelle de Clermont Tonnerre.

London in the setting evening light: 26th June 2011 (above and below)

Frédéric Bourillon

Before heading back to the UK Nigel and I dropped into the Foire aux Vins organised by Les Jeunes Vignerons de Vouvray. As the association was founded towards the end of the last century and some of the founders are still members the name has a somewhat optimistic ring to it. There are, however, some genuinely young vignerons in the association like Sébastien Brunet, Mathieu Cosme and Laurent Kraft.

Ingrid and Michel Pinon (Michel & Damien Pinon – Domaine de la Poultière)

It was good to taste the excellent wines of Michel & Damien Pinon again, which confirmed the favourable impression I had when I tasted them at the 2010 Salon des Vins de Loire. I thought these were the best wines on show here. Inevitably with 19 vignerons from one appellation presenting their wines there are always likely to be considerable variations in quality and there certainly were here.

I tasted four of the Pinon wines and particularly enjoyed three of them starting with the lemon and clean 2010 Tuffa (5.50€), a sec with 5 grams of residual and good length. It comes from vines planted on caillottes (limestone). Then 2009 Authentique, a sec tendre – 12g of sugar remaining and a clean mineral finish. We finished with the 2007 demi-sec Initiale (7.30€), which fermented for a year, with its attractive combination of rich aromas including a a touch of honey along with the typical 2007 austere finish. I preferred this to the 2010 Emotion demi-sec (5.50€).

Third generation vignerons, the Pinons have 25 hectares in Vernou-sur-Brenne. 50% of their production is sparkling and 50% still wine with nothing sold off to the négoce.

Michel Pinon

I discovered two new producers to me at this foire: Laurent Kraft (Domaine des Lauriers in Vouvray) and Mathieu Cosme (Domaine de Beaumont in Noizay).  

Laurent Kraft

Laurent Kraft's family has been involved in wine for seven generations and they now have 19 hectares of vines. 40% of the production is sparkling with the rest as still wine.  Laurent started his winemaking career back in November 1992. His 2009 sparkling Vouvray is clean and quite delicate. I liked his delicate 2010 demi-sec that has a good balance between the fruit and its fresh, mineral finish – 27g sugar and 13.7% alc. Laurent's 2008 Cuvée des Sens is decidedly a garage wine with a production of only two barrels coming from 110 year old vines adjacent to the Clos du Bourg. We finished with the 2009 Privilège, a rich and honey and butterscotch moelleux with 132g of sugar. From two tris – first botrytis while the second passerillage.

Mathieu Cosme 
 

Mathieu (Domaine de Beaumont) started his Vouvray career in 2005. He is based in Noizay and has 15 hectares of vines. Before he started he did a stage at Domaine Huet. He doesn't use herbicides, picking is by hand and he uses natural yeasts. We started with his clean, slightly yeasty and mineral Cuvée C, a méthode ancestrale. I also liked the 2009 Les Perrets from vines on limestone with 22g of sugar and the mouthfilling texture of the 2008 Les Champs Rouget with 12g of sugar remaining.

Catherine Dhoye Deruet

From the other vignerons present I noted the steely 2009 Domaine sec from Catherine Dhoye Deruet (Domaine de la Fontainerie, Vouvray) and her richer but mineral 2009 Coteau la Fontainerie that spends a year in new wood. The wood is still quite present – it has good potential and just needs time.

Sébastien Brunet 

I was less knocked out by Sébastien Brunet's wines on this occasion than previously – a question of the day or La Cave de Belle Dame perhaps? However, the well balanced 2010 La Folie demi-sec and 2010 Moelleux La Folie 1er tri ticked the boxes.

Although a much larger appellation Vouvray has recently been left in the shade by its southern neighbour Montlouis with its influx of dynamic new producers. However, this tasting revealed that , in additiona to the big names, there are a number of interesting producers here – some new to the appellation, while others appear to be revitalising family estates – even though Vouvray is dominated by sparkling wine production much of it sold through supermarkets at very competitive prices.  

 

   

   

Vines@Domaine de la Noblaie, Ligré, AC Chinon

Report on June 2011 visit to Domaine de la Noblaie now complete. See here.

Jérôme Billard

Following our brief visit to Château de la Grille we headed back into Chinon and across the Vienne to Ligré and the Domaine de la Noblaie. This is the first time I have seen Jérôme and Elodie Billard since the birth of Adele at the beginning of March. It was good to meet Adele, who apparently is well behaved and now sleeps through the night.

We had an extensive and impressive tasting with Jérôme starting with the floral, honeyed and vibrant 2010 Chinon Blanc. This cuvée sees no wood – resting on its lees until it is bottled earlier either in January or February. "It is naturally stable," says Jérôme, "with little SO2 added. Noblaie along with nearby Château de Ligré has long made white Chinon, when it was even more recherché than it is now.

Then, before tackling the reds, it was on to the 2010 grenadine flavoured Rosé, which has weight and character. Noblaie's reds have a lovely purity of fruit. We tasted across the range of 2010s in barrel, which are showing plenty of promise, especially the Blanc Manteaux from limestone soils and Pierre de Tuf from heavy clay. Pierre de Tuf is vinified in an old limestone (tufa), open vat. Jérôme characterises the 2010s as having the weight of 2009 with the minerality of 2008.

From the barrels we moved on to bottles starting with the soft and concentrated 2009 La Noblaie, the domaine wine. Raspberries dominate here with a touch of gaminess. Then the more structured and tannic 2009 Chiens Chiens, which needs time to soften. 2009 Pierre de Tuf has wonderful fragrant, elegant fruit with a long finish – just delicious.

Pierre de Tuf – the ancient limestone fermenting vat

Then we tried some 2008s starting with Blanc Manteaux – naturally lighter than the 2009s but fine with good balance. There is more concentration with the Chiens Chiens with an attractive texture, a combination of black fruits and minerals and the tannins have had time to soften. We finished the reds with the floral and raspberry 2008 Pierre de Tuf. Less impressive than the 2009, although perhaps it is just a question of a bit more time?

The 2008 La Part des Anges, Chinon Blanc brought the tasting to a fitting conclusion. This is a very limited production cuvée made from the best juice from the press then fermented in demi-muids – 500 litre barrels using the natural yeasts. The 2009 is still fermenting, while this 2008 spent 18 months in wood. It has a lovely rich concentration of fruit, an opulent texture some wood notes, honey and exotic fruit – all this is balanced by excellent freshness in the finish.

Once again confirmation that under Jérôme, Domaine de la Noblaie is now amongst the top handful of Chinon estates.

2011 Chenin Blanc in Montlouis

Interesting interview with Olivier Flamand on YouTube here from Vinomedia.

Philip Fournier

Loire Regional Trophy: White Loire over £10 Trophy

2008 Savennières, Château de Chamboureau, Domaine FL

This brilliantly precise Savennières shows the heights that Chenin Blanc can attain and illustrates that it is often the more difficult, cooler vintages like 2008 that produce the finest dry white Loires. 2008 was a cool summer with little sun. The sun came out in September and October but the temperatures remained cool – rarely above the low 20s˚C. The grapes ripened slowly with a significantly longer hang-time than normal. The result – very pure flavours, minerality and a wonderful backbone of acidity.      

Domaine FL is the creation of Philippe Fournier, a telecommunications tycoon in Angers. FL combines the Domaine Jo Pithon in the Layon and the vineyards of Château de Chamboureau in Epiré (Savennières).

A long established domaine in Savennières likely to have been producing wine for some 400 years, it is at the western end of the village of Epiré. The vines are planted on schist. In 1949 the property was bought by the Soulez family. The vineyards were sold by Pierre Soulez in 2006 to Fournier. The following year the Bordeaux consultant, Stéphane Derenoncourt, was hired to advise here and for Domaine Jo Pithon. This led to the acrimonious departure of Pithon. Fournier then combined the two estates under the Domaine FL umbrella in 2008. A new winery is now under construction at Rochefort.

Hugues Daubercies, Pierre Soulez’s nephew is the winemaker. The grapes are picked by hand with three sweeps through the vines selecting the fruit at just the maturity needed. Native yeasts and fermentation and aging in barriques for 12 months. 

The 2008 is remarkable value: retailing at just 15.60€ a bottle on the FL site (www.domainefl.com). It has the potential to last for 20-30 years.  

Philippe's son, Julien, looks after the commercial side of Domaine FL.


** Back in November 2009 I asked here whether Philippe Fournier was 'serious'. The quality of the 2008 Chamboureau answers my question: he is certainly serious!