This Pouilly-Fumé is from a small producer from near Tracy-sur-Loire, who I believe has just three hectares of vines – some in the PF appellation as well as some in the nearby Coteaux-du-Giennois.  

This 2010 is best not drunk too chilled otherwise its weight and length will be hidden. It has a complex and aromatic nose – some gooseberry, grapefruit and other ripe citric notes – allied with weight and length. Certainly a well-made Pouilly-Fumé.

I plan to be in Sancerre/Pouilly towards the end of August, so may well get the opportunity to visit Sébastien Treuillet. Although the address is Tracy-sur-Loire, Fonteille is someway from this very attractive little hamlet beside the Loire as it is actually to the east of the autoroute A77.

Address: 12 Route de Boisfleury, Fontenille, 58150 Tracy-sur-Loire. 

Tel: 03.86.26.17.06 

This sample was provided by the RSJ Restaurant, where I'm a consultant. The RSJ have recently started to list this wine.  

 

 

 

Picking in Sancerre (Chez Vincent Grall) September 2009

On Thursday 30th March there was the opportunity to taste 56 Sauvignon Blancs (all 2010s) from the Central vineyards with examples from Coteaux du Giennois, Reuilly, Quincy, Menetou-Salon, Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre. The wines weren't selected, rather it was down to the producers to decide whether they wanted to enter their wines into this tasting. The tasting was held at The Sampler in London's South Kensington.

Overall these 2010s emphasised the difference between this year and 2009 with the 10s leaner, considerably less rich and opulent. This is a more classic Loire vintage with lower alcohol levels but higher acidity. Many of these wines had only recently been bottled so were quite tight and I expect they will take on some more weight over the next few months.

Coteaux du Giennois

 

Of the five Giennois on show, this crisp and lemony wine from Domaine de Montbenoît (Sainte-Gemme) was my preferred wine with Rivotte from Domaine Poupat et Fils (Rivotte) as the runner-up.

 

**

Quincy

 

The soft, quite spicy and weighty Domaine Trotereau (Quincy) was my preferred wine from 10  Quincys shown followed by Les Vignes d'Adèle, Domaine Adèle Rouzé (Quincy) and Domaine Vincent Siret-Courtaud (Lunery). Vincent Siret-Courtaudis promising young vigneron, whose wine I first tasted at this year's Salon des Vins de Loire. Vincent also has vines in Châteaumeillant and is not the only vigneron in Quincy to have holdings in both appellations. He is joined by Nicolas Lecomte (Domaine Lecomte) and Domaine Roux.

Menetou-Salon
Although there were only six wines presented from this appellation it had my highest hit rate of the six ACs in this tasting. Two stood out – the grassy and goosebery Domaine Chavet (Menetou-Salon) and the weighty and well balanced Domaine de Châtenoy (Menetou-Salon) followed by Cave Gilbon (Soulangis) and Domaine Pellé (Morogues).

Followed by:

 

Pouilly-Fumé
Out of the ten examples from Pouilly-Fumé, one stood out – the floral and long flavoured Harmonie from Domaine Chatelain (Saint-Andelain) with the Domaine Cédrick Bardin as runner-up.

Sancerre 
Since this is easily the largest appellation it was hardly a surprise that Sancerre supplied 21 wines. My preferred wines were: Les Chasseignes, Domaine Claude Riffault ((Sury-en-Vaux); Vin d'Homme, Dionysia (Auguste Natter in Montigny); Les Classiques, Domaine Henry Natter (Montigny); Domaine Yves et Pierre Martin (Chavignol); Origine, Domaine Matthias et Emile Roblin (Mainbray); and L'Authentique, Domaine Thomas-Labaille (Chavignol).   

 

Close behind were Domaine Daniel Crochet (Bué) and Tradition from Domaine Bernard Fleuriet et Fils (Menetou-Ratel).

 

Reuilly
None of the three Reuillys shown really stood out. The quite lean and minerally La Raie from Domaine Lafond being the best.

 

2009 Coteaux du Giennois (Blanc) Domaine de Villargeau

Staying with  friends overnight in the countryside near Derby, who kindly went to  their local Majestic  in Derby and bought selection of Loire wines for us to try. Apparently when they commented that they were impressed with the range of Loires carried by Majestic, the salesman said that someone had been in a few days previously complaining that the selection was poor. 

Over lunch we tried a couple. Firstly the attractively vibrant and citric 2009 Coteaux du Giennois (100% Sauvignon Blanc) from Domaine de Villargeau but with some of the weight of 2009. Would certainly make a good aperitif.  

2007 Les Cinq Climats, Cabernet Franc, Charles Joguet

Then onto Charles Joguet's 2007 Les Cinq Climats, Chinon. This 2007 is drinking very well now. As you would expect given the vintage and the cuvée, which I think is a another name for the entry level Cuvée Terroir. (Will have to check this.) Medium weight with soft, red fruits, this was a good match with the home-made terrine. Best served lightly chilled. 

Our friends also bought a Cheverny and a Sancerre – all from good growers – without exhausting Majestic's Loire selection, so the criticism that Majestic don't have much of a Loire range is misplaced.