2009 Les Chênes, Reuilly, Denis Jamain

Brief visit to the annual Richards Walford tasting yesterday to have a look at the short selection of Loires on show. Denis Jamain (Domaine de Reuilly, Reuilly) and Evelyne de Pontbriand (Domaine du Closel) were in attendance.

Here are my three favourites from the tasting. 2009 Les Chênes (£15.99) is a new cuvée from Denis. Made from 100% Pinot Noir from old vines close to his house in Reuilly, this silky red is aged for 12 months in barrels made from oak trees planted by his grandfather. It has good depth, length and more structure than his straight Reuilly Rouge (£12.69) which is rather angular at present. Bottled three months ago this needs more time but in a year or two should be a very attractive wine.

Denis Jamain in his Pinot Noir vineyard

2006 Clos du Papillon, Savennières, Domaine du Closel

This 2006 (£27.99) from Domaine du Closel demonstrates again that Savennières needs some bottle age. This complex 2006 has honeyed weight combined with a long mineral finish. It would I suspect work well with rich fish and shellfish dishes.

2000 Le Mont demi-sec, Vouvray, Domaine Huet

As Richards Walford & Co is Domaine Huet's UK agent, it is no surprise that one of Huet's wines would feature here, even though there was only one wine shown. The 2000 Le Mont demi-sec (£19.49) has complex aromas and flavours – honey, mousseron and a touch of wet limestone. Lovely, long lasting and characterful Vouvray – ready to drink now or will certainly continue to age well.

2009 Muscadet, Climat, Château de la Fessardière, Alexis Sauvion

I have to admit that I hadn't come across Alexis Sauvion of Château de la Fessardière before – Jean-Ernest Sauvion (now retired) and his nephew, Pierre, certainly but not Alexis. So I was delighted when Alexis' daughter offered to send me a sample of their Muscadet. They farm organically and have 27 hectares of vines.

We tried this Muscadet on Monday with some wonderful oysters bought in the market in Pauillac by our Médocian friends on Sunday morning. The lemony 2009 Climat worked well with these succulent oysters, although overall it lacked the depth and complexity of a really good Muscadet, although it certainly had the slight pétillance of a sur-lie at the back of the throat despite not having sur lie on the label. Perhaps with more time in bottle this will develop further complexity.

2009 Les Pierres Plates, Reuilly, Denis Jamain

The 2009 Les Pierres Plates from Denis Jamain is certainly very youthful and fresh with an attractive grassy, gooseberry and grapefruit character. Delicious to drink now as an apéro or with goats' cheese – we tried it with some crottin de Chavignol. The highly respected Kermit Lynch imports the Jamain wines into the USA.

2009 Menetou-Salon, Chatenoy, Isabelle et Pierre Clément

The 2009 Menetou-Salon from Isabelle and Pierre Clément is an interesting contrast to Denis Jamain's Reuilly as it is more austere, minerally and quite closed at the moment. Probably it needs to wait a few months to open up.

Both the Reuilly and the Menetou-Salon were also samples.

The Wine Society tasting@the top of the RIBA building, Portland Place, Central London

Returned from a sojourn in a wet and rather miserable Lisbon to a much cooler but bright, sunny London. The Wine Society showed 50 wines in a light airy setting at the top of the RIBA building. The tasting included three from the Loire – two of which were real stand outs.  
 

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 2007 Reuilly Blanc Denis Jamain 

This 2007 Les Pierres Plates Reuilly (Sauvignon Blanc) from Denis Jamain (£9.95) is delicious with attractive mouthfilling grapefruit flavours with all the cleaness and precision associated with the 2007 vintage. It is interesting tosee how some of the 2007s have taken on more weight over the past year or so. They still have the purity of the vintage but they are now less austere.  

 

 

2006 L'Effraie, Domaine de Bellivière. Eric Nicolas

It was the 2006 L'Effraie, Coteaux du Loir, Domaine de la Bellivière (£16) from Eric that did not entirely convince. I used to enjoy all of Eric's wine whether Jasnières or Coteaux du Loir. Recently they have raised a few questions. This 2006 just wasn't exciting – it was OK just lacked the wow factor that I have often found in Eric's wines. Some slight dilution in the finish – £3 cheaper than the Huet but, on this showing, Le Haut-Lieu is better value. 

At the Richards Walford tasting back in mid-January they showed the 2001 L'Effaie Coteaux du Loir, which was completely oxidised on this showing it was on its way to the mortuary. It could have been bottle variation. The 2004 Vieilles Vignes Eparses was also shown and this was more complex and less oxidised. The best wine from Eric that I have tasted recently was 2007 Les Rosiers at the Vini be good stand at this year's Salon des Vins de Loire. It had the precision and minerality of a 2007 along with some richness. I noted that it lacked a tiny bit of zip in the finish. Perhaps I'm beng over-critical!    

2007 Le Haut-Lieu, Vouvray demi-sec, Domaine Huet

This was my star of the tasting – 2007 Le Haut-Lieu demi -sec, Domaine Huet (£19). Light gold with lovely concentration and texture – flavours of peach and apricot – with a discreet sweetness in the long finish and all the purity of 2007. Lovely now, this will last for probably a good 40 years and may be more.  

Away for the Loire two other whites stood out for me: 

 

2007 Poggio al Tesoro Vermentino Solosole

I enjoyed this attractively opulently aromatic 2007 Poggio al Tesoro Vermentino Solosole from Italy (£12.95) as well as the minerally 2008 Craggy Range Te Muna Road Riesling with zinging acidity. 

 

Part of the RIBA building, Portland Place, London