A quick visit early evening on Saturday after Vitloire to Epeigné's sole 'classified' vineyard: Clos Chossay. As elsewhere in the commune the vines are in full flower with some tiny nascent grapes beginning to form. Grape flowers are certainly not dramatic as other fruit subjects like cherries and almonds are. Just a white stamen but as with other fruits flowering is crucial as it will determine the size of the crop and whether all the grapes will ripen at about the same time. 

Vines flowering in mid-May – jamais vue ça! (photo: Mark Robertson)

There are now reports of vines flowering in many parts of the Loire with signs of flowers appearing by last weekend and possibly even earlier. This is best part of a month in advance of last year's flowering and days ahead of very early years like 1989 and 2003, when flowering was towards the end of May. You have to go way back to 1893 to find a year when the vines have been so far in advance.

Normally you count 100 days from flowering to picking, so some Loire producers will be picking in August unless there is a very cold spell or the vines shut down due to drought stress. Many producers, who often take a short holiday before the harvest begins, will be having to change their vacation plans!

Sauvignon Blanc

Late yesterday afternoon I had a quick look at the grapes in Epeigné-les-Bois bijou vineyard – Clos Chossay – the village's sole 'grand cru'. They have very recently taken on Bruno Curassier (Domaine de la Grange, Bléré) as their viticultural and vinif adviser. This year's crop is looking promising, although some of the lower vines were hit by late frost in May. The Sauvignon Blanc harvest is likely to be still a good week away.

 

Cabernet  Franc

Côt netted against the birds

Vines@Clos Chossay end of June 2010

Mark reports: 

'I spoke to Bruno Curassier (Domaine de la Grange, Bléré) on Saturday and the story of the 2010 flowering very much seems to depend on the parcels, some did fine – others were weather affected.*

At Chossay the results have been OK, some flowering was finished before the bad weather hit, some after. The Côt seems to have been the most affected, with smaller bunches on some of the vines. 

 Big sortie of grapes in 2010

Apparently this is one of the varietals which suffers most from Coulure. Elsewhere all looks normal, as the attached pictures show. There was a very good “sortie” so some green harvesting may be required.

A very hot spell (31 C +) has just closed with a welcome light shower, thankfully no storms here – although the season has just started.

* Certainly much of the first half of June in eastern Touraine was cold and frequently damp. On 19th June it was only 11.5˚C at 11.30 am. 

Mark Robertson is the owner of Clos Chossay, its chief viticulturalist and regisseur. 

Some of crop waiting to be destemmed

I've only seen grapes destemmed by hand once before – normally this is done by a destemming machine. This was in Thesée at Les Bois Lucas owned by Junko Arai, who has a wine importing company and a wine school in Japan. She had bought some vineyards in Mareuil-sur-Cher from Didier and Catherine of the Clos Roche Blanche. Then I was a spectator this time I was one of the team stripping the grapes from their stalks, while rejecting those that weren't good enough for the grand cuvée – mainly because they were too pink.

As you can imagine destemming took considerably longer than the picking – around an hour and half against a maximum of 45 minutes to pick.

Mark leads the way....

"What am I supposed to do with this stalk, then?"



Naturally there were many jokes about child labour........

Flying hands.................

All finished – entire crop of 'grand cru' Cabernet Franc 2009 – now time for lunch!

Not forgetting la raflé (the stalks)

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Report on the after lunch work from Mark
(photos supplied by Mark)

'After lunch, and so as to make use of the helping hands, the Cabernet grapes were trod (by Fabienne and Lydia), the 2008 Cabernet/Côt was bottled and the 2009 Côt taken off the skins and lightly pressed.

Foot-treading the Cabernet Franc: Fabrienne (above), Lydia (below)

We ended up with 75 litres of Cabernet must with a potential of 12.3%.

A very enjoyable day and the team are keen for a repeat next year. The bottling, at least, will take much longer!'

Hi-tech bottling line

Lydia: smiles despite the light rain this morning

Les vendanges des amis can be great fun but they lack a little of flexibility possible with a professional picking team. The day has to be fixed some time in advance to ensure that the team of friends is available and a tempting lunch prepared, which rather rules out picking during the afternoon on a full stomach and the odd glass of wine. In an ideal world picking the Cabernet Franc at Clos Chossay (Epeigné-les-Bois' sole 'grand cru' today would have been delayed at least until this afternoon, allowing this morning's mainly light rain to clear away. Not an option – friends had arrived and preparations for lunch were well advanced.

Equipe - A

Part of Equipe – A

I understand that hiring a helicopter was briefly considered, as other producers of 'grand vin' such as Pétrus have done in the past, but the visibility was too poor and the vineyard is perilously close to the A85 motorway. So picking started around 10.30am in light rain and was concluded within about 45 minutes but with a record harvest of three large tubs of very clean and healthy Cabernet Franc grapes. The pickers split equally to tackle the two blocks of Cabernet Franc under Mark's watchful eye.

Le patron surveille tout!

Equipe – B

Mark with about 33% of the 2009 Cabernet Franc
Fabienne.....

...another bunch

A substantial portion of the crop awaiting manual destemming

Full report and photos on manual destemming at Clos Chossay this morning to follow tomorrow in part two.

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Restructuring the Clos Chossay vineyard (Côte Rôtie-en-Touraine)

The Clos Chossay's new vineyard with terraces (artist's impression)

Jim's Loire understands that plans to restructure the Clos Chossay vineyards are well advanced. Prior to moving to Epeigné, Mark Robertson was a keen amateur of the wines of the Northern Rhône. The idea is to recreate in miniature some of the features of Rhone's most famous vineyards – the terraces and the names of its famous producers on the retaining walls. The terraces would increase the vines exposure to the sun and possibly make it viable to plant a few Syrah vines here.

One of the attractions is the belief that the new terraced vineyard will attract time-challenged oenophiles, particularly from the US and Asia-Pacific, keen to be able to visit the Château de Chenonceau and get a flavour of a nearby northern Rhône vineyard all in a morning.

Mark in the 'grand cru' with a bunch of 2009 Côt – estimated at 0.28% of the harvest (photos courtesy of Mark Robertson)

As reported on Sunday evening the weather in Touraine has deteriorated with some four hours of rain from about 7.30-11.30am. Then it cleared up with some sunny intervals and a quite strong drying wind. Temperatures are still quite high – around 23˚C at 6.30pm. However, the weather looks more unsettled than its has done since we arrived, although fortunately the weather forecast on Méteo France is less bleak and wet for this week than it was showing last night.

Anyway today's rain persuaded Mark Robertson (Clos Chossay, Epeigné-les-Bois) that he should pick his Côt today rather than hanging on to later in the week.

Entire crop of 2009 Côt

Mark Robertson: 'Did the Côt vendange this afternoon. The sun and a strongish wind soon dried the grapes out. Should get 25 litres minimum from 60 vines. Works out at 40hl/hectare if my sums are right (the Sauvignon was 27.5hl/hectare). Potential alcohol is 12.5% but I think this will creep up as there were a high percentage of desiccated grapes - some of which I measured at 16%. These will normally leach their sugars during fermentation. As the grapes were wonderfully ripe we didn't de-stem. We'll ferment on the skins/stems for about a week.'

Treading the 2009 Côt

Given the small quantity of grapes, although of course perfectly formed, it would be inaccurate to describe Mark as a garagiste – far too high volume and industrial! More appropriate may be abri véloist (pertaining to a bike shed). Jim's Loire would welcome suggestions for the correct term.

Report from Mark Robertson:

Saturday 12 September: Cous-cous evening@Le Lézard Vert

Le Lézard Vert, Epeigné-les-Bois

This was a great success. Stephanie and Nacer had to close the books with 80 reservations plus 5 kids. The cous-cous was served as a plat unique. As well as the semoule and a tasty broth containing carrots, courgettes and chickpeas each diner got a brochette of lamb (cooked pink) a merguez and a 1/4 of grilled chicken. Plus Nacer's speciality of grilled (incendiary) green peppers. A 1/4 litre of chilled red/rose for each diner plus a coffee and accompanying moroccan pastry - price 15€. As they didn't want to skimp on the servings an extra 30 portions were prepared. These sold out by 10.30 on Sunday morning. We fancied a cous-cous lunch whilst finishing the Sauvignon harvest but unfortunately arrived too late (as did several others).

•

Nacer drawing a beer watched by Alric and Stéphanie

Great to hear that this first cous-cous evening was such a success. Sounds great value. Hope that this will be the first of many and that the plans for the restaurant are able to move forward. Clearly Epeigné is now benefitting from Nacer's experience of running a restaurant in Paris, where cous-cous was a speciality.

••

Clos Chossay 'grand cru' 2009 Sauvignon Blanc harvest

'le grand cru'

On the Sauvignon - small yield (about 25 litres) but of good quality. The dry spell in August plus a strong north east wind that has been blowing for the last 5 days undoubtedly reduced the berry size/water content (50 kg of grapes harvested would normally give 37.5 litres of must). 12.3% potential alcohol, good acid balance and aromatic profile.

View of Epeigné's south-facing 'grand côte'

Weather here is set good for the next two weeks with a little - much needed - rain forecast over the next couple of days. Won't touch the reds until the beginning of October.

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Just 25 litres of Sauvignon Blanc or 30 bottles makes the production of Le Pin look like a high volume, jug wine!

Received from Mark Robertson: 7 September 2009

Weather: Sunny, hot & dry. 29 forecast for today, 31 tomorrow. Rest of the week in the high 20's with first rain forecast for Tuesday 15th.

Clos Chossay: ripening Sauvignon Blanc: 7.9.09

Grapes: Some pictures attached of Sauvignon, Cot and Cabernet. Took sample of 100 Sauvignon grapes (randomly selected) this morning. Potential alcohol 11.25%. Another 7 - 10 days of this weather and it'll be time to pick as we want to avoid reaching 13 %.

2009 Côt: 7.9.09

Veraison in Cot is almost complete - Cabernet about 80% complete. Harvest times will depend on intervening weather & rainfall. I think first week of October for Côt and 2nd/3rd week for Cabernet.

2009 Cabernet: 7.9.09

Bruno Curassier (Domaine de la Grange, Bléré): new addition to the range - Patrimoine Blanc. A barrel fermented and aged Chenin Blanc sec. We had the 2008 on Sunday. Crisp, refreshing wine with a good integration of oak - delicious !
(I tasted this in barrel in late December 2008 – it was looking promising then.)

Pot au feu: trying to attract the waiter's attention?

Pot au Feu@Epeigné-les-Bois Sunday 6th September

A great success. Just under 270 diners (2008 edition – 200). Dancing to Martyne Latour on the accordeon until gone 3am. Wines by Garanne (Kir with cerises), Legrand (Gamay) & Cave Franceuil (Cabernet 2008 and Méthode Traditionelle demi-sec). Meat supplied by M et Mme Philippe Goulet, Saint-Georges-sur-Cher: 02.54.32.30.35.

Still going at 3am ...

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Le Lézard Vert, Epeigné-les-Bois
First soiree couscous this Saturday 13th September. Menu couscous or brochettes. Reservations on 02.47.23.97.94.

Nacer, Alric and Stéphanie: the new owners of Le Lézard Vert

••

Email Scam
The following received by a local vigneron. This is already on a scammers list in the UK :

'Hello, I am DR. Alan Goody from A. N. Wallis & Co Ltd ,U.K. I want to book Dinner for 25 guests from my Department arriving from London to your country. 25 guests will all come for Dinner November 26th, 27th 28th 29th and 30th 2009 by 8.00pm each day. Get back to me with your Menu if there is availability so that I can get our sponsors to make a check or Credit card deposit payment for our Dinner. Kindly indicate your acceptable mode of pre-payment in your reply? 1)Certified Secured Check OR 2)Credit card 1)N.B--Do you offer accommodation? I need 2 DBL or 4 single rooms for four of my guests? 2)Can you make a wine tasting arrangements for us? We intend to come for wine tasting on the following dates November 26th,27th and 28th 2009 by 12 pm everyday. Reply to (m.alangooody@yahoo.co.uk) Dr.Alan Goody, Address : Greasley Street Bulwell Nottingham NG6 8NJ England '

'Hello,
Thanks for your response.25 Guests will be coming for wine tasting with snacks on the following dates November 26th, 27th and 28th 2009 by 12 midday everyday. We will make a deposit prepayment of 1000eur because we have not yet concluded with our budget. The balance payment will be made on our last day.A check payment will be sent to you from our Sponsor in the amount of Euros 10.000,00 that will cover the cost of our Dinner and other necessary arrangements for us.

However, we also made an arrangement with a pre paid Transport Consultant who will take care of our flight arrangements to other destinations and transportation requirements during our entire stay, we have decided that only one person will have to handle the check. So once you are in receipt of the check you are required to cash the check payment then you deduct (Euros 1.000) which is the deposit payment for our wine tasting and send the balance of Euros 9.000,00 to the Transport Consultant for them to arrange our flight ticket to your property and other logistics arrangment. I will send you the agent details once everything is concluded.
Kindly confirm this and provide me with your:
(1) YOUR FULL NAME as it will be on the check payment
(2) ADDRESS for cheque delivery
(3) PHONE NUMBERS for office records
Looking forward to a warm Hospitality!
Best Regards,
Alan Goody'


I have come across this scam email several times before. Classic advance fee fraud. If a cheque is ever sent it will bounce and the victim may have sent a genuine cheque to the 'transport consultant'. Put straight into junk folder.