Vines@Domaine de la Noblaie, Ligré, AC Chinon
Report on June 2011 visit to Domaine de la Noblaie now complete. See here.
Showing posts with label Jérôme Billard. Show all posts
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.
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.
Jérôme Billard@Domaine de la Noblaie
Congratulations to Elodie and Jérôme on the birth today of Adele, their first child.
Although it is tempting fate, Domaine de la Noblaie may in the fairly distant future have its first vigneronne.
Mon Ange is an interesting, experimental new release from the Domaine de la Noblaie in Ligré, a picturesque village on the south side of the Vienne and about a ten minute drive from Chinon. Jérôme Billard uses grapes from the beginnings of the rows where the yields are always higher than in the middle of a vineyard. Although the domaine is the Chinon AC, there is no appellation for sparkling Chinon so this is a Touraine mousseux. Jérôme kindly gave me a bottle to try at the end of my visit there last Monday. Although I'm sure the majority of Mon Ange is Cabernet Franc, I foolishly forgot to check whether there is any Chenin blended in.
Mon Ange has spend 18 months sur latte and there is the faint touch of a rosé hue to the wine, which is an attractive blend of round fruit with good balancing acidity. Certainly an experiment that can be repeated, Jérôme!
Mon Ange has spend 18 months sur latte and there is the faint touch of a rosé hue to the wine, which is an attractive blend of round fruit with good balancing acidity. Certainly an experiment that can be repeated, Jérôme!
Jérôme and François Billard (Domaine de la Noblaie, Ligré – AC Chinon)
My second visit on Monday afternoon was to the Domaine de la Noblaie now run by Jérôme who was taken over from his father, Francois who was the first professor of oenology at the Montreuil-Bellay wine school.
Details of wines tasted to be added.
Bunch of Chenin Blanc with a trace of noble rot – I think but could go either way!
A trio of photos from the 2009 vintage@Domaine de Noblaie, Ligré, Chinon
Chenin Blanc
Jérôme Billard checking bunch ripeness
