Chenin in the Clos Mosny (Montlouis – Jacky Blot) where picking started 7th September

A quick sweep through Montlouis and Vouvray yesterday afternoon brought mixed reports from the vignerons. Some happy and relaxed with the way the 2011 vintage is going, others describing it as difficult and likely to produce no more than pleasant wines. The one common factor appears to be the worry that acidities are low this year, so giving wines that may be a bit heavy and lacking some minerality.

Bertrand Jousset@work  

During our visit in Montlouis we saw Bertrand Jousset and Ludovic Chanson who were both happy with the way the harvest was going.

Bertrand: 2011 is much more relaxed than last year, which was a panic. We started about ten days ago and have picked the Chardonnay, Gamay and Grolleau as well as the Chenin for the sparkling. We are now picking the Chenin for the still wines. It is coming in at around 13.5% potential alcohol, although the acidity is a bit low. We will still be picking into next week.  

Ludovic Chanson considering 2011 Montlouis

Ludovic: "It has been my easiest vintage so far. We started on Monday 12th September. We have picked the Sauvignon Blanc and grapes (Chardonnay and Chenin) for the PetNat and some of the dry Chenin which is between 12.8%-13.2% potential. The yields are reasonable in 2011 – 35 hl/ha for the Chenin, 40 for the Sauvignon Blanc and 37 for the Chardonnay."   

Montlouis: wild ferment!

Sorting table Clos Mosny (above and below)

Clos Mosny: some rot

Clos Mosny – discarded grapes 

Report to be finished but first off to Chinon, Bourgueil and Saumur

 An appreciative spider on a bunch of Chenin Blanc@Vouvray

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

François Chidaine, president of the Syndicat des vins de Montlouis

Montlouis 2011
François Chidaine has announced that the harvest in Montlouis could start on Wednesday 7th September. Despite the cool July this is well in advance of normal. See report here in La Nouvelle République.


Bourgeuil 2011
I'm relieved to hear from Cathy Shore (Le Tasting Room) that the vineyards in Bourgueil seem to be OK despite the downpour last Saturday.


Note from Cathy: 

We were at Domaine de la Chevalerie with clients yesterday so difficult to get a real update however we did drive around quite a bit of the appellation and saw no particular problems in the vineyards.  Chevalerie is starting harvest in the next few days. 

We spoke to Mathieu Vallée of Chateau Yvonne in Parnay in the afternoon - he will be picking his 2 ha of Chenin today and Chateau de Parnay was bringing in Cabernet Franc from the Anjou estate (Princé).  Their new winery is looking very swish with a brand new Bucher press taking centre stage.

Lionel Gosseaume

Also from Cathy an update here on Lionel Gosseaume of Domaine de Pierre in Choussy (close to Oisly) in Touraine.