Yves Guegniard with his Cabernet Sauvignon

Thursday 29th September was another very hot and virtually cloudless day in Anjou with temperatures reaching 32C in Saint-Aubin in the early afternoon. Even at 6pm it was still 30C in Brissac-Quincé. Many producers have spoken of how delighted and surprised they are by the change in the weather over the last ten days, which has transformed the outlook and potential of the 2011 vintage.

Cabernet Franc destined for Anjou Village Brissac at Domaine de Fesle (Jacques Beaujeau, Château de Varière)

Jacques Beaujeau checking the alcohol degree of his Cabernet Franc

Alexandre Cady (Domaine Cady)

 

Philippe Cady

There should be some very good sweet wines to taste here at Les Caves des Greniers de Saint-Jean on Saturday 28th November from 3pm-8pm. I have long admired the wines of Philippe Cady (Domaine Cady) and Philippe and Catherine Delesvaux, although I don't taste the Delesvaux wines as regularly as I should. Alexandre has now joined his father, Philippe, at the domaine.

I don't know the other three vignerons but if they are part of this group I imagine that their wines are good.

It is rather sad and dispiriting that of these five producers only one – Domaine Cady – has a website, which appears to be only in French – no Japanese, Chinese or English versions. Nor does the Groupe Grains Nobles, which appears to be grouping within the Fédération Viticole d'Anjou, have a website, so impossible to easily find out more about the Groupe's aims.

Sad and dispiriting because this is so far removed from the cutting edge of talking directly to your end consumers that was stressed recently at both the European Wine Bloggers Conference and WineFuture Rioja09. The need for producers to talk directly to their customers who pull the cork from the bottle or break the seal of the screwcap. Or is it, perhaps, that the exponents of social marketing have got it wrong – too caught up in their bubble and babble of communication – and that for regions like La Loire the new social media are not an important marketing tool.

Certainly something to explore further and Jim's Loire will be taking a look at various Loire sites and blogs soon.