Anne Guégniard emptying Cabernet Sauvignon grapes into trailer

Jean Hubert Lebtreton (Domaine des Rochelles) admiring his Cabernet Sauvignon in La Croix de la Mission (Anjou-Villages Brissac)

Domaine Cady: must and grapes pouring from a hose

Philippe Germain in his office at Chateau de la Roulerie

Philippe Germain taking a sample of Anjou Blanc@La Roulerie 

 
At the end of May Philippe Germain (Château de la Roulerie in Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné) sent me samples of four of his recent whites: all Chenin Blanc – two Anjou Blancs and two Coteaux du Layon.

2010 Chenin Blanc (Anjou Blanc) 

Philippe is well aware that in a number of markets Chenin Blanc has higher value than Anjou Blanc so isn't afraid to emphasise Chenin Blanc on his 'basic' dry white cuvée. The 2010 is attractively fresh and lemony with a hint of honey in the mid-palate finishing cleanly mineral.

2010 Les Terrasses

The 2010 Les Terrasses has more weight, depth and length than the straight Anjou. Well balanced with quite marked acidity this needs a year or so to show its best. 

2010 Coteaux du Layon
 

Philippe makes two Layons: this 'basic' cuvée and Les Aunis. Once again here is a demonstration that concentrated sweetness isn't everything in sweet wines. The 2010 basic Layon makes a most attractive aperitif with its fresh citric sweetness and clean finish. This is a Layon to drink with sauced dishes – a pheasant or chicken à la normande (apple and cream) for example or with blue cheese even rich patés but certainly not with desserts. The 2009 Les Aunis is considerably richer with peach and apricot fruit, some honey but is more cloying lacking the fresh acidity you find in a 2007 or a 2010. It would, however, be a reasonable bet with a fruit tart or a fresh summer fruit dessert.   

 From Sancerre looking towards Chavignol  – taken fairly early in the morning?

It's another grey day here in Epeigné-les-Bois. I don't think we have come close to seeing the sun so far in 2011 – not even a glimpse of blue sky! So I'm spending some time today sorting out photos. Initially I file them under date and then later on sort them more precisely into places, portraits etc. That's the theory anyway but I'm always behind.

Although it takes time, it is worth doing otherwise I lose track of where pictures are filed. Also in sorting I find pictures that are worth posting – others need to be binned. Will be adding more during the course of the day.

The slopes between Amigny and Chavignol (part of village on right)

Sancerre: September 2007

Since starting to post the grey gloom has lifted and now there are a few glimpses of blue sky even a ray of thin sunshine from time to time.

  View near Badia di Morrona, Terricciola, Italia (November 2006)

Philippe Germain (Château de la Roulerie, Anjou) in full flow@RSJ Restaurant's 25th anniversary celebrations: July 2005

Thierry Germain (Domaine des Roches Neuves, Saumur)@same event

Santiago (Chile): reflections – above and below

Philippe chatting over the aperitif 

The always enthusiastic Philippe Germain was over in London this week and on Tuesday evening presented a short range of his wines at the RSJ. Philippe moved from Bordeaux in 2001 and initially worked with his father, Bernard, selling the range of Germain wines that included Château de Fesles that was subsequently sold to Grands Chais de France. 

In 2006 he acquired the lovely Château de la Roulerie in Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné in one of the best parts of the Layon.   

Wines were:

Aperitif:  

2007 Chenin Blanc, Anjou Blanc 
This 2007 is showing very well at the moment with lovely pure citric fruit, especially grapefruit – all the precision and purity that is typical of the 2007 vintage.

Whites:
2009 Chenin Blanc, Anjou Blanc

Naturally still youthful with the weight you would expect of 2009 with floral and grapefruit notes. Closed with a screwcap.

2008 Les Terrasses, Anjou Blanc 
Philippe's top dry white from vines on terraces created by Gaston Lenôtre in the early 1990s. Very clean with brilliant minerality.

Served with goats cheese and asparagus salad with crouton




Philippe is happy to admit that the schisteous terroir of La Roulerie is not ideally suited to making red wine. Indeed he would rather concentrate on the whites but his brother, Thierry of Domaine des Roches Neuves, urges him to continue to make red as well. In truth the Roulerie reds are pleasant and well made but they are ones to drink young, enjoy young and not to be taken particularly seriously.  

Philippe in full flight   

Reds:
2009 Cabernet Franc, Anjou Rouge 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, Anjou Rouge 

Philippe waited until around 20th October to pick when the fruit was fully ripe. Unusually this has 10% Cabernet Sauvignon blended in. Youthful black fruits with some structure  and still attractive freshness in the finish despite the wine having 13-13.5% alcohol. 

2008 Cabernet Franc, Anjou Rouge  

Soft attractive, easy drinking fruit.

Served with roast rib eye beef with new potatoes, summer vegetables and red wine sauce

 1990 Cuvée Louis

Sweet: 
1990 Cuvée Louis, Coteaux du Layon Chaume, Château de la Roulerie,
The definite star of the evening a lovely sweet wine made by Dominique Jadeau – the last vintage he made before he sold Roulerie to Lenôtre. Medium gold – the 1990s took on colour very early – with rich dried apricot and peachy fruit and the typical Loire acidity that stops these rich wines being cloying. Very long flavour too. Really a wine to enjoy by itself instead of a dessert or after the end of the meal.

Served with apple meringue pie with pecan ice cream

2009 Le Petit Salvard, Cheverny, Domaine du Salvard  

Further notes from yesterday's Waitrose press tasting.

Le Petit Salvard (£7.99) is mainly Sauvignon Blanc with a small amount of Chardonnay as required by the AC Cheverny regulations. This gives the wine an attractively citric attack with a touch of softness provided by the Chardonnay along with some of the richness you would expect from the 2009 vintage.

2008 Vignes de Ratier, Menetou-Salon, Morogues, Domaine Pellé

More evidence here that Domaine Pellé is on good form with this 2008 Vignes de Ratier (£11.99)  a single vineyard planted on marne kimméridgienne. With yellow plum aromas this has good weight and concentration allied with the vibrancy associated with the 2008 vintage. I'd buy this in preference to the two Sancerres on show: Waitrose 2009 Sancerre La Franchotte from Joseph Mellot (£11.99) and the 2008 from Domaine Naudet (£12.49) in Sury-en-Vaux. 

2007 Le Haut Lieu sec, Vouvray, Domaine Huet

Le Haut Lieu is the heavier of the three Huet vineyards as it has more clay, deeper soil and is just beyond the première côte. The 2007 sec (£18.49) has just a hint of honey on the nose with the precision and clean flavours typical of 2007, although it is rather in a closed up phase at present. Needs to be cellared a while to show its best.  

2009 Les Andides, Saumur

Youthful and quite exuberantly floral, this crisp, lemony 2009 Saumur Blanc (100% Chenin Blanc – £6.99) from Alliance Loire would make a good apéro as well as matching shellfish. Over the next year or so likely to take on a little more weight.

 2009 Chenin Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Château de la Roulerie

2008 Saumur Champigny, Domaine de la Croix de Chaintres, Filliatreau

More to add shortly....

View from Domaine de la Grande Brosse across the Layon towards Château de la Roulerie

After a full morning and a bit more at the Renaissance tasting we headed out to see Philippe Germain at Château de la Roulerie (Saint-Aubin) and then on to Victor Lebreton (Domaine de Montgilet, Juigné-sur-Loire).  Last January Philippe bought part (8.5 ha) of the Domaine de la Grande Brosse and has the rest of the 18 ha of vines on fermage (long-term rent). 

Les Terrasses@la Roulerie

Tuesday 12th May 2009 London International Wine Trade Fair, Excel

The day started with an excellent presentation of the Great Wine Estates of Western Australia by Andrew Caillard MW to a masterclass run by the Circle of Wine Writers. Andrew is head of the wine department of Langton’s, Australia’s leading auctioneers.

Bulles de Roc

The rest of my day was devoted to visiting the various Loire producers at the fair and tasting their wines.

First up I saw the always ebullient Philippe Germain. The 2008 Chenin, Anjou Blanc is has attractively crisp, grapefruit flavours, some weight and length. The 2008 Solitaire, Saumur Blanc from Philippe’s elder brother, Thierry, has a similar accent on grapefruit and minerality.

Then something entirely new from Thierry and Michel Chevré – a sparkling Saumur called Bulles de Roc. 100% Chenin Blanc with no dosage. It has attractive weight and fine lemony finish. A delicious fizz – unfortunately only 3600 bottles have been produced.

Domaine Nebout has 45 hectares in Saint-Pourçain with 60% planted with red varieties – Pinot Noir and Gamay. Julian Nebout took over the family estate three years ago from his father Serge.

I started with the melon fruited Blanc Tradition 2007 – 75% Chardonnay and 25% Tressalier. Then I moved onto the more interesting 2007 Le Tressallière des Gravières. Here Tressallier, the local variety, makes up 90% of the blend with Chardonnay 10%. 10% is vinified and matured in oak. Tressallier is thought to be a local variant of the Sacy, a grape variety found in the Yonne. It is also believed to be a relation of Chenin Blanc. There are now only 40 hectares of Tressallier left – all in Saint-Pourçain. Tressallier is usually picked in early October. Le Gravières comes from vineyards close to the Allier, the major tributary to the Loire and it has attractive rich, concentrated fruit balanced with a mineral and citric finish.

Julien Nebout with the 2007 Le Tressallière des Gravières

On this evidence the vignerons of Saint-Pourçain ought to be planting more Tressallier. Hopefully this will happen as there is now a much greater appreciation of good indigenous varieties, the importance of preserving them and thus keeping wine’s individuality.

The two reds I found less convincing. Firstly 2006 La Malgarnie – a blend of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Gamay. It has sweet brambly fruit, some weight but lacks zip and lift in the finish. I’m not convinced that Gamay and Pinot Noir is a successful blend and cannot recall ever having tasted a good one. Then the 100% Pinot Noir 2007 Elevé-en-barrique – some sweet fruit but lacking definition.

Bernard Chereau and 2003 Le Clos

Next to see a relieved Bernard Chereau of Chereau-Carre (Muscadet-de-Sèvre-et-Maine). Now clear of the threat of frost, Bernard said that this year there had been a good and regular sortie (good number of potential bunches of grapes). I tasted a couple of 2008s – L’Oiselinière de la Ramée and Château de Chasseloir, which have yet to be bottled. I preferred the Chasseloir – more concentration and length with lemon and hazelnut flavours. The 2007 Chasseloir is more austere than the 2008, reflecting the vintage difference. The 2005 Comte Leloup de Chasseloir is very different from the 2007 and 2008s tasted. Made from 100 year old vines it has considerable richness and concentration, although its lemony finish gives it balance. The last wine was Le Clos 2003 one of the Haute Expression Muscadets that are aged for more than a year on their lees. It has the typical weight and concentration of 2003 but retains a freshness that makes Le Clos elegant and attractive.

Staying with Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine I tasted wines from Jean Aubron at L'Audigère, Vallet. Jean Aubron has 84 hectares of vines. Of these 71 are planted with Melon de Bourgogne including the 11-hectare. Clos de l’Audigère. The balance is rest made up of Gros Plant, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Unfortunately the first bottle of 2008 Grand Fief de l’Audigère Tradition had some cork taint – once again emphasising that a delicate white like Muscadet really should not long be closed with cork. All Muscadet ought now to be in screwcap. Of the two 2008s I tasted I preferred the weightier Grand Fief de l’Audigère Vieilles Vignes with its attractive mineral finish.

I finished with the 2003 Grand Fief de l’Audigère Vieilles Vignes, which like the Chereau -Carre 2003 Le Clos is also showing well, despite the belief in some quarters that the heatwave vintage of 2003 produced ungainly wines. Certainly it is rich and weighty for a Muscadet but it has a touch of bitterness along with minerality in the finish that stops it being cloying.

(To be continued.....)

1 February 2009

The elegant front of La Roulerie

Following the Renaissance des Appellations tasting at Les Greniers Saint-Jean in Angers, Tom King (RSJ Wine Company) and I headed off to Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné in the Layon to see Philippe Germain at Château de la Roulerie. Although Philippe has been living at La Roulerie since 2001, and since 2004 has been making the wine with his older brother, Thierry (Domaine des Roches Neuves in Saumur), 2008 was the first year they had made wine at La Roulerie. Previously the wine had made at Château de Fesles in Bonnezeaux.

Philippe Germain drawing a sample of 2008 Anjou Blanc

Philippe’s father, Bernard Germain, bought Fesles in 1996 along with Château de la Guimonière and Château de la Roulerie from pastry chef Gaston Lenotre, who died at the beginning of 2009. Lenotre had bought them in a fit of enthusiasm in 1991 following the wonderful vintages of 1989 and 1990, which unfortunately were followed by the severely frosted 1991, very mediocre 1992, average 1993 and difficult 1994. I fancy Lenotre had little inkling of the risk involved in making great sweet wine in the Loire nor that, if you do succeed, it is decidedly difficult to sell.

At the height of his pomp Bernard had 300 hectares of vine – 200 in Bordeaux and 100 in Anjou. Unfortunately Bernard ran into financial problems and last year (23rd June) was obliged to sell Fesles to Grands Chais de France. There had already been a meeting of the family in 2006 when Philippe and Thierry apparently declined to take on Fesles. During the course of our visit I asked Philippe how his father was. His guarded reply suggested that relations between the two brothers and their father at present are unfortunately not good.

Some of the grounds and the vineyards

First and foremost Philippe is a salesman and this, allied with his natural enthusiasm at making his first vintage at Roulerie in the hastily renovated chai, produced a vintage performance which not even a very painful dental complaint could temper. Following Philippe around the cellar tasting from 400 litre barrels we were regaled with an almost continuous commentary that included frequent repetitions of “chers messieurs”, “très sincerement” and other similar phrases. Apparently wine has not been made here for nearly 20 years since Dominique Jadeau sold the property to Lenôtre.

Philippe in full flight!

Philippe: “In 2008 we made 40% of normal – 538 hls compared to 730 hls in 2007 and 850 hls in 2006. The summer was catastrophic. The grape skins were very thick and there was little juice. At La Roulerie we have 24 hectares, which are in 22 separate parcels.

The focus is on Philippe!

We only tasted 2008s including the mineral La Petite Roulerie from vines between 20 and 25 years old that overlook Saint-Aubin and the richer and fuller Les Terrasses, planted on grey schist. We tasted Les Terrasses from both barrel and from a 27 hl wooden conical vat that Philippe has on test. We also tasted the rich, black fruited 2008 Anjou Rouge, which will be bottled in March. “Normally we would make 180 hls of this wine,” said Philippe, “in 2008 we only made 94 hls. We were hit by frost on 23rd/24th April and then later by mildew.”

The conical wooden vat

As with other Layon producers the hopes of a good sweet vintage which developed during the fine October weather were cruelly dashed by continuous rain in November. The 1er Tri of the 27th/28th October has 55 gms of residual sugar and is a quite rich blend of honey and citric flavours. It should be an attractive easy drinking Layon to enjoy young.

The Layon was still bathed in brilliantly bright sunshine when we left Philippe to get ready to entertain a group of merchants, out for the Salon, to dinner.

Philippe Germain, Château de la Roulerie, 49190 Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné
Tel: 02.41.68.94.00
Email: loire@vgas.com
Web: www.vgas.com

Golden Chenin in a Montlouis vineyard: 11th October 2008

The reports from Stéphane Cossais (posted 28th October), Philippe Germain and Jean-Hubert Lebreton (also posted 28th October) have now been translated. Plus new pic of Catherine Roussel (Clos Roche Blanche) in post of 26th October.

In AC Montlouis near Husseau. The different autumnal colours suggest
that this isn't all Chenin – perhaps some Gamay to make Touraine Rosé?
Also still green areas may have been 'treated' to chemical fertilisers.

Philippe Germain@Château de Fesles January 2008

Philippe Germain, Domaine de la Roulerie, St. Aubin de Luigné, Anjou

2008 a été un millésime trés spécial. Jusqu'à fin aout, la situation était trés préoccupante mais nous avons eu la chance d'avoir de trés bons mois de septembre et d'octobre.La qualité est donc là, mais pas la quantité. Pour la Roulerie, je suis entre 35 % et 40 % en moins de production. Par contre, nous avons des degrés qui oscillent entre 12.8 à 13.2 naturels pour les chenins avec une acidité de 5.5 à 5.8. Pour les Layons, nous venons de faire le premier tri trés intéressant sur une base de 12.5 à 18 degrés naturels et nous continuerons la semaine prochaine. Concernant les rouges, la production est encore plus limitée avec des degrés entre 12.5 et 12.8 ce qui est assez satisfaisant.

2008 is a very special vintage. Right until the end of August the situation was very worrying but we had the luck to have two very good months – September and October. So the quality is there but not the volume. At La Roulerie I’m between 35%-40% down on a normal year’s production. In contrast we have degrees that vary between 12.8˚ and 13.2˚ for the Chenin with an acidity of between 5.5 and 5.8. As far as the Coteaux du Layons are concerned we are making the premier tri (first selective picking) with grapes between 12.5˚ and 18˚ and we will be continuing next week. For the reds production is even more limited with degrees between 12.5˚ and 12.8˚, which I’m quite happy about.

Philippe Germain
Château de la Roulerie
49190 St. Aubin de Luigné – France
Tel: 02.41.68.94.02
Email : p.germain@vgas.com

Jean-Hubert Lebreton

Jean-Hubert-Lebreton, Domaine des Rochelles, St Jean des Mauvrets

La récolte 2008 s'annonce très interessante par l'arrière saison qui a fait concentrer les Sauvignons, Chardonnays Grolleau, Cabernets Francs, Cabernets Sauvignons et Chenins donc nous avons des forts degrés mais des faibles quantités .

Nous avons récolté les Chardonnays et Sauvignons la première semaine d'octobre puis nous avons attendu la troisième semaine d'octobre pour les Cabernets Francs et ensuite nous avons récolté les Cabernets Sauvignons. Les Chenins sont toujours dans les vignes, nous attendons le passage pluvieux de cette semaine pour reconcentrer et botrytiser car actuellement les raisins sont dorés, le botrytis tarde à se développer donc la pluie est très bénéfique. Il faut juste être patient.

Donc le résumer de l'annèe 2008 est 'peu mais bon'.

Jean-Hubert and a row of Chenin Blanc,
Domaine des Rochelles October 2005

The 2008 vintage looks very interesting thanks to the fine autumn weather which concentrated the Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Grolleau, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Chenins. We have high alcohol degrees but small quantities.

We picked the Chardonnay and Sauvignon in the first week of October. Then we waited until the third week of October to first pick the Cabernet Franc followed by the Cabernet Sauvignon. The Chenin is still on the vine as we are waiting firstly for the rain that is forecast for this week to clear away and then for the grapes to reconcentrate and for the botrytis to develop. At the moment the Chenin is golden with botrytis slow to develop, so the rain should be very beneficial. We just have to be patient.

In short: 2008 is good but small.

Jean-Yves Lebreton, Anita and Jean-Hubert Lebreton
Domaine des Rochelles, 49320 Saint-Jean-des-Mauvrets
Tel: 02.41.91.92.07
Email: jy.a.lebreton@wanadoo.fr
Site: www.domainedesrochelles.com