La Fête des vendanges in Esvres on 11th September

Yesterday we had a quick trip over to the vineyards of Touraine Noble Joué in the commune of Esvres-sur-Indre. Picking can start here from today. Overall the grapes looked in good condition, although in places there was some rot, which had mainly dried out so probably not serious as long as the weather remains dry.

There are just 28 hectares of vines for Noble Joué, mainly in the commune of Esvres. It is always a rosé and made from a blend of three Pinots – Gris, Meunier and Noir.

Pinot Gris

 Pinot Noir (?)

Pinot Meunier (?)

 Map of the appellation

 Detail of the Noble Joué vineyards

The growers

Street sign

The vignerons of Reuilly with eponymous town in background (photo: Denis Bomer)

On 24th August 1961 the Reuilly appellation was extended to cover rosé and red wines. Whites had been granted the AC in 1937.  The producers will be celebrating on 24th June – a couple of months early as they may be taking their summer holidays in July ready to be pick in August!

Some details of the Appellation Reuilly here.

Clos du Porteau: 25th September 2009

One of the last bunches of 2009 Pinot Gris – Malvoisie

A reasonably wide range of grape varieties helps to make Eastern Touraine an interesting wine region, despite the dominance of Sauvignon Blanc and Gamay. Varieties like Sauvignon Gris or Fié Gris, Pinot Gris – often called Malvoisie here, Côt, Pineau d'Aunis, Menu Pineau, Grolleau Gris and Grolleau Noir and Pinot Noir all add spice to the mix. A small range, however, in comparison to the some 250 indigenous grape varieties that Portugal has as a national treasure.

The vineyard's flinty soil

During the 2009 vintage we had a quick walk in the vineyard just behind the Clos du Porteau in Saint-Georges-sur-Cher with Isabelle and Aynard Clemont-Tonnerre. The vineyard is on the premier côte of the Cher Valley. The soil is a mix of clay and flint over a limestone base. In this part of the Loire the local term for flint is perruche. They have a number of different varieties planted here, so it was a good opportunity to take photos of them.

Pinot Gris is more commonly called Malvoisie here. What little there is planted is often used to make a late harvest wine – sweet or semi-sweet depending on the vintage and the style wanted. It is rare to find it on sale. Instead an unlabelled bottle for personal consumption is more common. Further west in the Coteaux de l'Ancenis Malvoisie is relatively common. It is one of the three Pinots used to make Noble Joué (or rosé or vin gris) – the other two are Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier.

Grolleau Gris

Grolleau Gris is used to make rosé and is also a useful component in sparkling wine for the finesse of the bubbles it produces.

Menu Pineau (above and below)

Menu Pineau (also called Arbois) is a relation of Chenin Blanc. Once relatively widely planted it lost a lot of ground after the arrival phylloxera and during the 20th century. It can make attractively minerally dry whites. Some producers, like Pascal Potaire, are making 100% versions and I hope this coming decade will see more examples being made. Along with Chenin Blanc, it is the other grape of Vouvray, although this tends to be downplayed.

The official decrét (text) for the Vouvray appellation is unequivocal:

'Art. 2. - Les vins ayant droit à l'appellation contrôlée " Vouvray " devront obligatoirement provenir des cépages suivants : gros pineau ou pineau de la Loire ou chenin et petit pinot ou menu pinot.'

Interloire's site is an example of Menu Pineau being downplayed as Chenin Blanc is given as the sole permitted variety for Vouvray.

It would appear here that 'pinot' and 'pineau' are interchangeable. The rules appear to allow a Vouvray to be made from 100% Menu Pinot or Pineau. I have no idea if there are any examples of Vouvrays made from 100% Menu Pineau – if anyone knows of any I'd love to know please. In contrast to Vouvray, Montlouis allows only Chenin Blanc.

Gamay: Touraine's most popular red variety

From the vineyard overlooking Le Clos du Porteau

•••

Bertrand Celce (Wine Tasting, Vineyards, in France) has a good article on La Chapinière, a recently established domaine in Châteauvieux. Although I haven't yet visited the domaine I have tasted and enjoyed their minerally Sauvignon Blanc on a couple of occasions. They are involved in the Sauvignon Blanc project.

Serge Dagueneau et Filles are best known for their Pouilly-Fumé from Les Berthiers, Saint-Andelain. However they also have 1.5 ha of vines in the Coteaux Charitois at Saint-Lay. Some 30 years ago Serge planted a number of different varieties there including Pinot Noir – he wanted some red wine. They also have some Pinot Beurot, a synonym for Pinot Gris, planted there.

The 2008 has attractive red fruits and is delicious and easy to drink now – another example of the lighter, but not weedy, Loire Pinot Noir that drinks very well when it is young. Not sure that there is much point is keeping it – better to enjoy the fruit while it is young. A good match with fish. Serve slightly chilled during the summer.

When I dropped in to see Denis Jamain in Reuilly (Domaine de Reuilly with 16ha) during the vendange I also picked up some samples which I have been trying over the past week or so. Here are notes on four of them.

2007 Reuilly Rouge (100% Pinot Noir)
Once again shows what can be done in a difficult vintage for reds. This 2007 is light but has deliciously vibrant red fruits, which will be best enjoyed when young. Like Jacky Preys' Touraine Pinot Noir 2007 this demonstrates that light doesn't mean weedy. Equally not all light Loire Pinot Noirs are good, some are just dilute and acid.



2004 Cuvée de la Comtesse, Reuilly Rouge
This is altogether a more serious and ambitious wine (100% Pinot Noir) – deeper in colour, more concentration, body and length. It has attractive black fruit flavours with a hint of Pinot Noir earthiness and some of the edgy quality of the 2004s. Drinking well now, especially if decanted an hour or two before serving. Could also be kept another three or four years possibly more. The Cuvée de la Comtesse was an excellent match for the find takeaway couscous from Epeigné's Le Lézard Vert specially prepared by Nacer.


2008 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
Pinot Gris Rosé is a speciality of Reuilly, although it is becoming increasingly rare. In colour they tend to be more a vin gris – barely coloured – than rosé. This 2008 is a delicate is very vibrant, with light red fruit and citric flavours and an austere finish.


2008 Reuilly Blanc
White Reuilly is always made from 100% Sauvignon. Denis Jamain's 2008 Reuilly has none of those gooseberry, grassy notes that characterises a number of Loire Sauvignons. Instead grapefruit and lemon flavours are to the fore with some weight on the palate and a precise, long mineral finish. 'Tonique!' as some French might say. Both Denis Jamain's Pinot Gris and Reuilly Blanc have austere, clean finishes that amateurs of Loire wines will probably enjoy – others may find them too austere for their taste.

Denis Jamain, Domaine de Reuilly, Chemin des Petites Fontaines, 36200 Reuilly
Tel: 02.38.66.16.74
Email: denis-jamain@wanadoo.fr