Régis Neau in the vines at the moment of harvesting Chenin for the Coteaux de Saumur
Domaine details here.
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Régis Néau with Emilie, his daughter who is taking over running Domaine de Nerleux from Régis & Babette
A few more photos in my emerging series on taking photos of vignerons in the round. All three here make both Saumur-Champigny and Saumur.
Richard in front of the Château de Chaintres with a bottle of the 2009 Château, Saumur-Champigny
Richard Desouche is now well established at Château de Chaintres and his 2009 Champignys tasted today are looking very promising.
Antoine Sanzay with a barrel sample of 2009 La Salles Martin, Saumur Blanc
I'm confident that Antoine Sanzay, who is based in Varrains, will be one of the future leaders in Saumur/Saumur-Champigny. He is already one of the most exciting of the younger generation of vignerons. Currently only five of his 11 hectares go under his own production – the rest go to the Cave Cooperative of Saint-Cyr. His contract with the coop runs until 2013 and it will not be renewed.
Despite the quality of his wines he has no importer in the UK. He doesn't have big volumes to sell but even so you would have thought there was an English importer who would be keen to import Antoine's wines.
2009 Saumur Blanc, Domaine de Nerleux
Last night three of us had a quick bite to eat at the RSJ Restaurant before heading off to the National Theatre to see a gritty Glaswegian play called Men weeping buckets (Men should weep – ed). Naturally short of time we chose a half bottle of Régis and Babette Neau's 2009 Saumur Blanc from Domaine de Nerleux. 100% Chenin Blanc this is showing very well at the moment with rich peach and quince fruit but with enough acidity in the finish to carry it off.
2009 Anjou Rouge (Cabernet Franc), Château de la Roulerie
We following this with a half of Anjou Rouge from Philippe Germain. Delicious at the moment with soft, quite opulent sooty fruit – very 2009.
Cheers with a glass of Régis Neau's Crémant de Loire
RSJ's 30th Anniversary Dinner
Monday 11th October 2010
Monday 11th October 2010
RSJ's upstairs restaurant was packed last night for this celebratory dinner. The kitchen marshalled by veteran chef, Ian Stabler, were on top form. Also all the wines showed well with some particular stars.
Ian Stabler keeping a customary low profile but certainly producing the goods
Aperitif:
Crémant de Loire, Domaine de Nerleux, Régis Neau
Régis is one of the producers we have worked with for many years. His softly delicious Crémant is 70% Chenin and 30% Chardonnay and spends two years on its lees.
White:
Interesting that all three whites come from what are often termed difficult vintages. This is a reminder that the best dry white Loires often come from the cooler summers.
Tian of Cornish crab
watercress, crostini
Sancerre ‘La Perpétuelle’, Claude & Laurent Champault
This was a fascinating treat and probably the first time that La Perpétuelle has been drunk in the UK. This is made by the solera system, better known for its use in sherry. Claude and Laurent have just one 600 litre barrel of this wine, which they started in 1995 – filling it with 1995 red Sancerre (Pinot Noir). In 1996 they took a third out and bottled it, topping the barrel up with 1996 Sancerre red. Unlike in sherry they keep the barrel topped up to prevent oxidation. Just 280 bottles of this wine are produced a year. Our thanks to Claude and Laurent for their generous gift.
30 years in The Good Food Guide
RSJ Restaurant, 33 Coin Street, London SE1 9NR. Tel: 020-7928 4554.
Régis is one of the producers we have worked with for many years. His softly delicious Crémant is 70% Chenin and 30% Chardonnay and spends two years on its lees.
White:
1993 Montlouis Sec, Dominique Moyer
This was the big surprise of the night. Still very youthful, clean floral, buttery flavours with long, precise finish. Developed well in the glass. Was a fine match with the crab.
1998 Saumur Blanc, ‘Les Cormiers’ Jean-Pierre Chevallier
From one of our favourite Loire producers, this was more golden than the 1993 Montlouis and richer, fine but not the best match with the crab.
2004 Pouilly Fume ‘Pur Sang’ [Magnum] Didier Dagueneau
A sad reminder of how good a producer the late Didier Dagueneau was, this had lovely clean, precision and minerally length. A very good match with the crab.
This was the big surprise of the night. Still very youthful, clean floral, buttery flavours with long, precise finish. Developed well in the glass. Was a fine match with the crab.
1998 Saumur Blanc, ‘Les Cormiers’ Jean-Pierre Chevallier
From one of our favourite Loire producers, this was more golden than the 1993 Montlouis and richer, fine but not the best match with the crab.
2004 Pouilly Fume ‘Pur Sang’ [Magnum] Didier Dagueneau
A sad reminder of how good a producer the late Didier Dagueneau was, this had lovely clean, precision and minerally length. A very good match with the crab.
Interesting that all three whites come from what are often termed difficult vintages. This is a reminder that the best dry white Loires often come from the cooler summers.
Tian of Cornish crab
watercress, crostini
Red:
1999 Chinon, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine de la Perrière, Christophe Baudry
Another star of the evening – soft and wonderfully delicate red fruits, 1999 was initially an unheralded vintage that is now showing very well. A really classic Chinon that showed really well with the duck.
1989 Anjou Villages, Vincent Ogereau
In contrast to 1999, this was a very hot year – a glorious summer and autumn to celebrate the bicentennary of the French Revolution. This had richer fruit – leather, spice and fig.
Another star of the evening – soft and wonderfully delicate red fruits, 1999 was initially an unheralded vintage that is now showing very well. A really classic Chinon that showed really well with the duck.
1989 Anjou Villages, Vincent Ogereau
In contrast to 1999, this was a very hot year – a glorious summer and autumn to celebrate the bicentennary of the French Revolution. This had richer fruit – leather, spice and fig.
Sancerre ‘La Perpétuelle’, Claude & Laurent Champault
This was a fascinating treat and probably the first time that La Perpétuelle has been drunk in the UK. This is made by the solera system, better known for its use in sherry. Claude and Laurent have just one 600 litre barrel of this wine, which they started in 1995 – filling it with 1995 red Sancerre (Pinot Noir). In 1996 they took a third out and bottled it, topping the barrel up with 1996 Sancerre red. Unlike in sherry they keep the barrel topped up to prevent oxidation. Just 280 bottles of this wine are produced a year. Our thanks to Claude and Laurent for their generous gift.
Gressingham duck breast & confit leg,
Hisby cabbage, carrots, boulangere potatoes
Red wine jus
Sweet wine:
9] 2005 Coteaux de l’Aubance ‘Grandpierre’, Domaine de Bablut, Christophe Daviau
Christophe is another producer we have worked with for many years. This sweet wine is richly citric, with some luscious concentration and the mineral character that marks the single-vineyard, Grandpierre. Although it held its own reasonably well with the dessert, this is still probably best drunk on its own.
Apple & hazelnut torte
30 years in The Good Food Guide
RSJ Restaurant, 33 Coin Street, London SE1 9NR. Tel: 020-7928 4554.
Domaine de Nerleux in Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg is run by the Néau family and is a long established family estate making a very consistent range of wines.
