Thierry tasting down in his cellar

Early last Friday morning Nigel and I headed off to Saumur with a first stop with Thierry Germain (Domaine des Roches Neuves) in Varrains. First off we tasted the 2010 whites where Thierry continues to look for freshness and minerality, very different in style from the rich whites he made when he first arrived in Saumur back in the early 1990s. Solitaire 2010 Saumur Blanc, the second wine has minerality and balance. Isolite 2010, which is vinified and aged in a mix of 12 hl foudres and 500/600 litre barrels, has more ripeness and weight than Solitaire, although the finish is quite austere.

Thierry demonstrating how the vines are curled into each other

Before we started tasting we had a quick look at the Cabernet Franc vines by the winery. Thierry explained that they now have a trellis system with five wires to maximise the leaf area, and so maximise photosynthesis. He explained that they no longer trim the tops of the vines as is common practice throughout most of France. Instead the vine shoots are curled into the foliage, which appears to top them growing.

Then onto the reds. Firstly the 2010 Domaine des Roches Neuves, Saumur-Champigny with its vivid, easy drinking primary fruit from a short maceration. This cuvée has been bottled, while the rest of the reds we tasted from barrel. The 2010 Franc de Pied from ungrafted vines has an attractively soft texture and very pure black fruit flavours.

We finished down in the Roches Neuves extensive and warren-like cellars where the still unbottled , richly opulent and complex 2009 Marginale was particularly impressive.

 Further cellar shots

•••

Château de Villeneuve

From Thierry Germain's Roches Neuves in Varrains we crossed from the south of the Saumur-Champigny appellation to the north that overlooks the Loire. To Jean-Pierre and Florent Chevallier's Château de Villeneuve in Souzay-Champigny. Jean-Pierre is a close friend of Thierry's and his wines continue to be among the top wines from the Loire, although JP's quality tends to get less media coverage than they deserve.

We started with the yet to be bottled rich and lemony 2010 Saumur Blanc with its pure and mineral finish. JP said that due to a hail storm on 2nd May they will only have a very small harvest of Chenin Blanc this year. The 2009 Les Cormiers, which was vinified and aged in 12 hls foudres, needs time with the wood still showing a little but it has a fine mineral tension in the finish.

The new spring cuvée, 2010 Clos de la bienboire, is exactly what it is designed to be – deliciously, fruity. 2010 is the first commercial release, although JP made some in 2008 and 2009 as an experiment. The wine has no added sulphur, so needs careful handling and most of it will be sold locally. The 2009  domaine Saumur-Champigny is quite closed and tight needing time, so enjoy the Clos why this comes round. In contrast the floral and elegant 2009 Vieilles Vignes is more open and accessible. We finished with the finely structured 2009 Le Grand Clos with its silky texture. Presently closed in comparison to the VV, this has greater potential. Now 18€ a bottle from the domaine, it remains a bargain particularly in relation to Bordeaux wines of similar quality.       

Although Villeneuve has been effectively organic for the last nine years, JP is now seeking certification so the domaine is now in its second year of formally converting to organic viticulture. Jean-Pierre talked about the improvements Saumur-Champigny over the past 20 years. How he had been ashamed of them in comparison to Bordeaux back in the early 1990s but that now was certainly not the case anymore. The days of picking unripe and adding sugar have gone for good producers. Jean-Pierre stopped chaptalising in 1993 and hasn't added sugar to any of his cuvées since then. 

He spoke also of the influence on him of Charles Joguet, especially the wines from 1989 and 1990, which had convinced him of what was possible here.     

The church of Souzay-Champigny close to Villeneuve 

Chinon to follow separately tomorrow.

  (Originally posted on Les 5 du Vin)

 

 

On Saturday I went along to Vitiloire (http://www.tours.fr/vitiloire/index.php). This is a consumer wine fair held in the centre of Tours, which celebrates Loire wines from Nantes by the Atlantic to the Côte de Forez deep in the Auvergne.  

Vitiloire 2011 is the 9^th edition and somehow it is the first one that I have managed to attend – a shame because it was brilliant with 116 producers showing their wines. It helped, of course, that the weekend was warm and sunny.

Time for lunch – an opportunity to graze from the many food stalls

Among the 116 producers present there were a good number that I did not know, so it was an excellent opportunity to try their wines rather than sticking with vignerons whose wines I already know. This worked very well as there were a number that impressed me.

Pierre Van Den Boom

 

First off was Pierre Van Den Boom (Domaine de l’Enchantoir) in Le Puy Notre Dame. I was impressed by his two Saumur Blancs (100% Chenin Blanc). The 2009 Domaine (6€) has lightly floral aromas with a hint a honey and an attractive texture with some weight.  The 2007 Cuvée Madeleine (8.50€), which is vinified in oak, is more complex and mineral with the precision and austerity associated with the 2007 vintage. I also liked his 2009 Le Pied à l’étrier (7.20€), a red with the new Saumur Le Puy-Notre Dame appellation with its black fruits and structure. I thought this cuvée was more successful then the 2008 Clos du Petit Chavannes, a cuvée prestige where the oak dominated the fruit.

Pascal Janvier

There were several producers from Jasnières and the Coteaux du Loir illustrating that, although this small area is nevertheless one of the Loire’s most dynamic. Pascal Janvier has a total of 9.5 hectares – six in Jasnières. His 2010 Coteaux du Loir (100% Chenin) is charming as well as precise and balanced with its 13 grams of residual sugar. The 2010 Cuvée des Silex, Jasnières is more austere with only 3.5 grams of residual sugar but has character, greater minerality and length. To finish the 2010 Cuvée Sainte Narcisse a delicately sweet Jasnières with 55 grams of residual sugar. This would make a very attractive aperitif or to serve with blue cheese even foie gras but not a dessert.

Régis Breton

 

My next new Jasnières producer was Régis Breton (Domaine Percheron), whose first vintage was 2008. Previously he had been maître de chai for Michel Boulay. Régis has five hectares – 3.5 in Jasnières. His wines are clean, precise and well made with my favourite being the quite austere 2008 Coteaux du Loir with 6 grams of residual.

Finally another Rémi but not from Jasnières but instead one of the small number of Noble Joué producers. Noble  Joué has its own Touraine appellation and is made from three Pinots – Noir, Meunier and Gris. Rémi Cosson has four hectares of vines. His 2010 Noble Joué would be a delightful apéritif with its youthful, floral aromas, ripe texture balanced by crisp acidity. Cosson's Noble Joué is on the list of the Agnès Sorel restaurant in Genillé, where the 22€ menu is a bargain.

 

Rémi Cosson

Over its two days Vitiloire attracts some 20,000 visitors. I noted a high proportion of young enthusiasts – there to discover the Loire’s diversity and no sign of people out to get drunk.

The organisers of Vitiloire say that the 2011 edition attracted 25,000 visitors and that 7000 tasting glasses were sold@5€ each. Attendance was up by 20% on 2010.  

 

Prize Presentation

Report on the 16th edition on Les 5 du Vin here.

We took advantage of an invitation to the the Journées Nationales du Livre et du Vin, which has been held every year since 1996 at Bouvet-Ladubay, to drop in on the Portes Ouvertes at Domaine des Champs Fleuris in Turquant — a most welcoming and well-organised event. The estate has 34 hectares of vines – 30 Cabernet Franc and 4 Chenin Blanc. It is run by Patrice and Catherine Retif and Denis Rétiveau.

Patrice Retif

We started with the youthful, floral and easy drinking 2010 Domaine Saumur Blanc before trying the more complex 2008 Les Damoiselles Saumur Blanc. Les Damoiselles is vinified and aged in 400 litre barrels. This 2008 has a good balance of fruit and minerality with some oak spice and vanilla still present. Shows once more what an attractive vintage 2008 is in the Loire for dry whites. We also tried the recently bottled 2009, which is richer but a bit ungainly and tight in the finish – suffering from its recent bottling but just a question of giving it a few months in bottle.

Their 2010 Cabernet de Saumur is a very agreeable summer rosé with red cherry fruit. At 13.5% the alcohol is quite high, so although it is balanced too many glasses might induce a substantial siesta.

The reds (Saumur-Champigny) started with the screwtopped 2010 Audace, easy drinking and designed to be drunk young. Audace has a short maceration of just five days and then is bottled young. It has good fruit with sooty and green pepper overtones. 2008 was the first vintage. They missed 2009 and have now brought out the 2010.

Next up was the more substantial 2010 Les Trufolies (14-15 days of maceration) with attractive riper fruit and naturally more structure and tannins. Needs a little more time. As does the 2010 Vieilles Vignes, which has already been bottled as the domaine has virtually run out of wine. The VV has ripe plum and black fruits and quite marked tannins in the finish, which need to be left to round out.

Next a step back in time with the 2002 Les Rotissants, one of my favourite wines of the tasting. Now nicely evolved, mature fruit and showing all the balance of fruit, structure and acidity that one associates with 2002. The Rotissants vineyard is in the neighbouring commune of Montsoreau.

We continued with the fine 2008 Les Roches, which is the best plot on the Rotissants vineyard. Les Roches is aged in 100% new oak. Despite this the 2008 is not overoaked, although there is a touch of wood spice along with the concentrated red and black fruits.

We had a Crémant interlude trying the Rosé and then the white, which has zero dosage. Both are clean and easy to drink – unfortunately I just find Vouvray or Montlouis, especially when they are pétillant, more interesting. The 2007 Cuvée Sarah Coteaux du Saumur with its rhubarb and citric fruit – orange and tangerine – is a lovely balance of sweetness and clean, precise acidity and is everything that makes 2007 such a good sweet vintage.

The entrance to the cave

La cave

It was relatively quiet when we arrived but the courtyard soon filled up

This coming weekend (7th–8th May) the domaine has another Portes Ouvertes.

Fredrik  Filliatreau

Gremlins appear to have got into my article on the 2009 Loire Vintage in this month's Decanter where I allege that wines from Domaine Filliatreau are not available in the UK. Even I know this is nonsense and wasn't as far as I can see in my submitted copy, so it must have been affected by its passage thru the ether.

Yesterday afternoon I received this  email from an understandably slightly miffed Jason Yapp of Yapp Brothers:

'Great to see the Domaine Filliatreau Saumur Champigny 2009 in the latest edition of Decanter but it’s disappointing to see it being listed as unavailable in the UK.

'We’ve been shipping it in every single vintage for over 30 years & have plentiful stocks of the 2009!'

Sunrise@Le Quai Mayaud, Saumur

I'm very grateful to Cathy Shaw and Nigel Henton for news of Le Patio, another recommended B&B in Saumur.

From their report:

'We stayed at this B & B in Saumur on Thursday night. Located on the river front just next to the Hotel Anne d'Anjou, this B & B is a delightful find.

Read the rest here.

Marie & Romain Legrand

Le Patio Saumur

31 Quai Mayaud

Saumur

02 41 51 20 22

06 09 94 84 55

contact@lepatiosaumur.com
www.lepatiosaumur.fr

 Château de Saumur, the town and La Loire

SAUMUR - Dédiées à l’acteur Jean Carmet, ces journées se situent à la croisée des deux grandes activités qui font la renommée de la France : sa littérature et son vin.

Au programme

Les Journées Nationales du Livre et du vin, créées en 1996, réunissent des écrivains, des grands vins de Loire, la gastronomie et la presse nationale, et des personnalités de tous horizons représentatives de l'art de vivre à la française.

Les éditeurs, les vignerons de renom, des représentants du monde littéraire et viticole (écrivains, critiques, œnologues, sommeliers, etc.) et des personnalités du monde du spectacle, se réuniront le 1er mai au cœur de la ville de Saumur pour le 16ème anniversaire des Journées Nationales du Livre et du Vin.

Déjeuner gastronomique, rencontres des écrivains avec le public, remise des prix littéraires, tables rondes, cafés littéraires, lectures, initiation aux arts du vin émailleront comme chaque année la manifestation.

Informations pratiques

Samedi 30 avril de 16h à 18h.
Dimanche 1er mai de 11h à 18h30.
Caves Bouvet-Ladubay à Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent - Saumur.

30 avril : grande table ronde sur l’ivresse fantastique

1er mai : Salon du Livre et du Vin
Thème : l’ivresse «fantastique*» et clin d’œil à la Hongrie
(*l'univers du «merveilleux», du «voyage», de la «science fiction», du «paranormal», de «l’étrange», de la «peur», du «surnaturel» et de «l’imaginaire»)

- 130 auteurs
- une vingtaine de vignerons, Ligers d’or 2010
- séances de signatures, tables rondes, cafés littéraires, entretiens
- dégustations et initiations aux arts du vin
- dégustations de produits du terroir, dégustations de vins hongrois
- animations musicales et artistiques

Renseignements : 

Les organisateurs:
Patrice Monmousseau, Jean-Maurice  Belayche et Jean-Yves Clément

JOURNÉES NATIONALES DU LIVRE ET DU VIN

B.P. 65
Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent
49426 SAUMUR CEDEX
Tél. 02 41 83 83 90
Fax. 02 41 50 33 55
Site internet

 

Image projection@Bouvet-Ladubay 

Ackerman was founded in 1811 and this year celebrates its bicentenary. It was the first of the Saumur sparkling wine houses to be established. During this year's Salon des Vins Loire the company launched a book that covers the company's history written by Goeffrey Ratouis. 

Further details when I have had a chance to read the book.

Update: 23.20

Got well stuck into this on the QueasyJet flight to Lisbon this evening. Clear that while this might be the bicentennary of the association between Jean-Baptiste Ackerman and Jean-Pierre Laurance, it is certainly not the bicentennary of sparkling wine from Ackerman. Ratouis concludes that Jean-Baptiste was not making sparkling wine in commercial quantities until 1845, although Ackerman can have the distinction of being the first sparkling wine house of Saumur. 

Part of the view from the Decanter tasting room: chimney of Tate Modern and St Paul's

The biodynamic calendar is divided into four types of day – leaf, fruit, flower and root. Wine is believed to taste at its best on fruit days when it will be more expressive and less well on the other days.

Over the last two days I have been involved in a Decanter magazine tasting of Saumur red, Saumur Le Puy Notre Dame and Saumur-Champigny. Like the rest of the panel I was looking forward to tasting some lovely wines. Sadly many of the wines we tasted yesterday were very disappointing, closed up, tannic and lacking charm. Having tasted a number of delicious 2009s recently I was very surprised.

After the end of yesterday's tasting – we assessed between 30 and 35 wines, I went on to the Charles and Philippa Sydney's Loire tasting at the Royal Society of Arts. Here the whites, especially 2010 Muscadets and various 2010 Sauvignons were showing well. The reds, however, which included some wine that I had tasted very recently and liked were as dumb as the reds from Saumur in the Decanter tasting. This was confirmed by Charles Sydney who wondered where all their fruit had gone.

A plausible explanation arrived this morning as it was immediately obvious that many of the remaing wines were showing much more attractively today than yesterday. Tasting over we discovered that today was a fruit day. Whether this was the factor or there were other atmospheric changes or changes of pressure, etc, I'm not sure. However, the wines generally tasted better today. Did the wines change? Did we? Or did both change?

A star is born: Antoine Sanzay being filmed emptying ripe Cabernet Franc

The report on our visit to some Saumur vineyards last Thursday is now complete. Please click here.

 

Château de Saumur and the town

'Depuis 5 ans, Saumur a rendez-vous début Septembre avec le vin. La manifestation prend de l'ampleur et devient le festival "Festivini". Plus denses, encore plus attractives, pendant 10 jours, les animations autour du vin vont se succéder : concerts, spectacles, rencontres sportives, gastronomiques, animations dans la ville et chez les commerçants... C'est tout le saumurois qui se mobilise.

Vins, saveurs et bonne humeur

Du 04 au 12 Septembre 2010, tous les acteurs Saumurois se regrouperont pour faire vivre le vin au coeur de la ville. A l’initiative du Syndicat Viticole des Côtes de Saumur, de la Chambre de Commerce et d’Industrie, de la Communauté d'Agglomération et de la Ville de Saumur des activités variées vous seront proposées tout au long de ce festival. Une bonne occasion pour découvrir ou redécouvrir Saumur en famille.

Quelques rendez-vous incontournables (some unmissable events) :
1er weekend : Marché des vins - 60 vignerons - 7 appellations
Dimanche 5 Septembre : Concert Saumur Brut avec Thomas Dutronc
Vendredi 10 Septembre : "Dîner découverte 12 plats 12 vins"
Dimanche 12 Septembre : Foulées du Saumur Champigny

Et tout au long de la semaine...

 Formation à la dégustation, cours de cuisine sur le thème du vin, animation dans les rues et chez les commerçants, ateliers du goût, randonnées dans le vignoble, initiation à des danses (Tchatcha, Salsa...) et dégustation,  exposition concours photos et peinture, concerts et spectacles.

Pour tout savoir sur le programme des festivités, c'est ici !
Full programme details click here.'

Saumur and its château

If you are staying in Angers a day trip to Saumur is perfectly possible as it is only an attractive hour's drive along the banks of the Loire. It's even quicker by autoroute (A11 and A85) but less fun and you will have to pay tolls. Head out through Angers via Trélazé on the D952. This will take you along the north bank of the Loire until you reach Les Rosiers. Turn right over the bridge and then follow the Loire on the south bank to Saumur. On a sunny day this will be a very attractive drive. 

In Saumur I'd naturally have lunch at the Pot de Lapin. The Bistrot de la Place would be an alternative or if you just want a quick bite then the Brasserie de la Bourse in centre of Saumur near to the tourist office is always reliable.

There is a big choice of producers in easy reach of Saumur to go and see. Ones I would recommend include:

Château de Villeneuve (Souzay-Champigny)

Château de Targé (Parnay)

Château de Hureau (Dampierre)

Domaine de Val Brun (Parnay)

Domaine de Nerleux (St Cyr-en-Bourg)
Domaine des Roches Neuves (Varrains)

Antoine Sanzay (Varrains)
Château de Chaintres (Chaintres)

Domaine Filliatreau (Chaintres)

Among the sparkling wine houses there are Langlois-Chateau (Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent) and Bouvet-Ladubay (Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent).

See part one here.

   

L-R: Fréderic Mabileau, Nigel Wilkinson (RSJ), Natalie Mabileau and Vincent Roussely

Frédéric Mabileau

Natalie Mabileau

Vincent Roussely

The third in the series of producer tastings to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the RSJ Restaurant in London's Waterloo. Last night it was a double bill Frédéric and Natalie Mabileau (Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Bourgueil, Anjou and Saumur) and with Vincent Roussely (Clos Roussely, AC Touraine).

It was another excellent evening with all of the wines showing well   

Aperitif 
1) 2009 Rose ‘Osez’ Rosé de Loire Frédéric Mabileau      £8.95
100% Cabernet Franc.

    
White:

Tasted on their own 

2] 2008 Sauvignon, ‘L’Esprit du Clos’, Vincent Roussely       £9.85

Old vines, barrel fermented.

3] 2002 Sauvignon, ‘L’Esprit du Clos’, Vincent Roussely        N/A

Old vines, barrel fermented. 

4] 2007 Chenin Blanc,  Saumur, Frédéric Mabileau       £17.45

Grapes come from Le Puy Notre Dame, handpicked two passges through vines. Fermented in 600 litre barrels. 2007 was the first year made exactly 60 years after Frédéric's grandfather made the domaine's last white from Chenin Blanc planted in Saint-Nicolas. 

Cured salmon with a crab and watercress salad

Served with first course 
5] 2009 Sauvignon ‘Le Clos’, Touraine, Vincent Roussely       £8.50

From younger vines, desigend to be a young and fresh wine.

6] 2009 Chenin des Rouillères, Anjou, Frédéric Mabileau      £9.95           

First vintage from Chenin planted four years on sand and gravel just to the west of Saint-Nicolas.

Red:

Tasted on their own 

7] 2008 Touraine Gamay, ‘Canaille’, Touraine, Vincent Roussely     £8.50
Canaille translates as outlaw, or rebel – someone standing apart. This Gamay has more weight and chaarcter than many Touraine Gamays.
                                                                        
8] 2000/2005 ‘Anthologie’, Touraine   Vincent Roussely   N/A

2000 was Vincent's first vintage back in Touraine after having made wine in Australia, South Africa and California. The 2000 included a little Gamay in with the normal blend of Cabernet (the majority) and Côt.

9] 2008 Bourgueil  ‘Racines’   Frédéric Mabileau    £13.25  
Frédéric has one hectare in Bourgueil planted on clay and gravel. 100% Cabernet Franc as are all his Saint-Nicolas wines.                    

10] 2008 St Nicolas de Bourgueil  ‘Eclipse’   Frédéric Mabileau    £18.20
Fred's most structured and ageworthy wine. Comes from old vines planted on the clay and limestone coteaux. Should last a good 10-15 years.                       

Roast English saddle of lamb

Minted Jersey royals, carrots, mange tout, purple sprouting broccoli,

lamb jus

Served with main course 

11] 2007 ‘Anthologie’ Touraine, Vincent Roussely,  £9.85
Good effort from a difficult year for reds.

12] 2008 St Nicolas de Bourgueil, ‘Les Rouillères, Frédéric Mabileau   £10.30                                     Fine balance of fruit and freshness.                       

Chocolate and hazelnut torte

with raspberry ice cream

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.

 

Jean-Pierre Chevallier and Yannick Amirault

 We had a wonderful evening with Yannick Amirault (Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil) and Jean-Pierre Chevallier (Château de Villeneuve – Saumur and Saumur-Champigny) presenting their wines at the RSJ Restaurant (Waterloo, London).  

Wines tasted 

Jean-Pierre Chevallier (Château de Villeneuve)
2001 Les Cormiers, Saumur Blanc
2007 Saumur Champigny 
2005 Le Grand Clos, Saumur-Champigny
1999 Le Grand Clos, Saumur-Champigny  

Yannick Amirault
2008 Coudraye, Bourgueil
2007Le Grand Clos, Bourgueil
2003 La Petite Cave, Bourgueil
2002 La Petite Cave, Bourgueil

Dinner                                                                                    
2008 Saumur Blanc, Château de Villeneuve

2007 La Mine, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourguei, Yannick Amirault
2000 Saumur-Champigny, Château de Villeneuve
2006 Vieilles Vignes Saumur Champigny, Château de Villeneuve
2006 Les Quartiers, Bourgueil, Yannick Amirault

 Yannick Amirault

Dinner menu
Pan roasted scallops with wild mushroom risotto

Roast rib-eye of beef, spring vegetables, Jersey royals, red wine jus

Dessert: strawberry buttermilk pudding

Notes on wines to follow

Anita@Le Pot de Lapin flanked by a glass of PetNat from Antoine Sanzay

Today we had the first real spring day: bright sunshine, largely blue sky and temperatures up to 23˚C by mid-afternoon. We spent the day wandering over to Saumur – stopping to take pictures on the way (see separate post). Once again we had a very good meal. Starting with a glass of PetNat from Antoine Sanzay – red fruits balanced with good fresh acidity makes this an excellent apéritif – we all opted for the oeufs en cocotte avec fromage. This is a Pot signature dish and it was very good once again with the eggs yolks runny in the middle. To follow on I had a very sizeable entrecôte with excellent chips, while the others had a sort of shepherds' pie but made with boudin noir. Nearly defeated we opted for a single crème brûlée between the three of us.  

 

Interior of Le Pot 

We drank a very good bottle of Bruno Dubois' 2005 La Cuvée du Coin, Saumur-Champigny. Powerful and concentrated with notes of sous bois, a touch of gaminess and well integrated ripe tannins. A 2005 that is delicious to drink now but will doubtless keep well over the next five years or more.   

 

Sign of the rabbit

Olivier Thibault: chef-patron of Le Pot de Lapin

 François Rabelais and Pierre de Ronsard part of the fresco@Chanceaux-près-Loches

L'Ivresse Amoureuse: thème des 15èmes Journées du Livre et du Vin de Saumur

En filigrane le bicentenaire Chopin
Clin d’œil à 100 ans d’amour du cinéma
Lieu : Saumur, Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent
- Dimanche 11 avril 2010

- 130 auteurs, 10 tonnes de livres, 2700 bouteilles dégustées, 7 prix littéraires décernés, un train spécial Paris-Saumur, l’événement festif et littéraire de l’hexagone qui attire des milliers de personnes, une exposition d’affiches sur l’amour du cinéma tirée d’une collection privée sur 800m2 de galerie (des lithographies à offset), des séances de signatures, des tables rondes, des variations musicales, des cafés littéraires, des entretiens, la dégustation des vins « Prix d’Excellence » de la Loire du Sancerre au Muscadet et aussi une reprise exceptionnelle du Cadre Noir avec la remise du Prix littéraire « Pégase ».
 
- De grands noms ont d’ores et déjà accepté de fêter l’ivresse amoureuse : Irène Frain, Régine Deforges, Benoîte Groult, Claude Chabrol, Mathias Moncorgé Gabin, Macha Méril, Patrick Poivre d’Arvor, Eve Ruggieri, Anouk Aimée, Jeanne Manson, Claude Sérillon, Nelson Monfort, Claude Brasseur, Brigitte Fossey, Michel Onfray, Jean Favier, Jacques Weber, David Foenkinos, Alain Baraton, Guillaume Laurent, Maryline Desbiolles, Florian Zeller, Nelson Monfort, Bernard Werber, etc.
 

Les organisateurs,
Jean-Maurice Belayche 
Jean-Yves Clement 
Patrice Monmousseau 
Contact Presse : Hélène Marchand
02 41 83 83 90
06 45 08 83 73
livreetvin@bouvet-ladubay.fr

Background

Dédiées à l’acteur Jean Carmet qui a permis d’en initier l’idée, les Journées Nationales du Livre et du Vin, créées en 1996, se situent à la croisée de deux éléments fondamentaux du patrimoine français : sa littérature et son vin, associés au sein d’une manifestation d’ampleur nationale.

Elle réunit des écrivains, les grands vins de Loire, la gastronomie et la presse nationale, et des personnalités de tous horizons représentatives de l'art de vivre à la française (Irène Frain, Macha Méril, Régine Deforges, Marie-Christine Barrault, Denis Tillinac, Jean-Claude Carrière, Olivier Roellinger, Jim Harrison, James Crumley, Claude Chabrol, Bernard Giraudeau, Claude Brasseur, Bernard Werber, Florian Zeller etc.)

La tradition littéraire de la région, que Ronsard, Sade, Balzac, Dumas, Flaubert, Morand, Green, Genet, ont marquée de leur empreinte, la douceur de son art de vivre, la présence majestueuse de Rabelais et les vertus de la “Dive Bouteille”, tous ces charmes se conjuguent harmonieusement au cœur des coteaux du Saumurois, dans l’horizon dessiné par la Loire et les façades de tuffeau “qui renvoie comme aucun autre matériau au monde le soleil frais de huit heures du matin“ (Julien Gracq).

Les éditeurs, les vignerons de renom, des représentants du monde littéraire et viticole (écrivains, critiques, œnologues, sommeliers, etc.), des personnalités du monde du spectacle, se réuniront le 11 avril 2010 au cœur de la Ville de Saumur, pour fêter, autour de « l'Ivresse littéraire », le 15ème anniversaire des Journées Nationales du Livre et du Vin.

Programme prévisionnel 2010

Journées Nationales du Livre et du Vin

Saumur dimanche 11 avril 2010

10h30  Reprise exceptionnelle du Cadre Noir (Grand Manège) en l’honneur du Livre et du Vin 

Remise du Prix littéraire « Pégase », clôturé par le saut de la table des écuyers du Cadre Noir suivi d’un vin d’honneur

13h45   Ouverture des portes au public

14h00 à 19h  Séances de signatures : rencontre des auteurs avec le public

Exposition permanente d’affiches de films ‘100 ans d’amour du Cinéma’ de la collection privée de Thierry Marquez

Dégustations des vins « Prix d’Excellence » de la Loire 2009/2010 par Jacques Puisais, ex- président des œnologues, président fondateur de l’institut du goût

Tour du monde de vins par Claude Gilois, fondateur de la Société « Vins du monde » (Nouvelle-Zélande, Argentine, Etats-Unis, Chili, Australie, Brésil, Grèce, Inde et Ukraine)

14h15  Inauguration officielle du Livre et du Vin avec la remise des 7 prix littéraires 2010 présidée par Eliette Abécassis, Florian Zeller, Elisabeth Barillé, Denis Tillinac, Irène Frain, Régine Deforges, Pierre Bonte, Jean Amadou, Claude Chabrol, Guillaume Laurant, Brigitte Fossey, Marie-Christine Barrault et Alain Borer

15h00 à 16h  Table ronde sur « L’ivresse amoureuse » animée Jean-Yves Clément avec Anouk Aimée, Gilles Leroy, Laure Adler et Patrick Poivre D’Avor

15h00 à 19h Entretiens 

« L’amour du sport », entretien par Nelson Monfort (30 min)

« Benoîte Groult » entretien par Antoine Boussin (50 min)

« Les mots érotiques du vin » par José Artur avec Philippe Brenot, Marc Lagrange et Nathalie Roussel et d’autres en préparation...

Interludes musicaux dans le cadre du bicentenaire Chopin : Chopin par le pianiste Pascal Amoyel (révélation soliste instrumental en 2005 aux victoires de la musique, accueilli comme ‘un miracle que l’on osait plus espérer’ pour son intégrale des Nocturnes de Chopin.  (2 interludes de 20 min)

Cafés littéraires avec Anne Chevrel (France 3) 

« L’ivresse musicale » par Eve Ruggieri

« Les amours de Marie-Antoinette » par Elisabeth Reynaud

« Les amours mythiques » par Patrick Mahé

« Delon-Romy, un amour impossible » par Bertrand Tessier

16h30  Projet de l’enregistrement d’une émission de France Culture avec Raphaël Enthoven 

19h00  Fin du Salon

*Toutes les animations littéraires sont en cours de préparation.

Tarif entrées:

Salon Livre et Vin (seul) : 3 € (gratuit enfants moins de 16 ans) 

Livre et Vin avec spectacle Cadre Noir : 8 €

Points de vente :

- Office de tourisme de Saumur

- L’Ecole Nationale d’Equitation

- Accueil Bouvet Ladubay

- Billetterie Espace culturel

- Billetterie Centre Leclerc Saumur

Jean-Pierre Chevallier (Château de Villeneuve)

I'm delighted that two of my favourite Loire producers – Yannick Amirault (Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil) and Jean-Pierre Chevallier (Saumur-Champigny and Saumur) – will be presenting their wines at the RSJ on Tuesday 13th April. Both Yannick and Jean-Pierre are meticulous producers and this is shown by the consistent quality of their wines year in year out.

Yannick Amirault drawing a barrel sample from his cave in the Bourgueil hillside

Some of the details of the format of the evening are yet to be decided but it may well be that there will be a walk around tasting followed by dinner with a few wines selected by Yannick and Jean-Pierre to go with the meal. Cost of the event is £45.

To reserve you place please contact Tom King on 020-7928 4554 or tom.king@rsj.uk.com
RSJ Restaurant, 33 Coin Street, London SE1

The RSJ Restaurant celebrates its 30th birthday this year and this is one of a series of producer events to celebrate the anniversary. I have been a consultant to the RSJ since 1989/1990.

Details of other producer dinners here in 2010.