Candes Saint Martin – the western limit of Touraine 

 I gather that under the on-going reform of the French wine laws that AC Touraine is about to simplify the white grapes that can be included in in the appellation. In essence if the grape isn't called Sauvignon – either Blanc or Gris it's out. This means no more Menu Pineau or Chenin Blanc in the still white wines of AC Touraine. Already varieties like Malvoisie were barred and Chardonnay couldn't be used as a sole variety.

Although there is a case to be be made for barring Chardonnay as it's a grape from further east – Burgundian rather than Ligerian, I don't see that it makes sense for Touraine to tie itself so closely to Sauvignon Blanc – 'putting all their eggs in one supermarket trolley'!

For a start Sauvignon Blanc is apparently not the historic grape of the region but was first planted in the 1920s. Chenin Blanc and Menu Pineau have a greater claim to being amongst the traditional varieties of Touraine.

Sauvignon Blanc is badly affected by vine disease esca and its mortality rates are higher. Higher, some like Thierry Puzelat, claim than the more traditional Menu Pineau.

2009 Menu Pineau

Eastern Touraine is the varietal melting pot of the Loire with a spread of grape varieties that reflects its position at the crossroads between the Oceanic western Loire and the more contintental eastern section. A single variety is against regional tradition.

It is also a dangerously limiting option – remember what happened to Chardonnay! Once the darling of the wine drinking classes, Chardonnay saw its popularity fall as the ABC (anything but Chardonnay) tendency grew. Sauvignon Blanc is popular now but a SOS (Sod off Sauvignon) movement may soon appear!  

The decision to go for only Sauvignon Blanc might have some logic in eastern Touraine where Sauvignon Blanc has established itself as the dominant variety. However, it makes no sense in western Touraine on the border with Saumur in the vineyards on the southern side of the Vienne around villages like Saint-Germain-sur-Vienne and Seuilly. Here, as in Chinon and Samur, it is Chenin Blanc planted on clay and limestone that is the traditional while variety of this area. Admittedly the volumes prodoced here are not large but there is a tradition of wine-making and pre-codification would have been considered part of Chinon. Indeed I gather that when the Chinon appellation was created in 1937 one of the mayors of these villages decided not to apply to join the nascent appellation because he feared that having this distinction would have resulted in higher taxes for his village. About a dozen years ago this area along the Vienne did apply to join the Chinon AC but were turned down.

So it would seem as things stand that whites from Seuilly and Saint-Germain-sur-Vienne etc. will no longer be entltiled to be called AC Touraine because they are made from Chenin Blanc and not Sauvignon Blanc. Of course should they decide to graft their Chenin over to Sauvignon Blanct then they will have the appellation. But why should they want to do that, when it is Chenin Blanc that is the traditional variety and adapted to their climate and soil – a question de terroir, n'est pas?

A possible solution might be to create a village appellation similar to Touraine Amboise, Axay-le-Rideau, Mesland or Noble-Joué and to make Chenin Blanc a or the permitted grape variety here. Perhaps we will see a Touraine-Seuilly or, more imaginatively, a Touraine-Rabelais as the great man was born in Seuilly and was much enmaoured by its wines. Doubtless the INAO will find rules that makes this impossible. A affair to follow!

I'm all in favour of appellation contrôlée as the protection of products' place names and sensible traditions is very important. However, all to often my impression is that the French AC system has become over-bureaucratic, too rigid and lacking the flexibility required for today's global market. Too often the wine legislators appear to be imposing petty rules that often go against the traditions of a particular area. Rules imposed either through pressure from more powerful appellations or for bureaucratic neatness. In short appellation contrôlée is becoming anal contrôlée. 

   

2006 Clos des Ronceveaux, Touraine Sauvignon

L’Exceptionnel de Paul Buisse, Saumur-Champigny 2003



You’ll find the Clos des Ronceveaux just above the cellars of Paul Buisse at the eastern end of Montrichard and facing south across the Cher Valley. The 2006 Clos des Ronceveaux, Touraine Sauvignon is 100% Fié Gris or Sauvivignon Rosé – also called Sauvignon Gris. Although a high quality variety, Sauvignon Rose is now rare having been pushed out by Sauvignon Blanc.

The Clos des Ronceveaux is vinified and aged in barriques for a year and has attractive rich fruit and delicate aromas of yellow plum. It is delicious now and should continue to be very drinkable for the next two or three years. When I visited Paul Buisse in early January, I tasted the 2007 Clos des Ronceveaux which at that stage was more influenced by the wood. If you have the 2006, I suggest you drink this vintage now and wait a year for the wood and the fruit of the 2007 to integrate properly.

Entrance to the Paul Buisse cellars in Montrichard. The Clos des Ronceveaux overlooks the cellars on top of the steep river cliff.

Sauvignon Rose is less aromatic than Sauvignon Blanc – no bad thing as far as I’m concerned especially if it avoids the catty reek of unripe Sauvignon. Its major problem is low yields, which explains why this long-time Sauvignon variant has given way to the more aromatic Blanc. However, Jim’s Loire has already covered the Fié Gris of Jackie Preys (jimsloire.blogspot.com/2009/03/domaine-jacky-preys-touraine-and.html) and the Sauvignon Rose from Eric Chevalier is one of the 2009 Loire Sauvignon Blanc Ambassadors. The Couillaud brothers of Château la Ragotière (La Regrippière, Pays Nantais) also have a Fie Gris in their experimental vineyard. Unfortunately Sauvignon Rose is not permitted in Sancerre, although it has probably long been planted there and a very good prestige cuvée from one of the appellation’s leading producers is 100% Sauvignon Gris/Rose.

It would be amazing if Sauvignon Rose ever makes a real comeback against Sauvignon Blanc. However, I do think there is now enough interest in exploring and rediscovering varieties other than those that are now planted around the world, which will ensure that varieties like Fié Gris/Sauvignon Rose and, I hope, Menu Pineau will now survive.




L’Exceptionnel de Paul Buisse, Saumur-Champigny 2003
L'Exceptionnel de Paul Buisse is the company's top of the range reds – Chinon, Bourgueil and Saumur-Champigny. Bought from good producers and matured in the Buisse cellars in Montrichard and overlooked by a tasting committee that includes oenologist, Anne Blain, and Pierre-Jacques Druet, now famous in Bourgueil but originally from Chissay-en-Touraine just four or five kilometres west of Montrichard. Despite this pedigree I have never been impressed with L'Exceptionnel wines. They tend to be clunky, lacking expression and vibrancy – dumb in a word and often dominated by tannin. L'Exceptionnel wines are aged in concrete and do not see any wood.

I opened this 2003 Saumur-Champigny on Tuesday evening and have tried it over the next three nights. On the first night it lacked vibrancy and the fruit was dumb. Interestingly it has improved over the past two days – during the day the bottle was kept stoppered in the fridge. This evening it showed best with much more vibrancy as well as freshness in the finish. Does the L'Exceptionnel need a little more air during its élévage – a little time in wood perhaps? Not to add wood flavours and tannins but to allow the wine to breathe?

Paul Buisse, 69 Route de Vierzon, 41202 Montrichard
Tel: 02.54.32.00.01
Email: contact@paul-buisse.com
Website: http://www.paul.buisse.com/

1 March 2009

This evening I opened a bottle of Jacky Preys et Fils Touraine Côt 2005 Cuvée Princière. Quite rustic and dusty but does have some Loire Côt (Malbec) character, a thread of acidity running through it and is quite attractive. However, it does not have the same concentration as the Côts from, for example, the Clos Roche Blanche, Domaine Sauvete or Jean-François Merieau (Bois Vaudons). I suspect that the yields are higher. The rather old fashioned label tells its own story.

Jacky Preys and his son Pascal are based in Meusnes to the east of Saint-Aignan at the eastern limit of the Touraine appellation. Over the past 40 years, Jacky Preys has built up the domaine, which now has 75 hectares – mostly in Touraine but some in AC Valençay. Over the years I have tasted Jacky’s wines and found them well made with his Sauvignon Gris (Cuvée de Fie Gris) often being the most interesting. Sauvignon Gris or Sauvignon Rosé is now a rare variety of Sauvignon. There are a few parcels of it in Sancerre, although it is not officially entitled to the appellation.

Right at the end on the Tuesday of the Salon des Vins de Loire I quickly tasted some of the domaine’s wines. The 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Les Pillotières (not bottled) was aromatic, quite rich with a hint of residual sugar remaining. The 2008 Cuvée de Fié Gris (not in bottle) had attractive gooseberry and grassy notes. Then I tried two reds: the easy drinking, juicy 2006 Pinot Noir Cuvée Royale AC and the spicy Valençay 2007, which is a blend of 40% Pinot Noir, 40% Gamay and 20% Côt.

I need to find time this year to go and visit the domaine.

Domaine Jacky Preys, 536 Rue Debussy, 41130 Meusnes
Tel: 02.54.71.00.34
Email: domainepreys@wanadoo,fr
Site: www.domainepreys.com