Sébastien Redde (Michel Redde et Fils) and the nascent 2011 Pouilly-Fumé

Apologies for a rather belated report on our visit to some producers in Pouilly-Fumé on afternoon of Friday 23rd September.

Although we didn't have time to visit very many, and a couple of people we wanted to see weren't around, our impression was that a number of producers here have been very pleasantly surprised at how 2011 has turned out and that their fears at the beginning of the harvest have not been realised. Certainly the nascent wines that I tried were all clean and precise with no off flavours.

Valérie Dagueneau (Serge Dagueneau et Filles): "I was afraid before the harvest that the grapes would not have enough potential alcohol, that many would be rotten and that the acidity would be low. Certainly we needed to be very selective – we now pick a third of our vines by hand. We started on Monday 5th September and finished on Friday 16th. The Sauvignon came in at around 12% potential and had kept a good level of acidity. Our Chasselas is at 10.5%, which is a good level for this grape, which is very rot resistant."

Jean-Michel Masson and Melanie

Pierre Masson

In the centre of Pouilly-sur-Loire I dropped in and tasted at Masson-Blondlet, who were also happy with the outcome, despite the threat of rot in early September. They harvested between Thursday 8th September and Monday 19th.

Alain and Loïc Cailbourdin

Picked between 6th and 16th September.

Cailbourdin winery extension

Sébastien Redde

Sébastien Redde: 'The Ban des Vendanges was on the 5th September but we had a special derogation to start on Friday 2nd because of the threat of rot in some of our parcels. We finished on Friday 16th. Everything is picked by hand – this year we had a team of 60 pickers and a sorting table in the cellar." Sébastien and his father, Thierry, think that 2011 may be better than 2010.

After tasting with Sébastien we went to see a new Redde vineyard – see a separate post shortly.

2009 Rosé Les Montées de Saint Lay

Normally I should have drunk this 2009 Rosé (pure Pinot Noir) about nine months to a year ago. Fortunately this rosé from the Côtes de la Charité has withstood time well – many rosés need to be drunk within a year of being made otherwise they become tired. Serge Dagueneau's has remained fresh in colour and flavour with seductive red fruits and grenadine. Being 2009 it has a little sweetness in the finish, which I find slightly cloying after a glass or so. However, I'm well aware that this will apeal to those who find sharp acidity difficult.

The vineyards of the Côtes de la Charité lie to the east of La Charité-sur-Loire, particularly around the hamlets of Saint-Lay and Chasnay.

 

Following on from the two 2008 Pouilly-Fumés drunk earlier this week, last night I tried the 2009 Tradition from Serge Dagueneau et Filles. This has the richness that I expect from the 2009 vintage and while it doesn't have the same concentration and complexity that their 2008 Clos des Chaudoux has, it does have well balanced grassy and citric fruit well balanced with mineral acidity. In any case you would expect the single vineyard Clos des Chaudoux to be a more interesting and complex wine than the Tradition, which is Dagueneau's 'entry level' Pouilly-Fumé.

Certainly it is a more interesting and complex wine than the 2008 de Ladoucette. Furthermore it is considerably cheaper: wine-searcher shows that it can be bought in France from 11.80€, while the de Ladoucette is now from 17.99€.

 

2008  Pouilly-Fumé, de Ladoucette

Yesterday evening we tried a couple of 2008 Pouilly-Fumés. We started with the ripe, soft 2008 de Ladoucette, which has some grassy aromas. Although pleasant enough it is rather bland – lacking complexity and length. 

2008 Clos des Chaudoux, Pouilly-Fumé

It was probably unfair on the Ladoucette, which is a cuvée with a substantial production, to taste and drink it alongside this single vineyard wine from Serge Dagueneau et Filles. Had I had a bottle a fairer comparison might have been with the Ladoucette prestige cuvée Baron L.

The Clos des Chaudoux comes from 45 year old vines planted on the 1.5 hectare parcel called Pentes de Chaudoux (slopes of Chaudoux). After 10-12 hours of skin contact it is vinified in stainless steel and then spends 16-18 months on its fine lees before bottling.

The 2008 Chaudoux is richer, more vibrant with some complex citric aromas and flavours. Although it has 13% alcohol, the wine has a freshness in the finish. With its more powerful flavours this was a better match with our cod and tuna fishcakes than the Ladoucette.

As one might expect the Clos du Chaudoux is more expensive: a check on wine-searcher shows that the Ladoucette sells for around 18€ and the Chaudoux (2007 vintage) for 23€. I think the Chaudoux is worth the extra 5€ if you are looking for a Pouilly-Fumé with character. 

 Florence Dagueneau in August 2008

We dropped into to see Valerie Dagueneau (Serge Dagueneau et Filles, Les Berthiers, Saint-Andelain) and she kindly invited us to stay for lunch. This was the first time that I had visited the domaine since the very sad and sudden death of Florence Dagueneau in mid-February. It was clear that Florence has left a big hole in this close knit family and I imagine that her absence is being particularly keenly felt at vintage time. 

Over a simple harvest lunch, which included a delicious home-made pork and rabbit terrine made by Rémy from rabbit shot by Serge, we tasted their current range. This included a 2009 Pinot Noir from the Côtes de la Charité (formerly called Coteaux Charitois). Medium weight with attractive black fruits with length and freshness in the finish. "C'était Flo's truc," said Valerie.  

"We started last Tuesday," said Valerie, "beginning picking by hand the young and old vines. The old vines came in at 13% and 5.5 acidity. Fruit coming in from those parcels we machine-pick is at nearly 12% with a little under 6.0 acidity. Our Pinot Noir from Saint-lay has been picked and has a potential of 12.3%. We are about halfway through picking."

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Landrat-Guyollot
We also dropped in to see Sophie Guyollot (Landrat-Guyollot also in Les Berthiers). Sophie reported that they had started last Wednesday with the grapes coming in at between 11.0%-11.5% with 6 acidity. "We have five days of harvesting left and we need now to pick as quickly as possible."

Michel Redde et Fils
I also stopped off at Michel Redde and saw Sébastien, Thierry Redde's son. "This year we are picking 50% by hand and 50% by machine – essentially it is our Petit Fumé which is machine harvested. However, the objective is to move to 100% hand picking into 10-12 kilo cagettes. We started picking last Monday (27th September) and we should finish on Thursday or Friday. The fruit is between 12%-12.5% with around 5.8 acidity. I think 2010 will probably be similar to 2007 and 2002."