2011 Gamay@ Clos Roche Blanche's block@La Tesnière

Quick visit yesterday afternoon to a few local vignerons (+ a vigneronne) in the Cher to get an idea of how things are shaping up and when picking is due to start.

Vincent Roussely (Clos Roussely, Angé) was putting in a last afternoon on the paperwork that threatens to submerge many producers. From today it will down to getting everything prepared for the harvest, which Vinent expects will start a week today. He's happy with his Sauvignon: a yield of around 35 hl/ha because of coulure during the flowering with 11.8-12% potential at present.

Vincent Roussely in his office keeping the paperwork at bay

Then we went onto La Tesnière (Pouillé*) to see Noëlla Morantin and Laurent Saillard. Both were very busy getting everything ready to start picking on Monday, although things could change depending on the weather. The Gamay and Chardonnay are currently at 10.5% potential.

On Friday the 2010 Terres Blanches (Chardonnay) and 2010 Chez Charles (Sauvignon) will be bottled making space for the new vintage. Both of the 2010s are looking promising.

Noëlla Morantin

Tomorrow afternoon we will be back in this neighbourhood for the start of the vintage at the Clos Roche Blanche. Unfortunately Friday's weather forecast isn't great – some thundery rain. Hopefully the forecast will be wrong or the pattern will change.

* I'm tempted to start referring to Pouillé-sur-Cher to differentiate it from Pouilly-sur-Loire but this may only add to the confusion.

More Gamay@La Tesnière

Noëlla Morantin

Nigel Wilkinson (RSJ Restaurant in London) arrived on Wednesday afternoon for a few days of visits to producers. He had time to drop off his bags before we headed off on our first visits. We started with Noëlla Morantin, someone I really should have visited before. She has 8.66 hectares, which she bought from Catherine and Didier of the Clos Roche Blanche with the following grape varieties: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Gamay and Côt. I had previously tasted Noëlla's Gamay in London and was further impressed by her wines during this visit.

The barrel room

The winery kittens (above and below)

Bunches of grapes growing fast in a nearby parcel still owned by the Clos Roche Blanche

Centre of Angé where Vincent Roussely has his temporary boutique

From La Tesnière (Pouillé) to Vincent Roussely in Angé is but a short drive. Vincent's ambitious building works around the family winery, which he bought back last year, are advancing.

The old winery


Inside the restored winery

Nigel and Vincent

Further reports to follow but off now for a day in Saumur and Chinon...

2009 Sauvignon Blanc (Touraine), Villebois
2009 Sauvignon Blanc, Villebois, Seigy

2009 Le Clos, Touraine Sauvignon, Domaine du Clos Roussely, Angé

2009 Pointe de Doux, Sauvignon Blanc, Frédéric Brochet, Marigny Brizay

Here are three quite different expressions of 2009 Sauvignon Blanc: two come from Touraine –  Villebois and Domaine Roussely – and the third from Haut-Poitou – Frédéric Brochet of Ampelidae.  

Villebois is Dutch owned. The 2009 Villebois is made by Thierry Merlet, who trained in Australia and worked for Brian Croser at Petaluma, before returning to France and working in the Cher Valley. It is the most citric, aromatic and refreshing of the three Sauvignons here. Watching this video clip on YouTube, explains why is this is the case. In the clip Thierry explains that the Sauvignon is picked at different times. Part of the Sauvignon is picked early to give the aromas and freshness, while part is picked later to give some weight and body to the wine. 

 

2009 Le Clos, Touraine Sauvignon, Domaine du Clos Roussely, Vincent Roussely

Vincent worked in Bordeaux, Reims, South Africa, Australia and California, before returning to his native Cher Valley. Le Clos comes from the vineyard just behind the old family cellars in the village of Angé. The cellars used to be rented to Vinival – they returned to family hands in 2010. The 2009 Le Clos is a richer style of Sauvignon than the Villebois, although it does have good freshness in its long finish.

2009 Pointe de Doux, Sauvignon Blanc, Brochet

The wine is called Brochet after the maker – Frédéric Brochet. As brochet means pike (the fish) in French there is a a drawing of a fearsome fish. Despite the nice joke on the label, I find this the least successful of the three Sauvignons featured here as I find it has less character. Well made it is bland and this may be due to the small amount of residual sugar (3.6 gms). I should taste Brochet's Mon Blanc, another Sauvignon Blanc, which has less than a gram of residual sugar in it.

I had hoped to taste Frédéric's wines at this year's Salon des Vins de Loire but as was the case with a number of other producers I just ran out of time.

Good to see that both Villebois and Brochet are closed with screwcaps.  

Contact details:

Villebois, 43 Rue de la Quézardière, 41110 Seigy

Email: vin@villebois.nt

Domaine du Clos Roussely, 11 Route du Château, 41400 Angé
Tel: 02.54.32.86.46
Email: clos_roussely@yahoo.fr


Ampelidae, Manoir de Lavauguyot, 86380 Marigny Brizay
Tel: 05.49.88.18.18
Email: ampeliade@ampeliade.com


 
  

Vincent on the phone in the temporary boutique in the centre of Angé

"I'm le chef du chantier," explains Vincent Roussel, "which means I'm responsible for all the decisions and I have to admit this gives me some sleepless nights!"

This year Vincent moved his winemaking operation back to Angé, his home village and where his great grandfather started the family domaine at the end of the 19th century. After having made wine in Bordeaux, Australia and California, Vincent returned to the Cher Valley in 2000. and set up in Saint-Georges-sur-Cher His father was not interested in vines and wine production and the family's wine-making facilities in Angé were rented out to Vinival, now part of Les Grands Chais de France. Incidentally this is where Eric Chevalier, who now makes excellent wine in Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu, was based when he worked for Vinival.

In 2009 the arrangement with Grands Chais de France came to an end and Vincent was able to move back to the family's historic premises in Angé. Then in April he was able to complete the purchase of the eight hectare vineyard in Angé from the other members of the Roussely family. The vineyard is planted with Sauvignon Blanc and is on the premières côtes du Cher. Part of it is above the cellars so grapes can be emptied straight down a chute into either the press or a vat.

Vertical chute down from the vineyard into the cellar

Now from his office in their temporary shop on the Place de l'Eglise, Vincent is planning and supervising the transformation of the facilities on the nearby Rue du Château. Some of the buildings on the left hand side of the road have been demolished. In their place will be a visitors' car park with the rest of the ground given over to trees and plants down as far as the small stream that runs past the property and into the Cher. A longère tourangelle (one-storey house) is being transformed into a place to receive and entertain groups, who will doubtless include some from the vine sharing company, mes vignes. There will also be a tasting room and sales office. Once the work has been completed, Clos Roussely will move out of the temporary boutique, which used to be the village épicerie (grocery store). Angé's mayor has offered the store to Vincent during the renovations and paid for the repairs, as it was in a very poor state.

There will also be a museum of old lorries and cars as Vincent's father has been an avid collector of these for some 35 years.

The winemaking facilities are underground with a constant temperature of around 11˚C. Until the 2010 vintage the last vintage made here was in 1978 as Vincent's grandfather died in 1980. The cellars, which include some vats carved out of the tuffeau (the local limestone), will soon be made more hygenic and easier to clean by fitting a stainless steel interior.

Limestone vat

Vehicles from Vincent's father's collection (below)

The overflowing Chezelle

Heavy rain over the last 24 hours or so has caused the Chezelle, the local stream to burst its banks, and flood the water meadows. When the snow melted a week or ten days ago, the Chezelle had flooded then too. The ground is obviously saturated, so flooding is likley to occur. Fortunately it is no great drama as there are no houses built on the water meadows and the flood waters will recede in time.

Vincent Roussley's temporary boutique in centre of Angé

We discovered this afternoon that Vincent Roussely (Clos Roussely), who is now based in Angé, has a temporary boutique on the Place de l'Eglise in the centre of Angé. Sometime next year when all the work around the winery (11 Route du Château) is completed, the boutique will move to these new premises.

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

RSJ Restaurant – September 2009

The RSJ Restaurant in Waterloo celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. Over the years it has established a reputation as having one of the most comprehensive Loire wine lists in the world with around 250 references. Nigel Wilkinson's passion for Loire wines was born during a series of now legendary visits to the Loire from the early 1980s. I have been involved as a consultant since around 1990 – mainly presenting the wines during the tasting dinners.

To mark the 30th anniversary there will be a series of wine producer dinners. Dates were finalised during this week's Salon des Vins de Loire.

Christophe Daviau

We kick off on:

Tuesday 9th March: Christophe Daviau, Domaine de Bablut

£45 for four course dinner and wines – see details here.

Frédéric emptying his hod of Chenin Blanc: Le Puy-Notre-Dame: 3rd October 2009

Tuesday 11th May: Frédéric Mabileau and Vincent Roussely (Domaine du Clos Roussely)

Frédéric has rapidly established himself as one of the stars of western Touraine. He now makes Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Bourgueil, Anjou Rouge et Blanc as well as Saumur Blanc. Vincent Roussely is one of the young vignerons, who are making the Cher Valley an exciting region.
Pricing details to follow.

Vincent Roussely

••

Claude and Joëlle Papin with their 2009 Decanter World Wine Award Trophy

Monday 6th September: Anjou special: Claude and Joëlle Papin (Château Pierre-Bise), Vincent and Catherine Ogereau (Domaine Ogereau), Yves and Marie-Annick Guegniard (Domaine de la Bergerie)

Vincent and Catherine Ogereau

Yves Guegniard and his daughter Anne

You have doubtless heard of the Three Tenors. Well now we have the three Layon producers. All excellent producers in their own they work closely together and each have a share of the Clos le Grand-Beaupréau in Savennières.

Pricing details to follow.

Provisional bookings are now being taken as we expect these events to be very popular.
Please contact Tom King on 020-7928 4554 or tom.king@rsj.uk.com

Last night had dinner at the RSJ (tagliatelle with wild mushroom particularly recommended). We drank the 2005 Le Portail, Vouvray from Didier and Catherine Champalou and the 2007 Anthologie du Clos from Vincent Roussely.

Le Portail comes from the vineyard just by the Champalous' house and winery and is vinified and aged in newish barrels for 12 months. As you would expect the 2005 is rich and mouthfilling with peach and honeyed fruit and some residual sugar making this a tendre or almost demi-sec style. As Le Portail is already 13.5% alc it would doubtless have raised the alcohol too high to have fermented this dry. Curiously the oak is still quite noticeable – perhaps it is the sweetness that accentuates it? Although I enjoyed the wine and it was a good match with the pasta, ideally I prefer the vintages of Portail when it is sec.

We then moved onto the 2007 Anthologie du Clos from Vincent Roussely's Clos Roussely, which has plenty of bright red fruits and some coal tar aromas – medium weight and good length. Naturally this has less concentration than the 2006 Anthologie but is a real success in a diicult year for reds. I wiould drink this quite young to enjoy its youthful fruit. Anthologie is a new addition to the RSJ list joining Vincent's 2008 Touraine Sauvignon and 2008 Touraine Gamay, which are already on the list and selling well.

(Declaration: I work as a consultant to the RSJ and have done for best part of 20 years.)

26 September 2009

Some of the morning's harvest arriving – Chardonnay for the Crémant

The start of lunch

Lunch over – time for a coffee before heading back to work

What could be more agreeable than a morning spent picking grapes in the warm Touraine sunshine, lunch in the courtyard and the afternoon spent either filling the press or back into the vineyard to check whether the next parcel is ready to be picked. Yesterday Vincent Roussely (Clos Roussely) had some 45-50 people, who have signed up to MesVignes, spending the day with him at the domaine.

MesVignes is one of a number of schemes that offer the chance to discover what it is like to be a vigneron by buying vines in an established vineyard. The company has 12 domaines in various parts of France including Bordeaux, Burgundy, Languedoc, Loire and Rhône Valley involved. Domaine Fouassier in Sancerre and Clos Roussely are the Loire domaines in MesVignes.

The minimum purchase is 12 vines which gives you 12 bottles of wine (2010 prices). If you signed up for Vincent Roussely's Clos Roussely it would cost 194€ for 12 vines. Clients can then sign up for for a day's harvesting with Vincent. If you choose all the options the cost for 36 vines would be 799€.

Today Vincent has another MesVignes group, who will be picking Pineau d'Aunis from vines planted in 1905.

Is the Gamay ready to pick? – out in the vineyard to find out

Part of the 'is the Gamay ready?' group

Renaud, a local oenologue, explains how to judge a grape's maturity

The other group sorting grapes on the tapis de tri as they head up into the press (above and below)

Pineau d'Aunis – vines planted in 1905 (above and below)

Vincent with a baby frog – will MesVignes have an adopt a frog scheme soon?

There are several other buy vine schemes including 3D Wines and Wineshare.