Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Tuesday, 30 September 2008

Sam Harrop MW in Touraine


Caught up with Sam late morning when he was visiting and tasting at Domaine Joël Delaunay in Pouillé (Cher Valley). Sam, who is the external wine consultant to Interloire for their varietal projects, was over here on a two-day flying visit, accompanied by Elodie Besseas, InterLoire's technical expert both to check up on progress on the initial Cabernet Franc project and to advise on picking times for the 2008 vintage. Sam is excited by the potential of the 2008 Cabernet Franc fruit but stresses it has to be picked at the right time.

“I think growers should be waiting until the week beginning 13 October as the tannins are strong this year and the acidity levels are still high. The potential is there but they should wait.” However, the tendency in Bourgueil and Chinon looks to be to start picking around 6 October.

Sam was also over here for the newer projects on Sauvignon Blanc and Côt. Sam’s initial advice on the Côt is for producers to cut down on maceration times because the tannins are rougher and more rustic than Cabernet Franc. He was also thinking that quite often Côt is picked before it is properly ripe giving the wines green notes that they would not have if growers waited until the fruit was ripe.

During the tasting with Joël and Thierry Delaunay, Sam was particularly impressed with their fragrant and minerally 2007 Touraine Sauvignon Blanc. He had also been very impressed with the dynamism of Florence Veilex at La Chapinière de Châteauvieux, whom he had visited early that morning.

La Chapinière de Châteauvieux, 4 Chemin de la Chapinère
41110 Châteauvieux
Tel: 02.54.75.43.00
Email: contact@lachapiniere.com
Web: www.lachapiniere.com

Domaine Joël Delaunay, 48 Rue de la Tesnière, 41110 Pouillé
Tel: 02.54.71.45.69
Email: contact@joeldelaunay.com
Web: www.joeldelaunay.com

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