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




Saturday 31 January 2009

Back in the Loire

Hotel du Mail, Angers

Very good to be back in the Loire – seems a while since I was last here. We had an excellent drive down from Calais in very good conditions to our first visit with Thierry Germain@Domaine des Roches Neuves in Varrains, close to Saumur. Our appointment was for 4pm and we arrived at 4.01! If it hadn't been for a broken down car in the Eurotunnel shuttle that held us up briefly we would have been early. Plenty of activity going on at Thierry's getting ready to faire à fête over the weekend plus a meeting with Antoine Gerbelle, La Revue du Vin de France, on Saturday morning for a tasting including a vertical of Marginale.

Theirry's German importer was there plus Thomas, producer from Calce in the Roussillon, who also supplies barrels to Thierry.

Following Thierry we moved onto Jean-Pierre Chevallier and then to Angers where we ate with Christophe and Claire Daviau (Domaine de Bablut) at Une Ile, after having checked into the Hotel du Mail where I have stayed for more years than I can remember. Certainly recommended as it is a friendly hotel, right in the centre but quiet.

This post has been written in haste as we are now off for a full day of visits in Anjou starting with Claude Papin (Château Pierre-Bise). Post will be revised and expanded – hopefully later today.




2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bravo Jim pour ce prix du Jury !
What a shame for me if you could'nt be connected at the hotel !!!!
Cécile

Jim's Loire said...

Cécile. Merci beaucoup pour ta message. Maintenant je suis bien connecté – presque bien branché!