According to the press release issued at the end of the Salon, the 2009 edition attracted roughly the same number of visitors as last year – over 9000 spread across 585 exhibitors. Although it can be difficult to judge how busy the fair really is my impression was that it was quieter than usual particularly for much of Tuesday and that there were fewer buyers from the UK – in part due to the economic crisis but also because of the heavy snow on Monday in the UK disrupting transport and closing airports.
This was confirmed by Charles Sydney who said that he hadn't seen any buyers from ASDA, Sainsbury's, Tesco or Morrisons at the Salon this year. Normally all the major supermarkets are represented. What about the UK press you might ask? With the exception of Chris Kissack making his first visit to the Salon, it was the usual stalwarts – Sarah Ahmed, Neil Fairlamb, and myself as well Ray O'Connor who was mainly here on behalf of the International Wine Challenge.
I was pleased my initial favourable impression of 2008 was confirmed at the Salon, at the Renaissance des Appellations tasting and during visits I made before the start of the Salon. 2008 is a good to very good vintage, providing producers picked at the right moment – not too early when acidity levels were high. In the event the Loire was fortunately that the harvest was small as this allowed the fruit to ripen properly during September and October and to ripen slowly developing intense flavours. Qualitatively good news, although not for the bank manager!
The dry whites should have enough weight to match the often higher levels of acidity. The reds have much more fruit and structure than the often light 2007 and some producers look to have made some very good wines that should keep well. Only the sweet wines were caught out by the weather with almost continuous rain during November dashing hopes of making some lovely sweet that had been raised during the good October weather. Generic cuvées made in the Layon and L’Aubance from grapes picked in late October will be light and charming for drinking young. 2007 is a much better sweet wine vintage than 2008.
It was good to meet Chris Kissack (the wine doctor has already posted a preliminary report) in Angers and I look forward to seeing him on the Loire panel at the Decanter World Wine Awards held in London in late April. Chris will be joined on the panel by two other Salon attendees: Sarah Ahmed (the wine detective) and Neil Irvine (HG Wines).
I will, however, be meeting up with Sarah along with Jamie Goode (the wine anorak) in Tours for the first tasting of the Loire’s important Sauvignon Blanc project that has Sam Harrop MW as consultant.
The 24th edition of the Salon des Vins de Loire will be on the 1st-3rd February 2010. My hotel room at the Hotel du Mail is already reserved.
This was confirmed by Charles Sydney who said that he hadn't seen any buyers from ASDA, Sainsbury's, Tesco or Morrisons at the Salon this year. Normally all the major supermarkets are represented. What about the UK press you might ask? With the exception of Chris Kissack making his first visit to the Salon, it was the usual stalwarts – Sarah Ahmed, Neil Fairlamb, and myself as well Ray O'Connor who was mainly here on behalf of the International Wine Challenge.
I was pleased my initial favourable impression of 2008 was confirmed at the Salon, at the Renaissance des Appellations tasting and during visits I made before the start of the Salon. 2008 is a good to very good vintage, providing producers picked at the right moment – not too early when acidity levels were high. In the event the Loire was fortunately that the harvest was small as this allowed the fruit to ripen properly during September and October and to ripen slowly developing intense flavours. Qualitatively good news, although not for the bank manager!
The dry whites should have enough weight to match the often higher levels of acidity. The reds have much more fruit and structure than the often light 2007 and some producers look to have made some very good wines that should keep well. Only the sweet wines were caught out by the weather with almost continuous rain during November dashing hopes of making some lovely sweet that had been raised during the good October weather. Generic cuvées made in the Layon and L’Aubance from grapes picked in late October will be light and charming for drinking young. 2007 is a much better sweet wine vintage than 2008.
It was good to meet Chris Kissack (the wine doctor has already posted a preliminary report) in Angers and I look forward to seeing him on the Loire panel at the Decanter World Wine Awards held in London in late April. Chris will be joined on the panel by two other Salon attendees: Sarah Ahmed (the wine detective) and Neil Irvine (HG Wines).
I will, however, be meeting up with Sarah along with Jamie Goode (the wine anorak) in Tours for the first tasting of the Loire’s important Sauvignon Blanc project that has Sam Harrop MW as consultant.
The 24th edition of the Salon des Vins de Loire will be on the 1st-3rd February 2010. My hotel room at the Hotel du Mail is already reserved.
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