Une soirée de la moderation

2006 L'expression de Cécile – l'essence des Terres Blanches, Henry Natter: one of the stars of the evening

Friday night eight of us gathered for a relaxed evening. A couple of bottles of Jacky Blot’s Triple Zero kicked off the evening in traditional style – perhaps it should be renamed here as 'tipple zero'.

Then with the salad of local goats’ cheese (Epeigné-les-Bois), lardons and mushrooms, Henry Natter’s 2006 L’expression de Cécile, Sancerre (en magnum) was showing to perfection. It had the richness that has become typical of 2006 Sauvignons with an attractive opulent aromas recalling the mousseron nose that good Chablis can develop after four or five years and lovely ripe grapefruit on the palate – all in all a splendid bottle. With this course we also tried a completely new wine from Daniel Merlet, which was blended this week using 2008 Sauvignon Blanc sourced at Pascal Gibault in Noyers-sur-Cher. Daniel Merlet is closely related to Steve Daniel, who used to be Oddbins’ buyer in their glory days and is now a key part of Novum Wines, and Thierry Merlet, who used to be a partner of David Levin and still has a share in the Levin winery at Montrichard.

Unfortunately Thierry has been involved in a lengthy legal wrangle with Levin, which has included a ban on bottling and selling the Levin 2007 Sauvignon Blanc. I understand this has now been lifted. However, I assume that it will be difficult for Levin to sell the 2007 now as buyers will be looking for the 2008 vintage. Although Touraine Sauvignon will certainly keep for at least two or three years, this is a wine that people generally buy the latest vintage.

Anyway back to the Daniel Merlet 2008 Sauvignon Blanc with good ripe fruit and a nod towards New Zealand. Very much a try out by Steve and Thierry to see how it goes.

Moving on to the main course – pork pot-roasted with onions, potatoes and new turnips – we had a small horizontal tasting of Côt. First up a pair of 1999s – Privilège from Domaine Sauvète and the Côt from Clos Roche Blanc. We were divided on our preference with some preferring the softer, more accessible Privilege, which I thought was 100% Côt but checking the Sauvète site it appears that it has 20% Cabernet Franc. I need to check whether the 1999 version was pure Côt or not. Others, including me, preferred the Clos Roche Blanche, which is still remarkably tannic even at nearly 10 years old, as it has spice and character.

1986 Côt, Domaine de Mechière, AC Touraine

We followed this with an old Côt – 1986 from Domaine de Mechinière in Mareuil-sur-Cher from Christian Maudit. Sadly Christian died some years ago when I guess he was in his early 50s from a brain tumour. The domaine is now owned by Valérie and Jacques Forgues. Before opening the bottle I wasn’t sure how well the 1986 would have kept. Although probably in a slow decline Christian’s light coloured 1986 still had sweet fruit and attractive delicacy. It was a fascinating demonstration that Côt has a serious claim to being the best grape variety in Touraine's Cher Valley and that it can age well.

The last of the Côt/Malbecs was a 1990 Cahors Domaine des Savarines with rich, sweet fruit and quite different in style to the Loire Côts – less edgy and without the same level of acidity. “300 kilometres further south,” said one.

With the cheese we had the 2002 Les Cormiers Château de Villeneuve that I found surprisingly oxidative. “Someone who doesn’t use sulphur?” was one remark. This is not the case for Jean-Pierre Chevallier, although he certainly doesn’t use an excess, he is not one of the no sulphur school. Not sure whether this is a stage the wine is going through or whether it was this particular bottle or whether decanting the wine would curiously have helped.

2002 Clos des Bonnes Blanches, Coteaux du Layon Saint Lambert du Lattay, Domaine Ogereau

Onto the tarte aux vigeronnes and we started with one of the stars of the evening: 2002 Clos des Bonnes Blanches Coteaux du Layon Saint Lambert du Lattay (50cl), Domaine Ogereau. 2002 is a lovely, beautifully balanced vintage. This was close to perfection: honeyed, apricot fruit not at all cloying because of the acidity balance, precise, clean and long lasting. The Clos des Bonnes Blanches is Vincent and Catherine Ogereau’s top sweet wine, which is only released in good vintages when they are satisfied with the quality.

1990 Quarts de Chaume, Château Bellerive

So good was the 2002 Bonnes Blanches that it overshadowed the 2004 Quarts de Chaume from Château Pierre-Bise. Although Claude Papin’s Quarts de Chaume was considerably richer, the 2004 did not have the same precison and finesse as the 2002. We finished with the 1990 Quarts de Chaume from Château de Bellerive when it was owned by Jacques Lalanne. Unfortunately the first bottle was corked and some had a doubt about the second bottle, although I thought it was OK and not corked but still like the other Quarts de Chaume overshadowed by the 2002.