Loire producers in London

Tuesday 12th May 2009 London International Wine Trade Fair, Excel

The day started with an excellent presentation of the Great Wine Estates of Western Australia by Andrew Caillard MW to a masterclass run by the Circle of Wine Writers. Andrew is head of the wine department of Langton’s, Australia’s leading auctioneers.

Bulles de Roc

The rest of my day was devoted to visiting the various Loire producers at the fair and tasting their wines.

First up I saw the always ebullient Philippe Germain. The 2008 Chenin, Anjou Blanc is has attractively crisp, grapefruit flavours, some weight and length. The 2008 Solitaire, Saumur Blanc from Philippe’s elder brother, Thierry, has a similar accent on grapefruit and minerality.

Then something entirely new from Thierry and Michel Chevré – a sparkling Saumur called Bulles de Roc. 100% Chenin Blanc with no dosage. It has attractive weight and fine lemony finish. A delicious fizz – unfortunately only 3600 bottles have been produced.

Domaine Nebout has 45 hectares in Saint-Pourçain with 60% planted with red varieties – Pinot Noir and Gamay. Julian Nebout took over the family estate three years ago from his father Serge.

I started with the melon fruited Blanc Tradition 2007 – 75% Chardonnay and 25% Tressalier. Then I moved onto the more interesting 2007 Le Tressallière des Gravières. Here Tressallier, the local variety, makes up 90% of the blend with Chardonnay 10%. 10% is vinified and matured in oak. Tressallier is thought to be a local variant of the Sacy, a grape variety found in the Yonne. It is also believed to be a relation of Chenin Blanc. There are now only 40 hectares of Tressallier left – all in Saint-Pourçain. Tressallier is usually picked in early October. Le Gravières comes from vineyards close to the Allier, the major tributary to the Loire and it has attractive rich, concentrated fruit balanced with a mineral and citric finish.

Julien Nebout with the 2007 Le Tressallière des Gravières

On this evidence the vignerons of Saint-Pourçain ought to be planting more Tressallier. Hopefully this will happen as there is now a much greater appreciation of good indigenous varieties, the importance of preserving them and thus keeping wine’s individuality.

The two reds I found less convincing. Firstly 2006 La Malgarnie – a blend of 50% Pinot Noir and 50% Gamay. It has sweet brambly fruit, some weight but lacks zip and lift in the finish. I’m not convinced that Gamay and Pinot Noir is a successful blend and cannot recall ever having tasted a good one. Then the 100% Pinot Noir 2007 Elevé-en-barrique – some sweet fruit but lacking definition.

Bernard Chereau and 2003 Le Clos

Next to see a relieved Bernard Chereau of Chereau-Carre (Muscadet-de-Sèvre-et-Maine). Now clear of the threat of frost, Bernard said that this year there had been a good and regular sortie (good number of potential bunches of grapes). I tasted a couple of 2008s – L’Oiselinière de la Ramée and Château de Chasseloir, which have yet to be bottled. I preferred the Chasseloir – more concentration and length with lemon and hazelnut flavours. The 2007 Chasseloir is more austere than the 2008, reflecting the vintage difference. The 2005 Comte Leloup de Chasseloir is very different from the 2007 and 2008s tasted. Made from 100 year old vines it has considerable richness and concentration, although its lemony finish gives it balance. The last wine was Le Clos 2003 one of the Haute Expression Muscadets that are aged for more than a year on their lees. It has the typical weight and concentration of 2003 but retains a freshness that makes Le Clos elegant and attractive.

Staying with Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine I tasted wines from Jean Aubron at L'Audigère, Vallet. Jean Aubron has 84 hectares of vines. Of these 71 are planted with Melon de Bourgogne including the 11-hectare. Clos de l’Audigère. The balance is rest made up of Gros Plant, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Unfortunately the first bottle of 2008 Grand Fief de l’Audigère Tradition had some cork taint – once again emphasising that a delicate white like Muscadet really should not long be closed with cork. All Muscadet ought now to be in screwcap. Of the two 2008s I tasted I preferred the weightier Grand Fief de l’Audigère Vieilles Vignes with its attractive mineral finish.

I finished with the 2003 Grand Fief de l’Audigère Vieilles Vignes, which like the Chereau -Carre 2003 Le Clos is also showing well, despite the belief in some quarters that the heatwave vintage of 2003 produced ungainly wines. Certainly it is rich and weighty for a Muscadet but it has a touch of bitterness along with minerality in the finish that stops it being cloying.

(To be continued.....)