2007 Saumur Blanc Frédéric Mabileau and P'tit Domaine Saumur-Champigny

2007 Chenin Blanc, Saumur, Frédéric Mabileau

Priorities are always important: within minutes of arriving from London on early Friday evening we were all enjoying a glass of Frédéric Mabileau's 2007 Saumur Blanc. This is showing brilliantly at the moment. It showed really well when it was first bottled in 2008 but then by late January 2009 it has closed up with an austere minerality dominating.

Now the opulence – honey and quince –  has returned and this has a terrific balance with the still present mineral austerity and clean finish that is so typical of the 2007 vintage. Stunning at the moment but I fancy it will continue to keep really well. This is an historic bottle for Frédéric: not only was it the first vintage from his parcel of vines at Le Puy Notre Dame but also it was 60 years after his grandfather had made their last white, from Chenin Blanc, from the vineyards of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil.

See posting on picking the 2009 vintage with Frédéric, Natalie and the family. 

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 2006 Le P'tit Domaine, Saumur-Champigny, Richard Desouche

Richard Desouche, the manager of Château de Chaintres (Saumur-Champigny) also has his own vines which are bottled under Le P'tit Domaine label. The 2006 is an attractive mid-weight wine which went well with some grilled lamb chops.

2006 back label