2010 Loire vintage: Vincent Ogereau

Vincent and Catherine Ogereau

On Sunday night I spoke to a generally pleased and certainly astonished Vincent (Domaine Ogereau) Astonished by the rapidity and completeness of the development of botrytis. "The grapes for the sweet wines are superb this year. We have nearly finished – we will be picking Les Bonnes Blanches at the beginning of the coming week. Due to the dry summer and then the rain at the end of September the botrytis is very regular, I have been amazed we hardly have to do a tri (selectively pick). We can pick 80%-90% of the hrapes nd they are all between 20%-21% potential. In the Bonnes Blanches it's between 22%-23% potential. All the juice is pure – there aren't any faux goûts (bad flavours). Even our 'generic' domaine cuvée is 19% potential*."

"The Cabernets are now done – we finished this week. We had to pick them quickly as there was a threat of rot. They came in at between 13%-14% and 4gm acidity.The parcel used for our Cabernet d'Anjou was at 13.5%!"

My impression is that 2010 has certainly been a more difficult year than 2009, although there should be some fine resulting wines. One of those vintages that are called 'l'année du vigneron'. In general those who looked after their vineyards properly and kept yields down and the bunches well aerated look to have been rewarded. In more heavily cropped vines there may well have been more rot and the grapes probably less ripe. Doubtless there are cases where unripe grapes had to be picked otherwise they would have rotted. Buyers may well have to select carefully this year. 

(My apologies in the delay in getting this posted.)

*

I may have been premature in welcoming the Angeli family into the 21st century as I haven't had a reply to my email on Tuesday to Martial Angeli. They are probably busy with the harvest. I have sent the message again – perhaps I was too rude about Mark! Looks as though he might be on Facebook. Will keep you posted on emails and the Angelis!