Olly Smith and white Loires@Majestic tasting

A surprised Olly Smith

Today Majestic (Wine Warehouse) held their Summer tasting in Central London showing a 150 wines. These included a small selection of 2011 Loire dry whites. All of the wines will have been relatively recently bottled, so it is quite likely that they will take on more weight over the next two or three months.     

2011 Château du Cléray, Haute Culture Sauvion, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie

Now owned by Grands Chais de France, although the wines are still made by Pierre Sauvion. This has good crisp, lemony fruit, although it currently lacks a little weight and length in the finish but may fill out a bit with more time. £8.99 a bottle – £7.99 if you buy two bottles. 

 2011 Pouilly-Fumé 'Les Cascadelles' Caves de Pouilly-sur-Loire

Attractively lively citric character with weight and length, this confirms the good impression the 2011 Pouilly-Fumés made during the Decanter World Wine Awards last week. £10.99 per bottle. Buy two bottles for £9.99 a bottle. 

 2011 Les Baudrières, Sancerre, Dominique Baud

Grassy and grapefruit with some weight of fruit but lacks a little precision in the finish. £10.99 for a screwcapped bottle. £8.99 for each bottle if you buy two bottles (24.4-11.06) and £9.99 if you buy two bottles (12.6-3.9). 

  

 2011 Vieilles Vignes, Sancerre, Domaine Paul Cherrier, Verdigny 

This old vine Sancerre was certainly the best of the dry white Loires being shown at this tasting with lively grassy, citric flavours with some mineral character in a longish finish. £12.99 a bottle – £11.99 each when buying two bottles. 

Olly Smith