Les 5 du Vin 2 Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil

Representatives of the two appellations: Stéphanie Caslot (Bourgueil) and Sébastien David (Saint-Nicolas) 

@Real Wine Fair, London May 2012   

Les 5 du Vin are gathering in Bourgueil and based at the Café de la Promenade to explore the two appellations – Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. Michel Smith arrived last evening in La Loire and stayed overnight with us in Touraine. We enjoyed a soirée de la modération – looking at a few bottles:

Apéros: Château de l'Aulée: Brut Zéro (beautifully clean and brilliant value, Crémant de Loire; Triple Zéro, Montlouis, Jacky Blot.

Salad with lardons, chèvre and mushrooms: 2000 MD, Sancerre Blanc, Henri Bourgeois; 

Pot roasted chicken with lemon and garlic: 1997 Côt, Touraine, Clos Roche Blanche (still very youthful and deep coloured); 2003 Anjou Villages, Domaine de Bablut (rich and soft) 

Cheese: 1988 Coteaux du Layon, Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay, Domaine Ogereau.  1988 is a neglected vintage overshadowed by 1989 and 1990 but there were some good things made in this year. Vincent Ogereau's 1988 was lovely – beautifully balanced and reminiscent of 2002. 

Baked peaches in Muscat de Rivesaltes: 1990 Cuvée Céline, Vouvray, Pascal Delaleu. Rich and very youthful. Much less coloured than some 1990s.

This morning we went over to Mareuil-sur-Cher to see Catherine Roussel and Didier Barrouillet at the Clos Roche Blanche. 

 Michel Smith@Clos Roche Blanche (above and below)

Yellow flowers in the vineyards of the Clos Roche Blanche. Bright yellow is particularly effective in attracting insects – just one example of the many insects providing balance and biodiversity in the vines. 

Despite the fact that their wines regularly sell out Catherine and Didier continue to have problems getting their Clos Roche Blanche wines through the agrément. Perhaps if they had fewer flowers in their vineyards .....!!

No life here but I bet this producer has no problems getting the agrément!