1989 Les Chatains, Saumur-Champigny, Domaine de Nerleux

1989 Les Chatains, Saumur-Champigny, Domaine de Nerleux 

Last night at the RSJ Restaurant, London SE1, Saumur was the theme for the first of the monthly autumn tastings. The star of the show was the 1989 Les Chatains, Saumur-Champigny from Régis and Babette Neau's Domaine de Nerleux. It was showing beautifully from its still good colour to its sweet, rich soft fruit. Typical of 1989, the Chatains is from a 7-hectare plot of old vines planted in 1933 and 1950. Sadly 1989s are becoming more difficult to find but this was an excellent reminder of how good 1989 Loire reds can be.