Denis Jamain, Domaine de Reuilly
Sadly, but not surprisingly, it is difficult to find Loire producers who are really happy with the vintage. There are a number who think they are doing pretty well given what nature has dealt them this year but unalloyed joy is rare. We did, however, find it in Reuilly on Thursday afternoon (10th October) when we dropped in on Denis Jamain (Domaine de Reuilly).
Denis expressed his delight with his 2013 harvest and was convinced that it was his long adoption of organic viticulture and his more recent conversion to biodynamics, which had paid off in 2013. "2013 for me is excellent both in quality and quantity. The Pinot Noir is superb, although the Sauvignon Blanc was more difficult, especially the vines on sandy soils while those of clay limestone resisted better. Last year it was very different with the frost on 18th April 2012 when we lost 50% of the Pinot Noir."
The 2013 yields will have made up for the frost-affected shortage in 2012. "The Pinot Noir is at 50 hl/ha +, the Sauvignon Blanc at 55 and the Pinot Gris 59. Potential alcohols range from 11.5˚ to 12.5˚ and acidity between 4.5 to 5.5. We will finish harvesting either later this afternoon or on Friday."
Denis expressed his delight with his 2013 harvest and was convinced that it was his long adoption of organic viticulture and his more recent conversion to biodynamics, which had paid off in 2013. "2013 for me is excellent both in quality and quantity. The Pinot Noir is superb, although the Sauvignon Blanc was more difficult, especially the vines on sandy soils while those of clay limestone resisted better. Last year it was very different with the frost on 18th April 2012 when we lost 50% of the Pinot Noir."
The 2013 yields will have made up for the frost-affected shortage in 2012. "The Pinot Noir is at 50 hl/ha +, the Sauvignon Blanc at 55 and the Pinot Gris 59. Potential alcohols range from 11.5˚ to 12.5˚ and acidity between 4.5 to 5.5. We will finish harvesting either later this afternoon or on Friday."
Reuilly and Quincy always harvest a good week or more before Sancerre and Pouilly. This will have paid off for them this year as the forecast for today and next week isn't very good and these appellations will now have finished their harvest. Here in Epeigné-les-Bois it started raining heavily around 4am this morning, gradually easing off before stopping around 8.30am. It has rained again early this afternoon, although it now appears to have cleared up and we have some blue sky. Although it is difficult to be sure how widespread this rain is, the Météo-France indicates that there is rain across the Loire Valley today.
This is not good news for producers in Sancerre and Pouilly, who still have a good part of the harvest to finish nor for the Cabernet Franc in Touraine. There will be a separate post on Friday's visit to Western Touraine.
This is not good news for producers in Sancerre and Pouilly, who still have a good part of the harvest to finish nor for the Cabernet Franc in Touraine. There will be a separate post on Friday's visit to Western Touraine.
Denis Jamain in one of his Pinot Noir vineyards
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