Côte Roannaise/ Côtes de Forez: 3rd day – equal split

Domaine de la Rochette – high parcel above the plain of Roanne

 

Third day in the Côte Roannaise and the Côtes de Forez. Here is another quick report before heading out to discover more on the Côtes de Forez today with visits to the Caves des Vignerons Forézien, the Cave Verdier-Logel, Domaine du Poyet (Jean-François Arnaud) and Domaine de la Madone (Gilles Bonnefoy). By the time I finish my visit to the area tomorrow afternoon I will have seen virtually all of the producers in Forez (150 hectares in production) unlike in the Roannaise where there are more producers. Although I saw a good number (13 in Roannaise), I wasn't, of course, able to see all 30 producers in three days! 

Yesterday I saw Olivier Néron (Domaine de la Rochette) and Romain Paire (Domaine des Pothiers) in the Roannaise before heading south to Forez with visits to Clos de Chozieux (Jean-Luc and Yves Gaumon) and Stéphane Guillot. The day finished with dinner at my chambre d'hôte – Le  Rezinet and the chance to taste some old vintages of wines from the Forez including a 2003 showing richness from this very hot year. 

 

 Olivier Néron

The domaine is justing starting its conversion to organic viticulture

Special attachment for tilling the soil between the vines

 

 On the hill opposite Vincent Giraudon's parcel of vines 

which I had seen in darkness the night before

 Romain Paire in the Clos du Puy planted with Gamay Saint-Romain 

Romain – 'Better quality variety than the more productive Gamay Beaujolais 

 Romain Paire

Côtes de Forez

Clos de Chozieux, Leigneux: Planting the vines

The Clos today 

 Chozieux: Vines@Marcilly-le-Chatel

Below the volcanic soil here – basalt

 

Marcilly-le-Chatel

 Yves and Jean-Claude Gaumon

Stéphanie Guillot

 François, her employee, checking posts in the vineyard

 The old vine vineyard for Guillot's Opéra

Stéphanie Guillot