Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Sunday, 5 April 2015

First salon professionnell @Reuilly = bunfight!

The crowd jammed into the Salles de Fêtes @Reuilly
Virtually impossible to move 



The invitation for Le salon professionnel des Vins de Reuilly – 1er édition came through Le Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins du Centre (BIVC). A salon open 'aux professionnels et à des ambassadeurs privilégiés du vin de Reuilly' with possibility of tasting the wines from 15 Reuilly producers. Being able to taste a good range of Reuilly wines was decidedly an attraction, so I accepted.

After a low point during the 1980s when AC Reuilly had shrunk to considerably less than 100 hectares, recent years have seen a renaissance with 230 hectares now in production. 

Yesterday we drove the 110 kms from Epeigné to Reuilly looking forward to a good, detailed look at a significant slice of the current vintages available from Reuilly. Sadly we found a bunfight rather than a 'professional salon' with a mass of people crammed into the main room of Reuilly's Salles des Fêtes intent on eating and drinking – most of spittoons were as dry as the Sahara. Nothing wrong with this but don't call the event a 'professional salon'!  

Seeing the packed room my first instinct was to head straight back to Touraine but decided having made an effort to get here I would try to taste with some of the producers. Pushing through the melée I found Denis Jamain. As ever his wines are excellent in particular the delicious and delicate 2014 Pinot Gris Reuilly Rosé (10€) ready for the hoped for sunny days and evenings of spring and summer, 2014 Les Fossiles Reuilly Blanc (Sauvignon Blanc) and the finely textured and structured 2009 Les Chênes Reuilly Rouge (Pinot Noir). 

After I finished tasting with Denis Jamain I tasted with another four producers before giving up the unequal struggle. I was particularly impressed with the wines of Damien Aujard of Domaine Aujard. He has a good 2014 Pinot Gris Rosé with length and a touch of spice and his 2014 Les Varennes Reuilly Blanc from a single vineyard stood out. His Reuilly Rouge had attractive weight and texture, albeit with a slightly rustic finish.

From Gérard Bigonneau (Domaine Bigonneau) the 2014 had weight and concentration. The 2014 Pinot Gris Demoiselles Tatin Rosé was my preferred wine from Domaines Tatin. I think their Quincys very good and more successful than their Reuillys. For their Reuilly Rouge they have opted for a light, fruity style with relatively high yields – 50 hl/ha (2013) and 58 hl/ha (2014).  I also tasted the wines of Christian Dyckerhoff (Domaine Dyckerhoff).  

 

Damien Aujard, Domaine Aujard 
(above and below)


Maroussia Wilk Tatin (Domaines Tatin, Reuilly and Quincy)



Jean Tatin, Domaines Tatin (Reuilly and Quincy) – father of Maroussia








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