Facel Vegas @Domaine de la Noblaie, Appellation Chinon

 Three classic cars @Noblaie, Ligré:

Two Facel Vegas and a Lagonda 

(above and below)

 Open top Lagonda  – not ideal with Wednesday 

afternoon's wet weather

A small group of classic car enthusiasts had asked me to set up some visits in the Loire. As they were staying at the Hotel de France in La Chartre-sur-le-Loir and wanted to visit red wine producers over two days, it made sense to organise visits in Bourgueil and Chinon. I have already posted Tuesdays visit to Lamé Delisle Boucard and subsequent lunch at Vincent le Cuisinier: here and here.  

Wednesday they were due to visit Château de Rivau in the morning but they only had time to have a quick glance before heading to the Auberge Val de Vienne in Sazilly for lunch where we met up for an excellent meal. 

Sign at the Auberge Val de Vienne 

 Philippe Alliet's 2014 Chinon Rosé – crisp and refreshing

Starters:

 Escargots

Langoustines

Mains:  

 Carré d'Agneau

Homard

2012 Pierre de Tuf, Chinon, Domaine de la Noblaie 

A successful 2012 that would benefit from further bottle age

Dessert:

Chocolate et framboise millefeuilles

Domaine de la Noblaie: 

Elodie Billard 

After lunch we drove the short distance from Sazilly to Ligré for our appointment at Domaine de la Noblaie. Here with Elodie Billard we tasted the attractive 2011 Touraine sparkling – Mon Ange – a blend of Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, followed by clean and quite rich 2015 Goutte de Rosé with its pear aromas and flavours. Next up the 2015 Chinon Blanc with good weight and pineapple fruit before we moved on to the reds.

The 2015 Temps de Cerise sees no wood and is bottled in June – very much an easy drinking, early maturing wine. With its ripe black fruits this is very much a wine to enjoy with friends rather than one to analyse. The Cerise was followed by three 2014s – Les Blancs Manteaux, Les Chiens Chiens and Pierre de Tuf, which is vinified in an ancient vat carved out of tuffeau - the local limestone. All of these 2014s are matured in 500-litre barrels. They have attractive weight of ripe black fruits that is currently typical of the 2014s. They can be enjoyed now but will improve with further time in bottle. Of the three I had a preference for Les Chiens Chiens and Pierre de Tuf.  

We finished the tasting with a ten-year-old Pierre de Tuf – 2006. This had a lovely truffle and lightly mushroomy character along with some gamy notes, very attractive texture and noticeable structure in the finish. Although the 2006 vintage was a race against rot the reds have turned out well and are very good to drink now.     

Noblaie sign and the classic car line up