Since we arrived in the Loire we have seen producers from Muscadet Sèvre et Maine to the Côtes de Forez – just about from one Loire vinous extremity to the other.
In Touraine Vincent Ricard started picking on Monday 3rd September. He is happy as he has avoided any serious attack of mildew but at the cost of treating his vines 14 or 15 times. His Sauvignon is coming in at between 12.5˚ potential with the acidity averaging 5.2. Yields at 50-55 hl/ha. He expects to finish harvesting the middle of next week.
Vincent Roussely (Angé) started picking on Monday 10th September. Due to the heat they are only picking in the morning. I saw some Sauvignon Rosé that they had picked – the grapes very healthy and clean.
Luc Poullain, Domaine des Echardières – also in Angé – like Vincent Roussely also started on Monday but picking Chardonnay. He warned that vines on clay were coping well with the drought – just 10mm of rain in two months – but other on easy draining soils were suffering with maturation blocked especially if they were young vines.
In Montlouis Jacky Blot started on Thursday (6th) – earlier than he had originally thought but with the grapes ripening rapidly he didn't want the alcohol levels to shoot up and the acidity to fall away, especially as he picks by hand – three teams of pickers in action.
In certain parcels he has been badly hit by mildew with very small yields. However, the incidence is very irregular with his best parcels like the Clos Mosny and Clos Michet resisting well.
Jacky and a team started picking his top Vouvray (Vin de France) from the Clos de Venise on Thursday 13th September.
On our way to the Côte Roannaise last Thursday (13th) we dropped in quickly to see the Pinards – Vincent, Florent and Clément – in Bué and then Domaine Fouassier in Sancerre itself. The Pinards started picking their Pinot Noir on Thursday 6th and have subsequently picked some of their Sauvignon Blanc. They are very happy with the results to date with the Pinot coming in at 12.4˚ to 13.5˚ potential with acidity averaging around 5. Florent and Clément thought that the 2018 reds will be easy to drink and easily digestible.
2018 Sauvignon Blanc (Sancerre)
2018 Pinot Noir (Sancerre)
Benoît Fouassier was also very happy with their 2018s. They started on 5th and have been picking both Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc. The Pinot, which they have nearly finished, coming in at up to 14˚, while the Sauvignon Blanc is between 12.5˚ and 13.5˚ and an acidity on 4-4.5.
From Sancerre we headed south to the small town of Renaison in the heart of the Côte Roannaise where we stayed at the Hotel Central, which is in town square. The hotel is very reasonably priced and is run by the very welcoming Arlette, who appears to have boundless energy as she is on the go from the early morning until late at night.
The Côte Roannaise we saw Carine, Stéphane and Robert Sérol (Domaine Robert Sérol). Their chai and some of their vineyards are up above Renaison and is one of the appellations top domaines. They started picking at the end of the previous week – Gamay for their pétillant rosé naturel – Turbullent. Picking Gamay for their reds had started this morning.
2018 Gamay, Domaine des Pothiers, Côte Roannaise
We had left the car in Renaison and instead explored the Roannaise on our e-bikes. Along with the Côtes de Forez and Sancerre I think that the Côte Roannaise is one of the three most picturesque Loire appellations. The vines are planted on the lower slopes of the granite hills that quickly rise to 1000 metres or more – so an electric bike is certainly a good investment, especially if you are of pensionable age. There are plenty of quiet roads both through the charming little villages and up higher in the hills.
Gilles and his team sorting Gamay @Domaine de la Madone
– little sorting needed this year
– little sorting needed this year
Friday we headed the just over 50 kilometres south to Champdieu and Gilles Bonnefoy Domaine de la Madone. Gilles was generally happy with the way the harvest was progressing, although he had some parcels of vines that were suffering from the drought. We tasted some Gamay that he had picked the day before which had already taken on good colour even after one day but without much tannin in the skins. Gilles was happy with the potential degrees – between 11.5˚ and 12.5˚ – as his clientele appreciates wines with relatively low alcohol levels.
Max @Verdier Logel, Côtes de Forez
Leaving Domaine de la Madone we stopped off briefly at the Cave Verdier-Logel and saw Odile, Max and Jacky. They were preparing to start picking yesterday (17th September). Max was hoping that there would be no rain despite the drought because any rain was now too late to be beneficial. Instead rain was all too likely to provoke rot.
Jean Teissèdre (left) with his Portuguese worker
On our way back to Touraine we made a first visit to Domaine des Bérioles in Saint-Pourçain in the hamlet of Cesset, to the west of the town of Saint-Pourçain, Bérioles has been rightly building a reputation since Jean Teissèdre took over the domaine in 2011, when it had 7 hectares. He was later joined by his sister Sophie and her husband – Jérôme Roux. The domaine has now more than doubled in size with 15 hectares in production and two more planted.
On the Friday when we visited they were picking Chardonnay, which was very clean and healthy. The nearby Pinot Noir looked equally healthy with no sign of rot. During the visit it was very interesting to see a parcel of ripening Tressalier, the local grape which will be picked last.
Tressalier grape also known as Sacy outside Saint-Pourçain
– note pinkish tinge @Domaine des Bérioles
– note pinkish tinge @Domaine des Bérioles
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