At the pressoir: 20th September 2010

Laurent Saillard backing the trailer into the press house 

 

Didier directing Laurent to bring trailer to right position

Laurent and Didier directing the flow

***

After this we headed to Le Detour for lunch and to see Philippe, who had a serious accident on the morning of 22nd August while working at the Meteor Val de Loire resort in Amboise. He fell over four metres off a ladder while dealing with a wasps' nest. Fortunately he fell onto grass but has done serious damage to his spinal cord and will have to lie flat and remain immobile for six months.  

It is very tough for Laurance to both run the restaurant and look after Philippe. Fortunately she has one of her daughters helping her.

Le Détour‎, 1 Rue Bléré, 37150 Civray de Touraine, France‎ - 02.47.30.99.30‎ 

(1993) Quadrille (Langlois-Chateau) and a 2007 Valençay (Jacky Preys)

Quadrille, Crémant de Loire, Langlois-Chateau

Enjoyed a bottle of Quadrille over the weekend, which I think I must have had some time as it was attractively evolved – quite golden, honeyed aromas along with a touch of oxidation. The cork has remained straight – not splayed out at all. It appears to be non-vintage. At least I can find no mention of any vintage even on the cork. Quadrille normally has a vintage. Certainly the later editions do but I fancy this is quite an earler example, so perhaps it was non-vintage when Quadrille was launched*.  

The blend is 50% Chenin Blanc, 35% Chardonnay, 15% Cabernet Franc and 5% Cabernet Sauvignon. Certainly this demonstrated how well Loire sparkling wines can age.

* My guess proved to be right as Elizabeth Ferguson, marketing and PR director for Mentzendorff who are Langlois' UK importers, checked this wine out for me with Langlois in Saumur.

This is their response:

The first cuvée of Quadrille was launched in 1993. At the beginning it was a non vintage cuvée.
Then we decided to add the vintage and the first on was 1995. (we didn’t made Quadrille with the vintage 1994)
The blend is always the same
-       50 % Chenin blanc
-       30% Chardonnay
-       15% Cabernet Franc
-       5% Cabernet Sauvignon 

Therefore this bottle must be from 1993, the first vintage of Quadrille – showing very well at nearly 17 years old.  

 

Well mature: the Quadrille cork

   

2007 La Chatelaine, Valençay, Jacky Preys

From vines planted on flint, La Chatelaine is mainly Sauvignon Blanc rounded out with a little Chardonnay. This blend works well, perhaps especially well in an austere, quite high acid vintage like 2007. The Chardonnay rounds out the grassy and citric flavours of the Sauvignon softening the acidity. Good as an aperitif this would also work well with shellfish as well as goat's cheese. This comes from Domaine Jacky Preys in Meusnes. The Preys family produce both AC Valençay and AC Touraine.