2017 Loire – Vincent Roussely, AC Touraine

 Vincent Roussely with two handfuls of 

Pineau d'Aunis picked on Saturday

Last Monday (18th September) on our way to the Central Vineyards we dropped in to see Vincent Roussely at his winery in Angé. Vincent was well into his 2017 harvest, having started on 4th September, with all his Sauvignon Blanc now picked. 

"The Sauvignon Blanc has great potential," enthused Vincent. "The potential alcohol is between 13.5% and 13.7% with 5.0 acidity. In terms of volume 2017 is much better than last year when we were badly frosted – making only 9 hl/ha. This year we are at 35 hl/ha I am happy with that." 

Vincent is organic, so accepts that his yields are likely to be well below the level that producers who use a range of chemicals on their vines can expect to achieve. 

He is waiting for his Cabernet to ripen properly.    

 Vincent in his cellar at Angé with his amphore

 Sauvignon Blanc in the amphore 

 Vincent with his series of small vats that allows 

him to vinify small parcels of his vines separately

 Vincent has been very go-ahead with wine tourism 

– this is part of his shop

A selection of local goats' cheese (chèvre)
Sauvignon Blanc is a great match

 More shelves and a pink couch for the boss's siesta

#2015Loire: harvesting Côt (Malbec) @Vincent Roussely in Angé

After taking photos of the Marchais family and harvesting in Epeigné-les-Bois on Saturday we headed to Angé a little further east in the Cher Valley to see Vincent Roussely receive his first trailer load of Côt (Malbec). Vincent's Côt is in Saint-Georges-sur-Cher – around 10 kilometres to the west. 

The first load of Côt arriving

Backing the tractor and trailer in through the 

narrow entrance to the cellar

Impressively Vincent has time to talk to a group of visitors 

at the same time as harvesting

Vincent with a small quantity of dry ice 

– used to protect the juice in the vat

Vincent chucking the dry ice into the underground vat

The newly hand picked Côt

The fermenting vat 

 Grapes heading up thr conveyor belt to the destemmer

 Grapes dropping into the destemmer 

(above and below)

Côt juice falling into the vat

made cloudy by the dry ice 

Vincent's Côt in his Saint-Georges-sur-Cher vineyard 

(above and below) 

 Pickers (some from Bulgaria) in the Saint-Georges vineyard 

(above and below)

Vincent Roussely: Portes Ouvertes – 11th - 12 th April

 Vincent's father has a remarkable collection of old cars and lorries

Vincent Roussely held his annual portes ouvertes on Saturday 11th and Sunday 12th April – a chance to taste Vincent's 2014 Sauvignon Blanc and Gamay. His 2014 Le Clos Sauvignon Blanc (€7 at the domaine) is attractively easy drinking, clean and lightly grassy. Vincent's superior and later bottled cuvée of Sauvignon Blanc – Espirit du Clos – is still 2013 and has more weight, concentration and good length (€8 at the domaine). 

Bottled in March the 2014 Canaille Gamay was picked in mid-October has lovely juicy fruit with a tough of spice. Vincent also has Favourite, which is a Blanc de Blancs Méthode Traditionnelle made from 100% Chardonnay from vines at Château de Menars near Blois, which used to belong to Madame de Pompadour. Toasty from 24-months sur latte and non dosé.      

   

 Vincent Roussely 

(the domaine in in the village of Angé)

(above and below)

 Vincent and Amélie

Vincent's young assistant

Napa Valley comes to Angé

Clos Roussely sign and vineyards 

A touch of Napa Valley came to Angé in the Cher Valley with Vincent Roussely's two open days over the last weekend showing off the extensive renovations and improvements that Vincent has been carrying out since he regained control of the family vineyards.   

Clos Roussely lorry (1927 Renault) plus barrels 

 The cellars 

 Nicolas Fevrier, Domaine du Pressoir des Vignes with his attractive 2011 Muscadet 

The recently created reception area 

Enjoying something to eat in the sunshine