Loire 2019 – Saumur, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil and Bourgueil

Picking @Domaine de la Butte, Bourgueil

Some photos and reports from harvest in Saumur, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil and Bourgueil on 3rd October.

2019 Cabernet Franc in vineyard along Montée de l'Angle Cher, Saumur 
Above and below
(Saumur-Chempigny)

 

Picture perfect Cabernet Franc

We made a number of visits on Thursday 3rd October to vignerons to see how the 2019 harvest was progressing. The overall message is that 2019 is another quality vintage, that it is a very good vintage for whites with a better balance and freshness than 2018. However, unlike the generous 2018 vintage, 2019 is a small vintage due to a combination of factors – spring frosts, coulure and millerandage during flowering due to wet conditions in early June, drought and grapes being grilled by the sun.

In last week's post I raised the frequency of grapes being frazzled by the heat spikes at the end of June and during July. It would appear that the spike at the end of July caused the most damage. It also seems that Chenin Blanc was more affected by the heat of the sun than Cabernet Franc.  Raising the height of the canopy is one way of providing more protection through increasing the amount of shade compared to vines with a low canopy.

As is often the case there were some who were only just starting – Anthony and Cedric Bonneau (Domaine de la Bonnelière – Saumur and Saumur-Champigny.  They had started that day on picking Cabernet for their rosé and would also be picking their Chenin Blanc for their Saumur Blanc. They had picked grapes destined for their Crémant de Loire between the 22nd and 24th September. However, they would only start picking their Cabernet Franc for Saumur Rouge and Saumur Champigny at the beginning of this week beginning 7th October. In contrast Antoine Sanzay, Jean-Pierre Chevallier (Ch de Villeneuve), Frédéric Mabileau, Yannick Amirault and Philippe Boucard (Lamé Delisle Boucard) were all close to finishing.

Higher trained vines not only provide more foliage
but also increased shade give further protection against sunburnt grapes

 

Example of higher foliage providing more shade
+ vine suffering from Esca

 

Chenin Blanc grapes grilled by the sun, Saumur

Picking @Domaine de la Butte, Bourgueil

Frédéric Mabileau– 2019 Cabernet Franc
again picture perfect fruit

Jean-Paul Mabileau (doesn't want to wait for the 2019 wine to be made
– he wants to enjoy the grapes now!

 

2019 Cabernet Franc macerating, Domaine Yannick Amirault
Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil

 

Barrels and amphores @Domaine Yannick Amirault

Frédéric Mabileau and his small egg
containing Chenin Blanc with pips and skins

 

•••

Antoine Sanzay's renovated cave 

The entrance to the complex of caves

During our visit to see how 2019 was progressing at Antoine Sanzay (Varrains), he quickly showed his renovated cave. The complex of cellars, part of which was once a dwelling, has for many years existed but now they have been renovated to provide wine storage space. The major work was concreting the floor to make an easy and convenient surface.

Antoine has installed a lift for easy access for his wine

 

The lift housing 

2015 Les Poyeux, Saumur-Champigny, Domaine la Bonnelière

2015 Les Poyeaux, Saumur-Champigny, 

Domaine de la Bonnelière

Thanks to Charly and Nady Foucault Les Poyeux is now one of the most famous vineyard sites in the Loire. As well as the Foucaults there are a number of other producers including Antoine Sanzay and the Bonneau family – Domaine la Bonnelière. 

The 2015 Les Poyeux, Domaine de la Bonnelière is very promising: very enjoyable to drink now it will surely repay keeping. It is still youthful with a rich concentration of pure black fruits, softly textured but with structure and some complexity along with good length. Reasonably priced this is a bargain.    

Clos de Jeanne, Genillé – excellent annual Les HP lunch

Night time view of the Clos de Jeanne, Genillé

Today we held the annual lunch of Les Huîtres Pétillantes, the company we formed in order to buy the house in Epeigné-les-Bois back in 1987. This year we chose Le Clos de Jeanne in Genillé. We had an execllent meal and were very well looked after by Bernadette Auroy – the owner along with her husband Alain, who is the chef.   

 

For our apéro we chose the 2015 Noble Joué from Rémi Cosson. Made from three Pinots – Gris, Meunier and Noir – this delicately coloured rosé has attractive red fruits along with good, crisp acidity.   

Because we were a group of eight we understandably had a restricted choice of dishes, particularly as today was the Fête des Mers so the restaurant was busy. For our entrées we had a choice of asperges gratinés au parmesan et jambon cru italien or dariole de crabe, tomates-cerise, mesclun et crème ciboulette. Unfortunately I was hungry and forgot to take photos of these but my asparagus was very good. 

With this course we enjoyed the 2014 Les Choisilles, Montlouis Sec from François Chidaine. Beautifully balanced with rich complex fruit from this very good vintage – underlining the quality of Chidaine's wines.

Main course choices: Pièce de boeuf 'Angus', beurre au piment d'Espelette, mousseline de pommes de terre au paprika (above) or marmite de la mer à la sauce safranée, brunoise de légumes de saison. The marmite had salmon, cod and julienne. Both dishes were excellent. 

Our red option was the delicious 2014 Saumur-Champigny from Antoine Sanzay. Antoine has made several lovely cuvées in 2014 and this one is particularly impressive for being Antoine's straight domaine wine.   

We had the full choice of desserts:

Tarte aux pommes flambées au calvados 

Gâteau au chocolat, sauce au chocolat et 

glace chocolat noir suisse 'Frey'

Sablé breton aux fraises de saison et 

mascarpone sorbet fraise 'sengana' 

Nos profieteroles sauce au chocolat

Not much left of the profiteroles .....

Some 2014 Saumur-Champignys – delicious drinking now!

2014 Saumur-Champigny Domaine Antoine Sanzay

2014 Cabernet Franc based Loire reds are already proving to be very attractive to drink now. They have lovely rich, bright fruit and have lovely balance with a freshness in the finish. Although not as rich as vintages such as 2005 and 2009 they are very seductive. Over the last week we have enjoyed four Saumur-Champignys shown here. 

Antoine Sanzay's range of 2014 reds are excellent. Above is the straight domaine, which has lovely black fruits and is richly textured. Certainly can be enjoyed now but has the potential to be kept – probably for up to 10 years. 

   

La Croix de Chaintres, 2014 Saumur-Champigny, Domaine Filliatreau is a lighter, early-drinking cuvée with attractive red fruits and is sensibly closed with a screwcap. 

The 2014 Saumur-Champigny, Domaine de Nerleux comes between the Antoine Sanzay and the Filliatreau in terms of weight with attractive texture and black fruits. It is drinking well now but can easily be kept for five or more years.

2014 Clos de l'échelier, Saumur-Champigny, Thierry Germain, Domaine des Roches Neuves. This is a relatively new cuvée from Thierry. It comes from a clos in Dampierre just above the Loire. Thierry acquired it in 2012 when the previous owner, who sent his grapes to the cooperative decided to retire. Nicely textured with some structure, we enjoyed this with roast duck. It certainly has the potential to age and should develop further in bottle.    

  

La Croix de Chaintres, 2014 Saumur-Champigny, Domaine Filliatreau

2014 Saumur-Champigny, Domaine de Nerleux

2014 Clos de l'échelier, Saumur-Champigny, Thierry Germain, 

Domaine des Roches Neuves 

#2015Loire – Saumur-Champigny 30th September (part 2) inc 'Factory Frères Foucault'

Thierry Germain, Domaine des Roches Neuves, 

tasting 2015 Saumur 

(above and below) 

After dropping in on Domaine Filliatreau (see here) we headed to Varrains to see Thierry Germain and Michel Chevre at Domaine des Roches Neuves. Thierry: "We started on the reds last Thursday – 12.6˚ potential and 5.5-5.6 acidity. The grapes we picked this morning were at 13.4˚. The fruit is well balanced and I want to avoid high alcohols. We still have 50% of the white to pick but I expect we will finish by next Tuesday."  

2015 Cabernet Franc macerating

Sorting table@Roches Neuves 

Michel Chevre looks on 

The now almost obligatory amphore

 Domaine Frères Foucault

The Frères Foucault's new winery at Chacé – a disused factory building on the edge of Varrains and Chacé. There was no-one there when we passed. Later Antoine Sanzay told me that the Foucaults were due to start tomorrow (Thursday). Although the new premises may lack some of the charm of their old cellars the premises will doubtless be much more practical and easy to work in. Apparently everything inside is by gravity feed.

In Italy, Spain or Chile a producer with the fame and high reputation of Charly and Nady would build a modern day cathedral to the ego. Instead they have opted for something more modest, which is entirely in keeping!

Entrance to the chai

•••

Antoine Sanzay (right) at work by his sorting table

After seeing the exterior of the Foucault's new winery our last visit of the day was to Antoine Sanzay (Varrains). Antoine:  "Initially I thought we would be picking our Cabernet Franc much earlier than last year. However, that is not the way it has turned out. Last year we started on 4th October – this year the 30th September, so only slightly earlier. We picked some of the Chenin Blanc last Wednesday and Thursday."  

Prior to Antoine Sanzay I had stopped by at the Le Petit Saint Vincent (12ha) Dominique Joseph (known as Pelo). Pelo: "We started the Cabernet at the beginning of this week. Our Chenin is coming in at 12.5˚, while the Cabernet ranges from 12.6˚ to 13.2˚ and the acidity from 3.6 to 4.2. I expect with our team of 24 pickers we will finish at the beginning of next week."