Touraine producer becomes general secretary of AREV: an interview (part two)

Aynard de Clermont-Tonnerre

general secretary of AREV

Aynard took up his new post on Monday 1st June. This is the second part of my interview with him. The first part is here. 

In the first part we talked about how the AREV works along with its successes, strengths and weaknesses. This second part covers the current and future agenda.

Coronavirus

Naturally the effects of the coronavirus crisis is at the top of the agenda.

Aynard:

"We have and are pushing for plantation rights for 2020 to be held over into 2021. Also for permission for vineyard workers from countries like Romania to travel.

The virus, along with the 25% tax imposed by Trump on wine imports into the US, has disrupted and destablised the wine economy we need measures to allow distillation of excess stock so that producers have enough capacity for accommodating the forthcoming 2020 vintage. We think some two to three million hectolitres should be distilled. We are looking for 80€ per hectolitre for appellation wines (AC, DOC, DOCG etc.), 65€ per hl for IGP and 50€ for Vin de France or its equivalent in other European countries. Given the importance of wine in countries like France, Spain and Italy etc. the EU is not providing the wine industry enough money to come through this crisis.

Distillation isn't, however, the sole answer. We need to look at making wine, which is made for immediate consumption to last longer. This can be done by looking at the process of wine-making – maturation and bottling later. This is something, for instance, that Touraine Oisly producer and member of InterLoire, Lionel Gosseaume, is looking to do this for Touraine Sauvignon. Making wines for immediate consumption last longer will give producers more time to sell their wines before they deteriorate."    

Labelling

Putting the add the ingredients and any additives in wine on the label has been controversial with many wondering why if all the ingredients in processed food are listed why not the same for wine.

Aynard:

"It is a question of the best way to do this, which is a long process. We think that it is the actual ingredients in the finished and bottled wine that should be on bottles and listed on the back label." 

Jim: However, this is not going to satisfy vegetarians and vegans, who will want to know whether animal products have been used in the wine-making, for instance in clarification.

Harmonising organic wine certification and defining natural wine
Aynard:

"AREV is involved in the discussions on achieving an agreed organic and bio-dynamic certifications that covers all of Europe and in time the United States, so avoiding a multiplicity of certification. Similarly there are currently no Pan-European vegan rules. Nor any real legal definition of natural wine. AREV can help to find solutions to achieve agreement.   

Climate change and the environment
Aynard:

"Clearly we are and will be working to see how the wine industry copes with the effects and implications of climate change. Also regarding the environment reducing the use of pesticides is another item on the agenda. This is taking longer than expected. We are very firmly against the use of GM vines. However, there are other techniques, such as resistant hybrids, emerging that are more respectful of nature that could be interesting."

Being general secretary of AREV must be a challenging and fascinating role at the best of times:  liaising with wine producers and wine organisations across Europe and at the time making sure that Europe's wine voice is heard and listened to in Brussels. Covid-19 makes this even more challenging.       

Emerging from social confinement...

Aynard de Clermont-Tonnerre, the new general secretary of AREV  

After weeks of no social interaction with friends during France's strict lockdown, we welcomed our first two guests to have passed our front gate since early March last Thursday for an apéro à distance sociale.

Fortunately it was a lovely warm evening and we sat outside in the garden, while maintaining a social distance with no handshakes or embraces, of course.  Our two guests were Aynard and Isabelle de Clermont-Tonnerre of Clos du Porteau in nearby Saint-Georges-sur-Cher.

It turned out to be a double celebration – not just for a restrained lifting of social confinement but also an unexpected celebration of Aynard's important new job as general secretary of AREV: the Assemblée des régions européennes viticoles. Aynard took up the initial post as Deputy General Secretary on 1st April. On Monday (1st June) he will take over as General Secretary when the current holder – Alain d'Anselme – retires. 

Aynard is naturally delighted and excited by his new job, which in normal times would be a challenge but it will be made all the more challenging by COVID-19. There will be a a full interview with Aynard soon.

I had decided that for our apéro evening would be restricted to white wine and would feature a trio of wines from Jacky Blot – all from Montlouis.

Triple Zéro, Montlouis, La Taille aux Loups, Jacky Blot

This bottle had considerable bottle age as the cork remained in its tight mushroom form without splaying out. Along with many Loires, well made sparkling wines – Triple Zéro is a pétillant – have the potential to age well if you can resist opening them when they are young. Thursday's Triple Zéro had retained its purity and freshness along with a developed honeyed complexity. A perfect start for our double celebration.

 

2012 Rémus Plus, Montlouis, Domaine de la Taille aux Loups 

2005 Rémus, Montlouis, Domaine de la Taille aux Loups 

We followed the Triple Zéro with a duo of Rémus – the 2005 was a straight Rémus, while the 2012 was a Rémus Plus: a more severe selection than Rémus and from vines aged between 80 and 100 years old. This was also a contrast of vintages. 2005 had a long hot dry summer with fine weather continuing into the autumn. In contrast 2012 was a more difficult year, although bud-break was early, the vines were badly hit by an April frost on the night 16th-17th April. There was heavy and continuous rain from early October.

The 2005 was noticeably richer than 2012 and naturally more evolved but still with good freshness in the finish, while the 2012 was tighter, very clean and precise with an attractive austerity in the long finish with a clear potential to evolve and age for a long time yet. The majority preferred the 2005, while I had a slight preference for the 2012. Both fine wines with differences that reflect the different ages and climatic differences of these two vintages.

Photos from a day at Ampelidae – Haut-Poitou plus .....

On Thursday I spent the day at Ampelidae in the Haut-Poitou. Here are some photos from this trip – the text will follow tomorrow. 

Frédéric Brochet – founder of Ampelidae and its driving force

 

Frédéric with his barrel, concrete egg and small stainless steel vat

– he prefers the stainless steel

Château des Roches winery 

Frédéric keeping his finger on the 2016 vintage ....

The tasting area at the Manoir de Lavauguyot, Marigny-Brizay

(above and below)

 Some of the range of wines

 Pierre, who used to be the sommelier at 

Jean Bardet in Tours, looks after the tasting area

Aynard Clermont-Tonnerre

export manager for Ampelidae 

(above and below)

Part of the Château des Roches winery 

 Stainless steel vat

The interior of the vat

 Blending into the background

Ampelidae's premises at Neuville de Poitou

previously part of the Cave-Coop

 Martial Lecomte, winemaker at Neuville de Poitou

 September 2013 – then disused vinification 

premises of the Cave du Haut-Poitou

 

 October 2016 – as they are now – demolished to 

make way for a larger Lidl supermarket and other shops

 The current Lidl shop just opposite the Cave Coop site

Frédéric Brochet and Ampelidae expands into Touraine

Already easily the largest player in Haut-Poitou, the dynamic Frédéric Brochet and Ampelidae have now expanded into Touraine taking over the management of the Bourgueil and Chinon vineyards that belonged to Pierre-Jacques Druet. Ampelidae have also taken over the running of the Touraine AC and Montlouis vines of Clos du Porteau based in Saint-Georges-sur-Cher. All the wines will be organic.

Aynard de Clermont Tonnerre from the Clos du Porteau has now been appointed to look after the commercial side of Ampelidae. Clermont Tonnerre used to be a banker with Commerzbank.

With 230 hectares now under their control Ampelidae are becoming an increasingly important player in the Loire. 

    

A new player in Montlouis

Aynard de Clermont-Tonnerre amongst the vines@Les Boulayes

Aynard de Clermont-Tonnerre: "what a ridiculous angle!"

In January 2012 Aynard and Isabelle Clérmont de Tonnerre concluded a deal with Michel Antier, which gave them access to 22 hectares of Montlouis – some already planted 13.5 ha in two parcels: Les Boulayes and Les Batisses. These parcels used to belong to Olivier Deletang, who for personal and financial reasons, sold up in 2009 to Michel Antier – the largest landowner in Montlouis.  

Aynard de Clermont Tonnerre with Michel Antier 

In turn Antier decided that he now had too much land, so has started to sell off  a few of his parcels. This has allowed Aynard de Clermont-Tonnerre to rent Les Batisses on a long contact and Les Boulayes but with the option to buy the latter in a couple of years. Aynard and Isabelle already have 22 hectares of vines at the Clos du Porteau in Saint-Georges-sur-Cher as Appellation Touraine. Following the Montlouis deal, they have given back some of 12ha of their rented vines in AC Touraine to the their owner, leaving them with 10 hectares mainly planted with Sauvignon Blanc with some Cabernet Franc and Côt in addition. 

 Aynard amongst the old Chenin vines: Les  Boulayes

At Les Batisses, which is just to the north of Jacky Blot's Le Clos Mosny, all 11 hectares are planted, while at Les Boulayes, about a kilometre or so further east, only 2.5 hectares are currently in production with a potential 8.5 hectares to plant. This year the vineyard will be farmed organically and next year will see the start of conversion to biodynamics. 

After the visit we tasted a couple of Olivier Delétang's wines from 2009 – his last vintage. Firstly Les Batisses sec followed by a Moelleux. Although both were perfectly pleasant, well made and would be a good choice for a wine by the glass in a restaurant or wine bar, neither were at the standard I remember Delétang producing in the past. They lack the concentration and character that would lift them to make them memorable. A question of pushing the yields up towards the maximum permitted?  

Some Cabernet Franc vines@Les Boulayes (not part of the deal)

Elderly Chenin vines@Les Boulayes

Vine@Les Boulayes looking south towards the Cher Valley and Saint-Martin-le-Beau (above and below)

Sunlight on the wires and vines@Les Batisses

The chai@Les Boulayes

The parcel at Les Boulayes comes with a winery. Although the functional building will not win any beauty prizes, Aynard is very pleased to have this facility as apparently it is more difficult to find a winery/chai in Montlouis than vines.   

Clos du Porteau (AC Touraine): a couple of new photos

Aynard de Clermont Tonnerre: a global vision from his new office!

Posts to come include a tasting of 2009s at Couly-Dutheil on Tuesday afternoon, tasting more 2009s at La Maison des Vins de Tours with Marie Colombe Haudebert and a round up of recently tasted wines.