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Showing posts with label Chacé. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chacé. Show all posts
Saturday, 3 October 2015
#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
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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."
Monday, 4 February 2013
Loire 2013: River Thouet floods
Château de Brézé in the round
We headed over to La Dive Bouteille tasting in Château de Brézé – disappointingly warm and comfortable after all the warnings that on previous years it has been colder in the cellars than the North Pole. Also from what I tasted in the Loire there were considerably fewer completely off the wall wines than I expected. This was also true at the Renaissance tasting on the Saturday.
On the way back from Brézé to Angers we tried to do the cut through from Chacé to the Doué road but this was impossible as the Thouet has flooded and the road is well under water.
Flood sign at Chacé on the Rue du Thouet (D205)
No way through!
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