A long, lovely lunch Chez Olivia et Vincent....

 

Olivia and Vincent @ Vincent le Cuisinier
Ingrandes de Touraine

The idea was to organise a lunch around the wines of Jo Pithon that we haven't yet drunk, especially his first real vintage – 2005 – from the Clos des Treilles. Jo hasn't kept many examples of his old vintages. Ivan Massonnat hadn't tasted the 2005, so it made sense to have a lunch at Vincent le Cuisinier in Ingrandes de Touraine with the 2005 as the centrepiece. Clearly one bottle, however good, would not suffice so we added a few more, while remaining moderate.

As an apéro we opted for the 1961 Le Haut-Lieu demi-sec from Gaston Huet. It still had a youthful golden colour. It was initially quite austere but took on more weight when decanted giving a lovely balance of fruit and acidity.

We had intended to hold the lunch the day before but that was not possible. Holding it on the Saturday proved to be fortuitous as Jacques Pusais was also lunching Chez Vincent. Giving him a glass of the 1961 Huet to try led to us discovering that it was Jacques who vinified this vintage for Huet – the first of several at the domaine. Jacques was born in 1927, so it was good to see him in such good form.

Jacques Pusais, Ivan Massonnat and Jo Pithon 

Vincent and Olivia kindly created a special menu for us to go with the wines. For this they charged us a remarkably reasonable 39€ per person.

entrée

Ris d’agneau roulés au beurre fermier,

jeunes poireaux et poêlée de betteraves

 

 

2005 Les Treilles. Anjou, Domaine Jo Pithon (100% Chenin)

 

 

 

Happily the 2005 turned out to be the real star of our meal with its great vivacity and energy. With its lovely texture, balance and finesse it went well with all of the dishes with perhaps the exception of the dessert. We served it with the entrée and kept it on the table.

 

 

1992 Les Nouettes, Coteaux du Layon,

Saint Lambert du Lattay, Domaine Jo Pithon

 

This was remarkably impressive for a 1992, a decidedly difficult year starting with a very big crop as the vines had had a year off due to the terrible frost of 1991 and then the weather during harvest wasn't favourable with plenty of grey rot. It was fascinating hearing Jo talk about the measures and precautions they had to take to achieve this result – very clean, quite rich with well balanced length. Its richness matched the sweet succulence of the riz de veau.

 

Vincent is not a man to be trifled with ......

 

 

 

Poulet de notre vigne , cuit en cocotte

en deux services

la poitrine , Bourgueilette de légumes

la cuisse , jus réduit au thym

 

 

 

 

 

The 1997 Le Gory, Saumur Blanc was made by Françoise Foucault, the wife of the late Charly Foucault. The 1997 is very rich, concentrated and powerful with still some traces of new wood. Although impressive it didn't have the finesse of the very food-friendly Les Treilles.

 

 

This one is definitely reserved for special occasions like this – 1989 Dioterie, Chinon, Charles Joguet. Initially it was rather closed with notes of green pepper but in the decanter it opened up revealing lovely soft texture, complexity and length. Still youthful at 30 years.

 

 

dessert

Pomme rôtie longuement

Biscuit d’épices , une escalope de foie gras pochée

 

Desserts are the preserve of Olivia and this one is very unusual as it features a slice of foie gras – utterly delicious!

 

 

1993 Clos du Bois, Coteaux du Layon Saint Aubin,
Domaine Jo Pithon

Another very impressive wine from a far from easy vintage – not as difficult as 1992 admittedly. The 1993 Clos du Bois was richer and more concentrated than the 1992 Les Nouettes. It had lovely rich fruit – apricot confit, very fine texture matched with good acidity and a long finish. Making wine this good in a difficult year is the mark of a great vigneron! Chapeau Jo !  

The evidence of modération
– none of the bottles were emptied by us

Vincent cuisinier de campagne
19 Rue de la Galottière, 37140 Ingrandes-de-Touraine
Téléphone : 02 47 96 17 21

Is Quarts de Chaume about to become very rare?

Green is Chaume 1er Cru and pink is Quarts de Chaume

Two new and wonderfully detailed maps of the Quarts de Chaume
and Coteaux du Layon 1er Cru Chaume
Source: Fédération Viticole Anjou-Saumur 

Geological map of Coteaux du Layon 1er Cru Chaume
Clearly indicating how complex the soils are in this small area

2019 is a significant year for Quarts de Chaume – one of the world's greatest expressions of Chenin Blanc. It will be the last vintage that cryoextraction, or cryoselection as some prefer to call it, will be allowed under the décret of November 2011. This transitional arrangement comes to an end in 2019. From 2020 it will hopefully be impossible to make Quarts de Chaume from unripe, green grapes and foist it onto the consumer as the real thing.

However, despite a series of good to excellent vintages there is every prospect that Quarts de Chaume, already a small appellation of 40 hectares, will become increasingly rare. The problem is simple we are not buying and drinking enough sweet wine. Now there is a marked move to making dry Anjou Blanc from the vines of the Quarts de Chaume.

Hamlet of Chaume and the surrounding Q de C vines 

The arrival of two important new players – Kathleen Van den Berghe and Sigurd Mareels (Château Suronde) and Ivan Massonnat (Domaine Belargus) – has highlighted the problem and the direction that a significant proportion of the production from vines in the Quarts de Chaume will take. Belargus has 10 hectares of vines in Quarts de Chaume and Suronde 5.5 hectares making a total of 15.5 ha or 38.75% of the appellation's total area.   

View towards Suronde

Suronde's website clearly sets out their wine producing policy.

'Château de Suronde is the perfect complement to Château de Minière (Bourgueil), with white wines from Chenin Blanc that can be sweet, semi-sweet and dry, both still and sparkling. Château de Suronde will produce mainly dry white wine, and will produce the iconic sweet Quarts de Chaume wines in the best vintages only.'

Only sweet wines that meet the appellation's criteria can be Quarts de Chaume – dry, semi-sweet will be Anjou Blanc, while the sparkling can be either Anjou Mousseux or Crémant de Loire depending on the production methods used.

Ivan Massonnat (Belargus) intends to make 80% dry wines from his 10 hectares. This percentage is likely to be even higher in average to poor vintages. It was Jo Pithon who fortunately persuaded Massonnat to make some Quarts de Chaume in 2018. Pithon pointed out that even though sweet wines are difficult to sell they can remain in a grower's cellar for many years without losing value.

Part of Belargus's holding in lieux-dit Les Quarts

Suronde and Belargus are not alone. Guy Rochais (Château de Plaisance) is also making  dry wines in the Quarts de Chaume and is amongst those pushing for a superior appellation for the best of Anjou Blanc sec – in this case, perhaps, Anjou Blanc Chaume.

What of Domaine des Baumard's six hectares of Quarts de Chaume? From the 2020 vintage when cryo-extraction is banned making it impossible for the domaine to make some 80 hectolitres of ersatz 'Quarts de Chaume' as they did in the awful 2012 vintage when over 200 mls of rain fell during the crucial month of October.  

Actually it was legally impossible in the 2012 vintage but the INAO chose to turn a blind eye – forget any notion that this organisation stands up for the consumer. In less than ideal vintages will Domaine des Baumard now choose make a proportion of dry white from their six hectares?

My guess is that producers, like Domaines de la Bergerie, Ogereau and others with just a small parcel in the Quarts de Chaume will continue to try to make 100% sweet wine from their parcels unless weather conditions make this impossible.

Stats from InterLoire show that between 2012 and 2016 the maximum area declared as Quarts de Chaume was 35 hectares (2014), while the lowest was 6 hectares in 2012......  Will the area declared reach 35 hectares in the near future?

It is difficult to blame the producers for choosing to reduce their production of sweet wine in favour of dry ones. How can you expect them to go on making wines that in order to be great require tiny yields, with the attendant big risks of late harvest and the additional expense of successive pickings, if they cannot sell them no matter how good these sweet wines are?

This development sets lovers of a sweet wine a challenge. If you want these wines to continue to be made in reasonable quantities you must be prepared to drink more of them. Here I am as guilty as anyone. I love sweet wines, especially those from the Loire with their magical balance of sweetness and acidity. However, when I reflect at the end of the year on the number of bottles of sweet wines that I have drunk – I may only need the fingers of one hand and only rarely more than two!

This lack of consumption is not peculiar to Quarts de Chaume or other Loire sweet wines, Sauternes and other great sweet wines face similar problems in a dry white market. Some would say let market forces rule. If a type of wine is difficult to sell them what's the problem if it disappears.... Although, of course, market forces are necessarily a major influence, if it wasn't for some stubborn and courageous producers some of wine's diversity would have been lost. The wine world would be a a sea of international wine varieties. The marvels of good sherry might well have disappeared. etc. etc. 

It is still possible to enjoy and marvel at sweet Vourvays or those from the Layon from 1947 because a reasonable quantity was made. Will that still be the case for potential great vintages like 2018 and those to come in the future in 70 years time? For the sake of future generations of wine lovers I hope so! 

As wine communicators we need to highlight the qualities of great sweet wine and the different occasions to drink them. It doesn't help that too many in the British wine and hospitality trade and in other countries foolishly and inaccurately describe these magical wines as 'dessert' wines.

Un Grand Vin du Monde – Quarts de Chaume by Jean Baumard

I don't often agree with Jean Baumard but I do agree with his book's title Quarts de Chaume – Un Grand Vin du Monde (published 2007) – assuming that the wine complies with the décret in force from the 2020 vintage. Unfortunately Quarts de Chaume is facing some testing times and is under a possible threat, which I hope will receive some airtime during the International Chenin Blanc Seminar at the start of July in Angers.

Bel avenir pour Belargus ?

 

Ivan Massonnat, owner of the new Domaine Belargus*

Was initially called Bel Argus (2 words) now Belargus (one word) 

Last Thursday (3rd January) we had a very useful and interesting journey and visit to meet Ivan Massonnat at the winery of Pithon-Paillé in Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay. During last year Ivan bought Jo Pithon's vineyards, Pascal Laffourcade's ten hectares of Quarts de Chaume and nearly three hectares in Savennières – creating his new Domaine Bel Argus, which I think is an exciting project for both Anjou and for Loire Chenin Blanc, the new domaine's sole focus.

We met Ivan and his new winemaker 24-year-old Adrien Moreau. Ivan explained how the new venture had come about.

"It had been intended that Jules, Jo Pithon's son and his partner Tania, would take over Pithon-Paillé. However, Jules and Tania separated and Jules decided against taking over. Jo and Isabelle, Jo's wife, decided to sell as they were ready to retire. Because of the frosts 2016 and 2017 had been difficult for Jo."
For a number of years Ivan has had a house in Champigny-sur-Veude to the south of Chinon. "For a long time I have been looking to buy a domaine in Anjou. I am particularly interested in single varietal wines and am a lover of those from Burgundy and have a passion for Chenin Blanc. I have often spoken with Patrick Baudouin. Last February I was with Patrick at the Salon des Vins de Loire. He told me that Jo Pithon's  estate was up for sale. I had never heard of Jo."

Patrick took Ivan to meet Jo at the Salon and early next day he was with Jo visiting the steeply sloping Clos des Treilles. There were a few others interested in acquiring Jo's domaine but Ivan soon emerged as the front-runner and the deal was completed on 6th June. Ivan explained that the Clos is not in the best state with some vines missing. The financial restraints imposed by the two successive years of frost would have made it difficult to do all the necessary replacements. 

 

Generous 2018 crop @l’Echarderie

At the same time Ivan bought Pascal Laffourcade's ten hectares in the Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru. These ten hectares are in one sole block around Pascal's Château de l’Echarderie. This represents a quarter of the appellation. I mentioned that I had been been walking in the Quarts de Chaume in October last year and had noted that the vines around l'Echarderie were carrying a considerable crop. "We made mostly dry wines from these grapes," said Ivan.  

More recently Ivan has bought nearly three hectares in Savennières adjacent to the Roche aux Moines. This brings his new domaine up to 26 hectares. 

 Adrien Moreau

Ivan encouraged Adrien, the young wine-maker, to introduce himself. 

"I joined in October for the end of the harvest." Adrien said. "I come from the Beauce and my parents are cereal farmers.  I studied wine-making at Paris and Montpellier along with spells at Cheval Blanc, Haut-Brion and Harlan Estate in the Napa Valley. In April 2018 I joined Roederer in Champagne and was there for the harvest, which was exceptional. I was very interested by the Roederer's vine collection and especially the work on Pinot Noir sélection massale,"

"What I like about Adrien," added Ivan, "is that he is more than a technician. Adrien is passionate about wine, a good taster and very keen to learn."

"2019 will be a year of reflection," explained Ivan. "This is a collective adventure – it is not about my ego. Anjou is not well known. Wine amateurs are becoming aware that Anjou has some grand terroirs." Ivan is keen that the general wine drinking public discover Anjou's potential. The current winery in Saint-Lambert will be considerably improved. It hasn't been decided whether to demolish the old building and start again. Possibly they may decide to build a new winery elsewhere.

Other details of Domaine Belargus were covered in an earlier post here.   

After introducing the project we went down into the cellar to taste the 2018 Chenins from barrel. Covering dry wines from Savennières, Les Bonnes Blanches (Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay), dry Chenin made in the Quarts de Chaume and Les Treilles. We finished with the sweet wines – delicacy and finesse from Belargus, Les Treilles (tiny production), 1er Cru Chaume Coteaux du Layon, and two parcels in the Quarts de Chaume – Les Rovers et Les Quarts with the latter currently more expressive. Ambroisie (35.5˚ potential) from Quarts de Chaume set us up for our return to the Cher Valley.  These wines are all still babies but 2018 looks very promising, very precise and well balanced. 

 Jo Pithon

Jo Pithon joined us part of the way through the tasting. He looked very relaxed – retirement is clearly suiting him!  It was also apparent that he and Ivan have a mutual respect. 

Ivan and Jo

Suffice to say that I was very impressed by Ivan and his Chenin Blanc project. Ivan stressed that this is very much a nine-strong team of mixed ages from Adrien in his early twenties to Jo at retirement and Guy Bossard, as the consultant for helping the entire domaine to become biodynamic. Interesting and encouraging that Ivan has persuaded Guy to take Belargus on as his only consultancy, choosing someone who knows the Loire intimately and not plumping for a 'stellar' consultant from Bordeaux or elsewhere and who already advises a large clutch of domaines.

After the harvest all of the team piled into mini-bus and headed to Côte Rotie where they visited a number of vignerons that Jo knows well. In addition to this team building Ivan stressed that they all meet regularly and that everyone is kept informed about what is happening in all aspects of the domaine. 

Jo's last business partner – Philip Fournier (Now Domaine FL) turned out to be a distressing disaster. I hope and think it very likely that that this new project will work much better and Jo will see his work, particularly on the Clos des Treilles, carried on and taken to the next level.

I asked Jo how this new partnership compared to his previous business arrangement. Diametrically different was the response...... 

  

 

Ivan, Jo and Adrien   

Bel avenir pour Bel Argus ?

Ivan Massonnat, owner of the new Domaine Bel Argus  

Today we had a very useful and interesting journey and visit to meet Ivan Massonnat at the winery of Pithon-Paillé in Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay. During last year Ivan bought Jo Pithon's vineyards, Pascal Laffourcade's ten hectares of Quarts de Chaume and nearly three hectares in Savennières – creating his new Domaine Bel Argus, which I think is an exciting project for both Anjou and for Chenin Blanc, the new domaine's sole focus.

This post will be expanded considerably but suffice to say that I was very impressed by Ivan and his Chenin Blanc project. Jo's last business partner – Philip Fournier (Now Domaine FL) turned out to be a distressing disaster. I hope and thuink it very likely that that this new project will work much better and Jo will see his work, particularly on the Clos des Treilles. carried on and taken to the next level. 

  

Ivan and Jo       

Domaine Bel Argus: further details of Ivan Massonnat's new venture in Anjou

The rare butterfly that has inspired the 

name of Ivan Massonnat's new domaine 

Further details have just come through of Ivan Massonnat's exciting new venture in Anjou.

Back in June Massonnat bought Jo Pithon's domaine, which includes the Coteau des Treilles, a steep parcel in the commune of Beaulieu that overlooks the Layon. At the same time Massonnat acquired 10 hectares in the Quarts de Chaume from Laffourcade – giving him a quarter of this Grand Cru. 

Massonnat has now completed his new domaine of 26 hectares with some parcels (3 hectares in total) in Savennières. This includes the Clos des Ruchères, which is next to appellation Roche aux Moines. 

The new estate, to be 100% biodynamic, is to be called Bel Argus after a rare butterfly that is found in the Coteau des Treilles and inspires Jo Pithon's rare cuvée – Belargus des Treilles.

Massonnat has also finalised his team of seven – a blend of youth and experience. Jo Pithon remains involved with Guy Bossard, one of the earliest Loire producers to adopt biodynamics, as a consultant. 24-year-old Adrien Moreau is the winemaker with 27 year-old Geoffroi Cocard as the chef du culture (i/c vineyards) and 29 year-old Amaury Chartier, who will be responsible for looking after the Coteau des Treilles, whose very steep slopes will doubtless keep him fit! 

Jo Pithon's négociant business, Pithon-Paillé, will continue alongside Domaine Bel Argus as a complementary company. 

This promises to be a very exciting project – one which should boost the reputation of Anjou, Chenin Blanc and bring further interest to Loire wines. Jo Pithon's career has had its share of ups and downs. I hope that this new venture will see Jo's now 40 year-old time as a winemaker ending on a high. Certainly the new venture has been lucky with having 2018 as its first vintage.

I look forward to meet Ivan Massonnat in the near future and learning more about Domaine Bel Argus.         


Press release: 4.12.18

'LE DOMAINE « BEL ARGUS » COMPLÈTE SA COLLECTION DE GRANDS 
TERROIRS DE L’ANJOU

Six mois après avoir repris le domaine de Jo Pithon,
Ivan Massonnat s’implante à Savennières et finalise son équipe. 
 

LE PITHON-PAILLE AU DOMAINE « BEL ARGUS »
En acquérant le domaine Pithon-Paillé, Ivan Massonnat a réalisé son reve de passionné, et a posé les fondations d’un grand projet : bâtir un vignoble d’exception sur les plus beaux terroirs de l’Anjou pour y produire de grands Chenins en Biodynamie. 


Ivan Massonnat finalise aujourd’hui le périmètre foncier de son domaine, en s’implantant sur la commune de Savennières : il reprend en fermage un ensemble de vignes à la famille Taillandier et lui rachète un terroir d’exception (le Clos des Ruchères). Il exploitera désormais près de 3 hectares sur cette appellation recherchée. Accolée au Clos, une maison de charme style 1900 sera transformée en lieu d’accueil. Disposant d’une cave sous-terraine (chose rare pour cette région de schistes), cette maison deviendra le lieu d’élevage de toutes les cuvées de Savennières. 


Le nouveau domaine, dorénavant constitué, s’appellera BEL ARGUS, en hommage à la cuvée la plus rare que produisait Jo Pithon (« Belargus des Treilles »). C’est aussi le nom d’un petit papillon bleu très rare à cette latitude, mais présent sur le terroir du Coteau des Treilles, qui a vocation à incarner un message universel : la beauté et la fragilité de la Nature. 

UNE COLLECTION DE GRANDS TERROIRS DE L’ANJOU
Avec cette dernière acquisition, le Domaine Bel Argus atteint sa taille finale de 26 hectares, et s’articule désormais autour de 3 terroirs exceptionnels : 

Le Coteau des Treilles (Monopole), joyau du domaine Pithon-Paillé : un coteau de 3 hectares exposé plein Sud, abandonné après-guerre à cause de ses fortes pentes (30 à 70%). Il est situé dans un écrin de biodiversité, au sein d’une zone classée « Réserve Naturelle Régionale » (cogérée avec la LPO). 

Les Quarts de Chaume (Grand Cru) : 10 hectares d’un seul tenant (soit un quart de cette micro-appellation, la seule AOC classée « Grand Cru » de tout le Val de Loire), comprenant les parcelles historiques de l’appellation : « Les Quarts » et « Les Rouères », notamment. 

Le Clos des Ruchères (Savennières), objet du présent rachat : 45 ares d’un coteau abrupt, clos de murs et implanté sur de magnifiques schistes pourpres. Défriché et replanté il y a une dizaine d’années seulement, il est contigu à la zone d’appellation « Roche-aux- Moines ». 

ESPRIT « START-UP » ET VISION BOURGUIGNONNE 
C’est avec la même énergie qu’Ivan Massonnat a constitué une équipe jeune et passionnée, comptant désormais 7 personnes, ayant toutes fait leurs armes auprès de domaines référents.

Le jeune winemaker, Adrien Moreau (24 ans), est fils d’agriculteurs du Val de Loire. Ingénieur Agronome et Œnologue de formation, il a bâti son expérience dans des domaines réputés (Cheval Blanc, Haut-Brion, Harlan Estate, Roederer). Très investi à ses cotés, Jo Pithon continue de faire profiter le Domaine de son expérience de vinificateur (40 millésimes au compteur) et de sa connaissance intime des terroirs de l’Anjou. 

Sur la partie vignoble, le chef de culture précédemment en place, Geoffroi Cocard (27 ans) a été rejoint par trois autres personnes. Parmi elles, un ancien du domaine Roc d’Anglade, Amaury Chartier (29 ans), sera entièrement dédié au Coteau des Treilles, avec pour mission de le travailler « comme un jardin ». L’équipe vignoble bénéficiera de l’accompagnement de Guy Bossard, pionnier de la Biodynamie en France et ancien propriétaire du Domaine de l’Ecu en Muscadet (certifié Bio dès 1972). 

L’équipe du Domaine Bel Argus, conjuguant jeunesse et expérience, a eu la chance de se fédérer autour du millésime 2018, déjà annoncé comme exceptionnel. 

Elle s’inscrira dans la vision bourguignonne chère à Ivan Massonnat : exprimer la quintessence des terroirs, à travers le prisme du parcellaire, grâce à des sols vivants et une biodiversité protégée. Un vaste plan de restructuration et d’investissement a été lancé, avec pour objectifs prioritaires le soin du matériel végétal et la précision apportée à chaque étape de la vinification. Le Domaine vise à être rapidement 100% certifié en Biodynamie. 

PITHON-PAILLE DEMEURE
A coté du Domaine détenu en propre, subsistera le négoce-artisan « Pithon-Paillé » créé par Jo Pithon il y a 10 ans. L’objectif est de compléter la gamme du Domaine avec les meilleurs terroirs ligériens, en appellations Bourgueil, Saumur-Champigny, Chinon ou Crémant de Loire. Les gammes seront bien distinctes et s’adresseront, à terme, à des marchés complémentaires.

Jo Pithon sells his domaine – Clos des Treilles – to Ivan Massonnat

Isabelle and Jo Pithon @ time of launch of Pithon-Paillé

2009 Salon des Vins de Loire 

Isabelle and Jo are on the right

La Revue du Vin de France reports that Jo Pithon has sold his domaine, which includes the steep sided Clos des Treilles overlooking the River Layon to 46-year-old Ivan Massonnat, a financier who is understood to be devoted fan of Chenin Blanc. 

Jo rescued and replanted the Clos, which is on the north bank of the Layon in the commune of Beaulieu-sur-Layon, with Chenin Blanc and made a number of very fine vintages of dry Chenin from this special site. 

In addition to acquiring Jo and Isabelle's domaine LARVF reports that Massonat has acquired a total of 10 hectares of Quarts de Chaume, which makes him the appellation's largest owner with some 25% of the appellation. This is includes the 0.22 hectares of Quarts de Chaume held by Jo Pithon with the rest bought by Massonnat from Pascal Laffourcade.  

LARVF reports that Massonnat is now looking for someone to run his new domaine for him. 

It is good news that Jo Pithon has sold his domaine, which will allow Jo to retire, and will mean that both the Clos des Treilles will continue and that there is the potential for some very good Quarts de Chaume to be made. 

Read the rest of the LARVF report here.  

 Les Treilles from south bank of Layon