Trio of very recently enjoyed Loire wines

 2012 Oriane, Sancerre Rouge, Gérard Boulay

2015 Fief Guérin, Vieilles Vignes, 

Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu, Jérôme Choblet

 2014 La Haute Olive, Chinon,
Pierre & Bertrand Couly

Three attractive Loire wines – two reds and a white – drunk yesterday and today.

Gérard Boulay makes brilliant Sancerre Blanc. His red Sancerre, although well made and very enjoyable to drink, is not at the same height as his whites and doesn't have the same ambition. His 2012 is a juicy, easy drinking Pinot Noir with charm but not at the same level as top Sancerre reds. Certainly a vin des copains. 

This – 2015 Fief Guérin, Vieilles Vignes, Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu, Jérôme Choblet – is a very good example of how good many Muscadets are today. It has lovely rich fruit and texture. Not a style of Muscadet to try to match with shellfish, rather with fine fishes. Would also work with roast chicken. 

The 2014 La Haute Olive, Chinon, Pierre & Bertrand Couly comes from a well known vineyard on the clay limestone coteaux in the commune of Chinon. It has attractively soft cherry fruit and is a pleasure to drink now, although given that it comes from the coteaux I would have expected more structure and concentration.

 

 

 

Charles Sydney Wines: photos from today's tasting

 Chris Hardy, one of the directors of Charles Sydney Wines Ltd

 Chris Hardy surprised to receive 

the company credit card from Philippa Sydney

 Christophe Surget, Couly-Dutheil, Chinon

 Arnaud Couly, Couly-Dutheil, Chinon

(above and below)

 François Lieubeau, Famille Lieubeau

Muscadet Sèvre et Maine 

 Vincent Lieubeau, Famille Lieubeau

 Jérôme Choblet, Domaine des Herbauges

Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu 

Alphone Mellot jnr, Alphonse Mellot

 Sancerre

(above and below)

Rebekah representing Vignobles Mourat

Comments on the wines to come in separate post.

2016 Loire Harvest – Muscadet: a complicated year = small volume but hi quality?

Handpicking at Jo Landron: 20th September 

We have just spent just over 24 hours in the Pays Nantais looking at the start of the harvest. As elsewhere in the Loire 2016 is undoubtedly a complicated vintage and volumes will be small here due to a combination of factors – late April frost, heavy rain in late May/early June then severe attacks of mildew plus some unfavourable weather during the flowering followed by drought and high temperatures in July and August. Sadly the ravages of mildew are all too clear when wandering through the vines.

Today Jérôme Choblet (Domaine des Herbauges) told me that 2016 is estimated to be the smallest crop in Muscadet since 1949. Yields were lower in 1991 following the very widespread and severe frost but the area under vines was much higher then. The area of Muscadet has fallen from over 14,000 hectares to a little over 9000. Jérôme also said that around a third of the vineyard will not be picked this year – either because there is nothing there or there is so little that it is not worth harvesting.

Despite the paucity of the crop there are hopes that the remaining grapes will produce wines of high quality with good concentration, although in places acidities may be on the low side. Equally some producers have said that now that the nights are fresh acidity levels are fine.

Tuesday and Wednesday were glorious days weatherwise in the Pays Nantais and the forecast is favourable for the moment, so that producers can take their time. 

Some photos from yesterday and today:

Mildew affected bunch

Small bunch but with concentrated juice?

 Jo Landron confirms that his famous moustache 

has not be affected by mildew

(above and below)

Michel Gadais

The Gadais family across three generations:

Pierre-Henri, Michael, Christophe

Vincent Caillé in one of the famous Terre de Gneiss parcels 
enthusing about the quality of the soil due to biodynamic methods 

 Pascal Guilbeau, Guilbeau Frères, Gorges 

(above and below)

Domaine des Herbauges – fine bunch in 
parcel badly affected by the April frost

Grapes from the Clos des Allées, Domaine Luneau-Papin

Hod carriers – Domaine Luneau-Papin
 

Marie Luneau with 2016 juice just after it has been 
pressed and before it has had time to settle 
– tasted rich and concentrated

    

The Famous Five @the Sydneys' Loire tasting @ The Oyster Shed, London

 Jérôme Billard, Domaine de la Noblaie, Chinon 

Yesterday was Charles Sydney's annual Loire tasting at a new and interesting venue – The Oyster Shed near Cannon Street – with interesting view over and along the Thames and good natural light. 

As usual there were a few producers in attendance for Philippa and Charles' tasting: a Famous Five for 2016 – Emmanuelle Mellot, Jérôme Billard, Jean-Philippe Blot, Jérôme Choblet and Vincent Lieubeau.  

 Jean-Philippe Blot, Domaine de la Taille aux Loups (Montlouis/Vouvray)

Domaine de la Butte (Bourgueil)

 Emmanuelle Mellot, Domaine Alphonse Mellot, Sancerre

Jérôme Choblet, Domaine des Herbauges, Muscadet

 

 Vincent Lieubeau, Famile Lieubeau, Muscadet

 

Pays Nantais: some photos from the archive – 2010 and 2011

Melon de Bourgogne – 2010 vintage  

Undisputed 2010 châpeau champion  

 Guy Bossard – above and below 

 Another load of grapes 

under the blue skies 

 Pierre-Marie Luneau

 

Tasting the new 2011 with Pierre Luneau 

 Jo Landron: Tash-sur-lie!

Jérôme Choblet – Domaine des Herbauges