Glen Tromie looking towards Gaick
Glen Tromie looking northwards
Although we are spending the summer in the
Highlands of Scotland, we are still enjoying some good Loire bottles that we
brought up from London with us. We are getting in plenty of cycling, which
naturally is provoking a considerable thirst!
2007 Excelsior, Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine, Pierre Luneau-Papin (above and below)
First up 2007 Excelsior Domaine Pierre
Luneau Papin Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine
This long aged Muscadet – 30 months on its
lees – is brilliantly clean, fresh with lovely length of flavor but good
weight, too, which comes from its long aging. Works well as an apéritif but was
even better with some simply fried and very fresh filets of sea bass. Although
not yet officially one of the new Muscadet Crus Communaux this is very much in
that style with the finesse and additional complexity that is a hallmark of
these wines. Comes from vines planted on the schists of Goulaine.
Terra Laura, Crémant de Loire
2009 Cuvée Claude de France, Domaine de Montcy(above and below)
Crémant
de Loire Terra Laura
2009
Cuvée Claude de France, Cour-Cheverny, Domaine de Montcy
Businesswoman Laura Semeria took over the
20-hectare now organic Domaine de Montcy in 2007. In the appellations of
Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny it lies to the south-west of the Château and town of
Chverny. Unfortunately Laura has been hit by Spring frosts in both 2012 and
2013.
The Crémant is 100% Chardonnay in a very
clean, vibrant, lemony style making a good wake up aperitif. The 2009 Cuvée Claude de France is naturally
100% Romorantin in a delicate moelleux style. Lightly sweet it is best paired
with blue cheese or creamy dishes. Laura recommends it with a rhubarb or cherry
tart – anything sweeter would overpower it.
Ideally I would have cellared the Claude de France for at
least another couple of years to gain additional complexity.
Laura Semeria in London May 2012
2010 Les Blancs Manteaux, Chinon, Domaine de la Noblaie
2010 Les Blancs Manteaux, Chinon, Domaine de la Noblaie
Jérôme Billard is one of the most promising
of the younger generation of Chinon producers. After working at Pétrus and then
Dominus in Napa as well as a spell in New Zealand, he returned to the family
estate in 2003. Noblaie now has 24 hectares of vines and last year Jérôme
invested in a new winery – previously they worked in very cramped conditions.
Les Blancs Manteaux comes from 60 year-old
vines planted on a limestone slope. Ideally the 2010 should be squirreled away
for at least another two years to fulfill its potential. However, this dark
wine currently has deliciously soft black fruit, supple tannins.
The new winery@Noblaie
This post was originally published on Les 5 du Vin (30th July 2013).
