2014 Haute Densité, Pouilly-Fumé, Château de Tracy

The 2014 Haute Densité is the second of the samples kindly sent over by Château de Tracy. As the name of the cuvée implies this comes from a parcel of vines planted with a high number of vines per hectare – 17,000 vines per hectare rather than the more customary 7000 vines per hectare. This parcel is to the east of the small hamlet of Bois Gibault. 

Explanation from the Château de Tracy website: 

VITICULTURE

'This wine is produced from vines planted in high density (17,000 vines per hectare; the standard density for the appellation is 7,000 vines per hectare). Competition between the vines is therefore greater. As each plant has to draw its reserves from deep within the soil, the roots plunge more deep, increasing consequently the contact with the stone (more terroir effect in the wine). Vigorous growth is controlled and the plants are healthier.

The specific pruning of the plants is the result of rigorous research and intensive work on the vines (such as disbudding and thinning out of leaves). The vegetation is less dense, far less vulnerable to disease and each plant bears a maximum of two or three bunches (1 plant produces 1 glass of wine). The resulting grapes have a very concentrated.'

The 2014 has considerably more concentration, intensity and complexity than the domaine 2016. It does, however, share the same precision of flavour. It is important not to serve this wine too cold. If chilled in a fridge it should come out a good half hour before serving. Best if possible to find somewhere for Haute Densité to remain cool rather than using a fridge. Of course this may not be an option. This wine could also be decanted with advantage. The 2014 Haute Densité can be enjoyed now but equally will keep for a good decade or more. 

Unfortunately this cuvée uses an unnecessarily heavy bottle.

 

 

  

 

 

 

2016 Pouilly-Fumé, Château de Tracy

Château de Tracy set in parkland 

looking down towards La Loire

2016 Pouilly-Fumé, Château de Tracy

Black label

Although I am undergoing 12 weeks of recovery following my operation on my knee, I am still able to work so was delighted to receive some samples from Château de Tracy. Two wines from 2014: Haute Densité and 101 Rangs. These two will be covered in a later post as this one concentrates on the domaine 2016 Pouilly-Fumé. This is a blend of Tracy's two different terroir: calcaire (limestone) and silex (flint). 

The 2016 domaine is very clean and precise, with lightly grassy aromas and an attractive grapefruit flavours. Good to drink now but I anticipate that with additional bottle age it will both take on more weight and gain in complexity. 

Details here of European retail stockists of the 2016 Pouilly-Fumé, Château de Tracy.     

 

   

Various Loire infos: Pouilly Fumé @80, Brunchez en Loire, Gité de Nerleux

14th and 15th July Pouilly-sur-Loire: celebrations to mark 80th anniversary of the creation of the appellations of Pouilly-Fumé and Pouilly-sur-Loire. Details here.

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Every Thursday morning at 10 am during July and August cruise on the Loire to taste Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil from the Cave des Vins de Bourgueil. Embark at Chouzé-sur-Loire. 15€ for adults, 7€ for children between 5 to 10 years old. Reservations on 06.43.47.40.90/ 02.47.97.32.01

•••   

Gité des Nerleux @ Domaine de Nerleux, St Cyr en Bourg, near Saumur 

Chers clients et amis,

Nous sommes ravis de vous annoncer l'ouverture du Gîte des Nerleux, le nouveau volet d'activités du Domaine !!!

D'une capacité de 8 à 12 personnes, cette maison entièrement rénovée en 2017, vous séduira par son environnement : les pieds dans le vignoble de Saumur Champigny.

Pour venir visiter le Domaine de Nerleux ou découvrir notre jolie région, venez en famille ou entre amis, profiter de ce gîte de charme.

Plus d'informations et de photos sur www.gite-vignoble-nerleux.fr

Remise de 10 % pour toute réservation sur 2017, effectuée avant fin août 2017.

Au plaisir de vous accueillir,

L'équipe du Domaine de Nerleux

Details here

Domaine Philippe Raimbault, Sancerre @Daniel Lambert tasting

Daniel Lambert of the eponymous Daniel Lambert Wines is clearly not a man to rush into things. The wine company was founded in 1992 but it was only on Tuesday – 25 years later – that Dan held his first trade tasting using the recently opened Novotel near Paddington Station. 

Among the wines I tasted were three Sancerres from Domaine Philippe Raimbault of Maimbray in the commune of Sury-en-Vaux. The wines were presented by Lynne Raimbault. 

The estate has 16 hectares of vines: 10 in Sancerre, four in Pouilly-Fumé in the commune of St-Martin-sur-Nohant to the east of the PF appellation. This commune also includes Château de Favray and vines belonging to Emmanuel Charrier. They also have two hectares in the Coteaux du Giennois at St Père near Cosne-sur-Loire.

First up – the 2015 Les Godons, Sancerre from vines in Maimbray, the commune that also includes Pascal & Nicolas Reverdy, the Roblins and Pascal Joulin with Domaine Michel Vattan. The 2015 has the ripe fruit and concentration that is typical of this vintage with a lightly grassy character. 

Next the 2012 Les Chasseignes from vines in the commune of Sancerre to the left of the main road to Bourges. This oak fermented cuvée –30% new barrels – is only made in selected vintages – not in either 2015 or 2016. The 2012 is drinking well now with attractive texture and showing some evolved character with the oak well intregrated. 

I also tasted their 2015 Sancerre Rosé. There is a Sancerre Rouge from the Les Godons vineyard but this wasn't shown. On the whole the UK hasn't got its head around red Sancerre, despite the progress that has been made over the past two decades.

Unfortunately due to the severe April frost the domaine has not made any Pouilly-Fumé or Coteaux du Giennois in 2016.                    

#2015Loire: Pouilly Fumé – looking good here too

Some of the Sauvignon not yet picked on 25.9.15

Healthy grapes 

Apologies for this belated report on my brief visit to Pouilly-sur-Loire on Friday 24th September to catch on progress with the 2015 vintage there. By this Friday many had finished picking including Jonathan Pabiot, who had finished on Wednesday, and Masson-Blondelet, while Michel Redde will be finishing the next day.  

Jean-Michel Masson (Masson-Blondelet)

Jean-Michel with nascent 2015 Pouilly Fumé

Pierre Masson with nascent 2015 Pouilly Fumé

2013 Loire vintage: Pouilly-Fumé

2013 Sauvignon Blanc@Michel Redde

 

Sauvignon Blanc in vines above Les Loges

Domaine Didier Dagueneau: 2013 Pur Sang

After spending yesterday in Sancerre we spent a concentrated Thursday morning in the Pouilly-Fumé vineyards. The situation here is largely similar to Sancerre with a pressure imposed by the threat of spreading rot to get the harvest in as quickly as possible. As on the west side of the Loire picking really got underway right at the end of last week or this Monday, although Château de Tracy apparently started on 26th September.

We did find one oasis of calm – Benjamin Dagueneau. He has a very small harvest due to incidence of rot but not feeling the need to rush. He started harvesting on Monday and expects finish next Monday. Yields are 15 hl/ha and 35 hl/ha. The juice we tried was wonderfully focused. Benjamin always lets the  juice settle, after pressing, for at least two and a half days – this year three. This severe debourage is one of the secrets for the purity of the Domaine Didier Dagueneau wines.   

The weather has turned noticeably colder. 

 Route barrée!

Rot is a feature of 2013 but as yet the 

rotten grapes taste clean – more noble than grey 

but without the concentration of sugars you would expect 

This year the Sauvignon Blanc skins are often thinner and more fragile than the Pinot Noir

Pickers in Michel Redde vineyards 
wrapped up against the cold 

 

 

 

Romain Redde  

 

Busy@Michel Redde

 
Benjamin Dagueneau

Benjamin's new egg shaped wooden vat

A beautiful piece of sculpture! 

Shoe cleaning equipment to be used 

before entering the immaculate Dagueneau winery 

 

Nina Schomakers and Didier Pabiot, father of Jonathan Nina's partner