Loire 2019 – Saumur, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil and Bourgueil

Picking @Domaine de la Butte, Bourgueil

Some photos and reports from harvest in Saumur, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil and Bourgueil on 3rd October.

2019 Cabernet Franc in vineyard along Montée de l'Angle Cher, Saumur 
Above and below
(Saumur-Chempigny)

 

Picture perfect Cabernet Franc

We made a number of visits on Thursday 3rd October to vignerons to see how the 2019 harvest was progressing. The overall message is that 2019 is another quality vintage, that it is a very good vintage for whites with a better balance and freshness than 2018. However, unlike the generous 2018 vintage, 2019 is a small vintage due to a combination of factors – spring frosts, coulure and millerandage during flowering due to wet conditions in early June, drought and grapes being grilled by the sun.

In last week's post I raised the frequency of grapes being frazzled by the heat spikes at the end of June and during July. It would appear that the spike at the end of July caused the most damage. It also seems that Chenin Blanc was more affected by the heat of the sun than Cabernet Franc.  Raising the height of the canopy is one way of providing more protection through increasing the amount of shade compared to vines with a low canopy.

As is often the case there were some who were only just starting – Anthony and Cedric Bonneau (Domaine de la Bonnelière – Saumur and Saumur-Champigny.  They had started that day on picking Cabernet for their rosé and would also be picking their Chenin Blanc for their Saumur Blanc. They had picked grapes destined for their Crémant de Loire between the 22nd and 24th September. However, they would only start picking their Cabernet Franc for Saumur Rouge and Saumur Champigny at the beginning of this week beginning 7th October. In contrast Antoine Sanzay, Jean-Pierre Chevallier (Ch de Villeneuve), Frédéric Mabileau, Yannick Amirault and Philippe Boucard (Lamé Delisle Boucard) were all close to finishing.

Higher trained vines not only provide more foliage
but also increased shade give further protection against sunburnt grapes

 

Example of higher foliage providing more shade
+ vine suffering from Esca

 

Chenin Blanc grapes grilled by the sun, Saumur

Picking @Domaine de la Butte, Bourgueil

Frédéric Mabileau– 2019 Cabernet Franc
again picture perfect fruit

Jean-Paul Mabileau (doesn't want to wait for the 2019 wine to be made
– he wants to enjoy the grapes now!

 

2019 Cabernet Franc macerating, Domaine Yannick Amirault
Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil

 

Barrels and amphores @Domaine Yannick Amirault

Frédéric Mabileau and his small egg
containing Chenin Blanc with pips and skins

 

•••

Antoine Sanzay's renovated cave 

The entrance to the complex of caves

During our visit to see how 2019 was progressing at Antoine Sanzay (Varrains), he quickly showed his renovated cave. The complex of cellars, part of which was once a dwelling, has for many years existed but now they have been renovated to provide wine storage space. The major work was concreting the floor to make an easy and convenient surface.

Antoine has installed a lift for easy access for his wine

 

The lift housing 

Sébastien David: an update

Sébastien David with a bottle of Coëf 

yesterday @Orléans

Back in early May I posted about the legal threat to destroy all of the production of Sébastien David's 2016 Coëf, Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil because of an alleged excess of volatile acidity. On Friday 11th May there was an hearing in Orléans when Sébastien attempted to get the order from the Préfete de Indre-et-Loire – Corinne Orzechowski – to destroy these bottles overturned. 

The judges decided that this case needed to be heard urgently in greater detail and this happened yesterday in Orléans. Sébastien and his lawyer, Eric Morain who successfully defended Olivier Cousin, made their submissions to the judges, who will apparently give their judgment on 11th July. 

Curiously there are now eight analytical results for Sébastien's 2016 Coëf – four above the permitted level of volatile acidity for Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil and four below. It does seem very odd that it appears impossible to obtain and agreed figure.     

On May 6th Rémy Bossert launched a petition in support of Sébastien. It has had an extraordinary success now having reached 171,529 signatures. Here Rémy gives an update (21st June 2019).    


Update from Rémy Bossert:
'At the hearing on the background of this Thursday, June 20th at the court of great instance in Orleans, the judges listened carefully to the arguments of Sébastien David and his lawyer Me Eric Morain. What would push these judges to order the destruction of these 2078 Bottles?

Is this wine illegal? The measures carried out give 4 results above the limit and 4 below. So he is off-law for 4 measures and compliance with the law for 4 others! What are we talking about: a difference of 0, xx on a threshold set by an outdated law of 1920 and which has no reason to be. In fact, a hundred appellations, elsewhere in France, allow rates of volatile acidity of 25 or 30 (while in Sébastien's case, the maximum measures are 20,5).

Is this wine dangerous to health? No, a rate of volatile acidity has no impact on health. In addition, this 2106 cuvée, has no inputs except grapes, while most conventional wines contain about twenty chemical molecules (Pesticides, etc).

Is the consumer clearly informed about the product? To be informed about a product is to indicate the list of ingredients that make it up. As this wine contains only grapes, Sébastien proposes to add on the counter-Label: " contains exclusively fermented grape juice, without any added inside or sulfite and with a rate of volatile acidity near or slightly above the Upper Limit, following the bottle."

Is this wine drinkable? Just read the comments of cavistes, professionals and amateurs during the trade shows and on social networks to convince themselves.

If the judges, who have to deliberation on the background, have the "sense of good", they will show common sense.

Decision towards mid-July at the earliest.

change.org/vinslibres'

Like Rémy I hope that the judges show good sense and stop this order to destroy 2078 bottles of Sébastien David's 2016 Coëf Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. I have to wonder what is behind this move to threaten the livelihood of a Loire wine producer, who is outspoken and campaigns against weedkillers and unnecessary additives in wine.   

Sébastien David petition: an extraordinary success

This petition was launched on Monday.  In only some 48 hours the petition in support of Sébastien Davis, who has been ordered to destroy 2078 bottles of his 2016 Coef Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil because of an alleged excess of volatile acidity, has reached an extraordinary more than 52,000 signatures. It broke through the 50,000 barrier around 8.30 am BST this morning.  

Until late yesterday afternoon the numbers signing had been growing steadily to over 10,000. Suddenly the petition exploded – really took off – doubling, trebling over the course of yesterday evening. 

See earlier posts here and here. Also reporting by Isabelle Saporta.

Update 20.00 CET (8.5.19): 75,000 latest target crushed and now onto 76 698 signatures! 

Apparently Sébastien is ordered his 2016 Coef by Monday 13th May, which is why the court appearance at Orléans is so important. It is estimated that if Sébastien is forced to destroy his 2078 bottle of Coef it will cost him 50,000 euros. 

Loire: increased frost protection – inc report from Chinon

Anti-frost wind turbine at 

Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil

Paulée Nantaise: October 2017

This April will be a particularly stressful month for many Loire producers: a third consecutive frost would be catastrophic for many growers who were hit by frost in both 2016 and 2017. Fortunately, the weather to date in 2018 has been cold, so bud break should be considerably later than it was in 2016 and 2017, so hopefully less worry. However, bud break was late in 2013, which didn't prevent some areas being hit by frost late in April.

Increasingly the Loire is investing in frost protection. This has long been in the case in low lying Quincy, which is very frost prone, with a number of wind turbines as well as other places like Noble Joué and the Clos Roche Blanche in the Cher Valley. Now, however, there is a more of a concerted effort to combat the frost menace. Below there is a press release from Chinon announcing that nearly 50% of areas at risk are now frost protected. Hopefully it will not be too long before all risk areas in the Chinon appellation have some protection. 

In nearby Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil they are also investing in wind turbines in the flatter gravel vineyards – vines on the limestone coteaux are rarely hit by frost. 

In Muscadet, which was hit by frost in both 2016 and 2017, they are using imaginative ways of raising the necessary funds to invest in frost protection, especially wind turbines. A number of growers paired up with local chefs to hold special wine and food events in their restaurants – Paulée Nantaise – with proceeds going to help combating frost.  

Press release from AC Chinon:

'Quatre à cinq jours de lutte contre le gel par an pour sauver une récolte : en 2018, 50% des zones à risque de l'AOC Chinon seront protégées 

La protection contre le gel du vignoble de Chinon s'accélère : en 2018, ce sont près de 50% des zones dites gélives de l'AOC Chinon qui seront protégées, soit 538 hectares sur les 1200 les plus exposés (l'appellation compte au total 2400 hectares en production). Le mode de protection le plus utilisé sur l'appellation reste celui des tours antigel amovibles ou fixes. Si cette lutte ne dure que 4 à 5 jours par an, elle est une épreuve pour tous, dont l'issue heureuse est la préservation des emplois et de l'économie de tout un territoire. 

Les gels de printemps de 2016 et 2017 ont été un coup dur pour l'appellation Chinon, réduisant de moitié le rendement moyen par hectare en 2016 et d'un quart en 2017. Une perte estimée à 25 millions d'euros au total sur les deux années pour les 181 vignerons que compte l'appellation, à laquelle ils ont pu faire face grâce au stock de bouteilles qu'ils avaient conservé. 

Les vignerons connaissent régulièrement des aléas climatiques mais il est rare d'enchainer deux années consécutives de gel intensif. Aussi, ils se sont organisés pour expérimenter plusieurs procédés de lutte, à l'image de la CUMA de Cravant Les Côteaux laquelle, après le gel de 1991 et 1994, avait mis des moyens en commun pour investir dans les tours antigel ou tours à brassage d'air. Fabrice Gasnier, Président de la CUMA de Cravant Les Coteaux met à présent son expérience à profit au Syndicat des vins de Chinon, où il est administrateur en charge du lourd dossier "aléas climatiques". Le Syndicat a d'ailleurs commandé une étude sur l'aspersion dont les premiers résultats seront connus au premier semestre 2018.

Les moyens de protection
Aujourd'hui, quatre moyens de lutte contre le gel existent sur le vignoble : l'aspersion, les tours antigel, les bougies et les frostguard (sorte de chauffage que l'on peut déplacer). Le mode de protection le plus utilisé sur l'appellation reste celui des tours antigel. Des moyens de lutte coûteux - pour exemple, une tour avec son installation complète coûte en moyenne 42 000 euros - pour seulement quelques jours d'utilisation dans l'année... mais qui peuvent sauver une récolte et faire toute la différence !

Le brassage de l'air avec les tours
Mélanger l'air froid situé au niveau des bourgeons avec l'air plus chaud présent en altitude permet de protéger une surface de vignes d'environ 5 à 6 hectares si la température ne descend pas au dessous de - 4°C. Les tours fixes ou amovibles fonctionnent comme un ventilateur géant avec des pales en action et sont particulièrement efficaces en cas de gelées blanches. 

Le gel ... contre le gel, la protection par l'aspersion
Cela peut paraître contradictoire mais l'aspersion c'est à dire le principe qui consiste à envoyer de l'eau sur les vignes avec un système de brumisateur, crée un phénomène de protection contre le gel : quand l’eau gèle, le changement de phase liquide en phase solide est une transition exothermique. L’eau qui se transforme en glace libère donc des calories qui vont protéger ce qui est en dessous, à savoir les bourgeons. Il faut ensuite maintenir l’arrosage en continu, jusqu’à ce que la température remonte au dessus de +3°C. 

Chauffer les vignes avec des bougies ou des frostguard
L'une des plus vieilles traditions de lutte contre le gel est l'installation de bougies au pied des ceps postées à intervalles réguliers, ou bien une sorte de chauffage que l'on fait circuler entre les rangs de vignes en période de gelées pour gagner 2 ou 3°C 

A noter : Pour informer les riverains sur les moyens de lutte contre le gel, des réunions publiques d'information vont être organisées sur plusieurs secteurs de l'appellation : Cravant le 27 mars à 18h30 et Panzoult le 29 mars à 18h30 et Chinon le 3 avril.' 

Fingers crossed for a frost-free 2018.  

2017 Loire vintage approaches

The 2017 vintage in the Loire will be relatively early, although not as early as originally thought as the weather recently has been fresher.

The initial predictions (published mid-July) by France's Ministry of Agriculture are that the 2017 Loire will be up on 2016 by 7%. However, 2016 was 25% down on a normal vintage, so the frost affected 2017 vintage will again be considerably down on a 'normal vintage'. 

Unfortunately 2017 will do little to replenish stocks that are now very low in parts of the Loire as there have been short vintages for many from 2012 onwards. Stocks of Muscadet are very low 160,000 hls at the end of July – normally they would be between 410,000 and 430,000 hls. The 2017 vintage in Muscadet is estimated to be between 200,000 and 280,000, while a normal harvest is now around 400,000 hls. Inevitably the 2017 Muscadet will not replenish the depleted stocks. 

Elsewhere stocks of Sancerre are not problematic following a serious of generally plentiful vintages, which have bucked the trend elsewhere in the Central Vineyards and the Loire as a whole. Pouilly-Fumé, by contrast, is short due to frost both last year and this. 

Staying with Sauvignon Blanc, there is just four months of stock of Touraine Sauvignon. Stocks of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil are also very low – 50% of normal. Fortunately, redwise, there are reasonable levels of Chinon, Saumur-Champigny and Saunur. Vouvray has 14 months of stock, which is low due to the tradition of growers holding on to some stock before they sell.   

Picking in the Pays Nantais is likely to start in early September rather than in the last 10 days of August as was originally possible. In the Central Vineyards Benoît Roumet, director of the BIVC,  told me that picking Pinot Gris in Reuilly could start around 13th September with Sauvignon Blanc from 16th September. 

For the moment the grapes appear to be healthy and looking promising. Fingers crossed that this continues. 

More updates on the 2017 Loire vintage will be following.

      

2014 Loire vintage – round up of the last few days (Part 1)

Pickers@Antoine Sanzay, Varrains – Saumur Champigny, Saumur Blanc

celebrating the end of picking on Friday 10th October

This week we spent from Tuesday afternoon to late Friday afternoon in Loire vineyards from Vouvray to Savennières via Chinon, Bourgueil, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Saumur and Saumur-Champigny and various Anjou ACs.  

2014 in the Loire remains promising, although many producers have reported that it is a complicated vintage. They remain happy with quality, although many have been disappointed that the yields are lower than than hoped. Many have reported yields of around 40 hl/ha where they would have preferred 45/50 hl/ha to make up for the lack of grapes in 2012 and 2013 that a number experienced.

My impression tasting 2014 juice across all of these ACs, although obviously it is still very early to predict the outcome, is that the juice is very clean with a good balance of fruit and acidity.   

Within appellations there is a big difference in time of picking. In Chinon, for instance, Domaine Bernard Baudry and Jourdan Pichard finished last Wednesday, while Couly-Dutheil and Domaine de la Noiré (Jean-Max Manceaux) will not be starting the reds until Monday. Jean-Martin Dutour of Baudry-Dutour and now président of the Chinon appellation, told me that machine harvesting for the reds will have finished this week with the 20 hectares of the domaine – Château la Grille and Domaine Saint-Louans – that is hand-picked will be started on Monday. By last Wednesday 75% of AC Chinon had been picked.
 
Parts of Chinon – Cravant-les-Coteaux, Ligré and Sazilly – were hit by hail on 19th September. Fortunately the following week was very dry and sunny, so the grapes damaged by hail dried up. After the storm Baudry-Dutour picked their affected parcels to make rosé. 

In Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil it is the same with some finishing while others have barely started. On Wednesday afternoon (8th) Frédéric Mabileau sent his entire team out to pick the last grapes – I'm not sure if they managed this in the torrential downpour at the end of the afternoon! Taluau-Foltzenlogel have finished while Audebert were due to finish on Friday. Jean-Claude Audebert reported yields of around 40hl/ha – would have preferred 45-50hl/ha. 

Cab Franc@Château de Minière

Picking started on 3rd October

Picking was in full swing at Domaine de la Butte on Thursday with an expected finish on Saturday, also at Domaine de la Chevalerie with another six days of picking left from last Thursday and at Lamé Delisle Boucard, where they had picked a little under half by Thursday morning with degrees ranging from 12.4 to 13.5. The Cabernet Franc looked good at all three domaines as it did wandering through the vines.

Ludo at Café de la Promenade reported that the Bretons were waiting for this coming week. Sébastien David also said that he had paused in picking waiting for acidity levels to drop.    

Sébastien David in relaxed mode with his pickers

@Café de la Promenade (8th October)  

There is a similar disparity in Saumur-Champigny with some like Jean-Pierre Chevallier (Château de Villeneuve) finishing on Thursday morning. He started the whites (Saumur Blanc – Chenin Blanc) on 25th September having obtained a dérogation from the INAO to pick everything on one swoop. JP is well happy with potentials varying from 11.2% potential to 13.5% and acidities between 5.2 and 5.5. Villeneuve started the reds on Wednesday 1st October with a range of potential alcohol from 11.8% - 13.5%. Overall their yields are between 40-45 hl/ha. 

JP reported that some producers had had problems with acid rot, which is being blamed on the Asian fruit fly (Drosophila suzukii), which unlike the common fruit fly is able to pierce grape skins.  If you pick by hand is is much easier to discard the affected grapes than it is using a machine harvester, although the most recent harvesters are very sophisticated and their sorting systems may well eliminate the rotten grapes. But what of the vinegary juice from the rotten grapes infecting the machine?

Domaine Rocheville, Parnay

 Cabernet Franc@Rocheville

Vats@Rocheville

Driving through parts of Saumur-Champigny on Thursday it is clear that there are still a considerable number of parcels yet to be picked, especially on the coteaux (the northern part of the AC close to the Loire). We dropped in on Domaine Rocheville's new winery (Agnés and Philippe Porché) on Les Hauts de Valbrun at Parnay. They had started picking the whites on Thursday 2nd October and started the reds the following Monday. They expect to finish on Wednesday.  
        

 Antoine Sanzay with his domaine Saumur-Champigny one week in

Already a depth of colour but he is wary of over-extraction in 2014

"Just an infusion," he says

2014 is the first vintage where is he is not 

contracted to the Co-op de St Cyr, so all 11 ha of harvest are his.
Antoine was happy to finish on Friday afternoon  

Antoine Sanzay has extended his winery this year to cope with 
being able to use his entire production – new concrete and wooden vats 
 

Antoine Foucault, Domaine du Collier, who finished on Thursday, 

checking his brilliant 2011 La Charpentrie, Saumur Blanc 

from 100 year old Chenin vines

Antoine finished on Thursday 

It is a shame that the fine weather through almost all of September and into the first few days of October didn't continue for just another week or ten days. The fine spell came to an end on the afternoon of Saturday 4th October. The weather station at Tours recorded 10.5mm (4th Oct), 17.1mm (6th), 8.2mm (7th) and 27.4mm (8th). The total for the month is now 65.4mm – very close already to the average total (1981-2010) for October of 70.9mm. During September on 15.7mm of rain fell compared to the average of 53.2mm.

Despite the rain, and amounts will of course vary, the Cabernet Franc appears to have resisted this heavy spell of rain well. Less sure about Chenin Blanc in Vouvray and Montlouis – that much closer to the weather station at Tours so the stats should be that much more accurate.  

Unfortunately it has been raining again today from around 11am – initially quite light but now (2.15 pm) raining steadily. Looks very likely that today's rain will push October 2014's rainfall over the average just 12 days into the month. Luckily the forecast is good for most of this coming week after an uncertain day tomorrow.  

Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil holding up despite rain early this week

A delighted Frédéric Mabileau listening to his 2014 Eclipse, 

Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil

He is very excitied by the potential of his 2014 harvest 
Fred joins Eco-Luneau movement! 

The last three days – Wednesday through to today (Friday) – has seen us do a quick sweep through Chinon, Bourgueil, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Saumur and Saumur-Champigny, Savennières and parts of the Layon.

Despite the sometimes heavy rain last Saturday evening and on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday the Cabernet Franc seems to be holding up well as does the morale of the vignerons, although some are concerned at the third consecutive year of low yields.

Sorting@Lamé-Delisle-Boucard

 Philippe Boucard assessing the 2014 Bourgueil Rosé

Eric Degaugue on the sorting table

Stéphanie in the laboratory (Lamé-Delisle-Boucard)

Cabernet Franc@Château de Minière

Picking@Château de Minière

 Sorting tables@Domaine de la Chevalière (Famille Caslot)

(above and below)

 

 Sorting@Domaine de la Butte – very clean, healthy 2014 grapes

(above and below)

New sorting machine@Taluau-Foltzenlogel, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil

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