Utterly delicious 100% Groslot 2014, Famille Vaillant

I bought this from Ludo Ragot's clearance sale at Café de la Promenade (Bourgueil) just before he and Sophie handed over the bar. 100% Groslot or Grolleau, depending on which name you choose for this grape variety, sold as a Vin de France, this is a completely delicious red. From Famille Vaillant (Domaine des Grands Vignes) in Thouarcé. Very soft with no impression of tannins and at 11% fairly light in alcohol, this just slips down a treat. Not a wine to analysis and anyway impossible as it disappears too quickly!

More evidence that Groslot/Grolleau can make delicious easy drinking reds in the Loire!
 

Touraine Jazz Festival (Montlouis) + le Relais de Bonnezeaux reopens

Jazz Touraine in Montlouis from 13th-23rd September  

The 26th edition of the Festival Jazz Touraine is being held in Montlouis from 13th through to 23rd September. Details here. 

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Vines above the small town of Thouarcé 

Le Relais de Bonnezeaux will reopen

The well known restaurant, the Relais de Bonnezeaux which closed at the end of June when Robert Touchet, the longtime owner and chef retired, will be reopening. Touchet had been unable to find someone to take over from him. However, he has now found a young chef from Cholet who will take over. The deal was signed on Wednesday. The restaurant is on the hill out of Thouarcé in the heart of the Bonnezeaux vineyards. For some bizarre reason the Google map link doesn't work properly. Google can find the restaurant, provide a link but then can't find it again! Anyway it is on the D24 heading towards Angers and before you get to the hamlet of Bonnezeaux.    

I don't know when the restaurant is due to reopen – details will be posted when I have them.

The news was reported in the Cholet edition of maville.com:     

'Un Choletais va reprendre le restaurant de Robert Touchet, véritable institution angevine basée à Thouarcé. Après deux mois et demi de fermeture. Soulagement pour le chef qui avait pris sa retraite, la mort à l'âme.

Read the rest here.

 

Vines in Bonnezeaux 

 Le Moulin de Bonnezeaux

Just a weekend – Angers or Saumur or both? (part3): perhaps a change of plan?

Vines in AC Bonnezeaux with Le Moulin de Bonnezaux in the distance

Following the first posting on the weekend BA sent me a new message suggesting that she and her boyfriend might stay at Le Clos des 3 Rois in Thouarcé, the main town of the Bonnezeaux appellation.
 
'Very generous of you and the advice is great, I will follow it closely. staying in Angers sounds like a good plan - although, after reading your post, I had the idea of staying somewhere else that seems to be a short drive to everywhere, but in a village/country (which i like the sound of) - the clos des 3 rois in Thouarcé.'

Le Clos des 3 Rois would be a good choice: nicely renovated building with well appointed chambres d'hôtes in the centre of Thouarcé. The owners offer table d'hôte on several nights of the week. Otherwise there is Le Relais de Bonnezeaux a short distance away towards the village of Bonnezeaux or the traditional Auberge du Cheval Blanc, 3 pl Prieuré 49380 Thouarce (02.41.54.04.40). I haven't eaten at the Relais for a number of years but used to be quite good.

Thouarcé is a good base from which to explore the Layon, l'Aubance and is a relatively short drive to Saumur. In Thouarcé you could go and visit Mark Angeli of La Ferme de la Sansonnière just out of the town on the road to Martigny-Briand. There is also Château de Fesles to visit. Fesles is the most famous domaine of Bonnezeaux. Now owned by Grands Chais de France but the previous owner, Bernard Germain, is still there.