tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4566116234488345002024-03-14T04:15:32.451+00:00Jim's LoireConcentrating mainly but not exclusively on the Loire's vineyards, its vignerons and their wines along with places to eat and stay. Also covers some recently published wine books – not just from Loire. Regional Chair for Loire @Decanter's World Wine Awards since its inception.
Winner of the 2009 Wine Blog Trophy (journalist category) Salon des Vins de Loire. I have a large and expanding library of photos, particularly from the Loire – places, producers, vineyards etc. European. CRMhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12356808627188214016noreply@blogger.comBlogger5753125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-21599383000782418812023-05-17T10:06:00.002+01:002023-05-17T15:58:13.696+01:00Jacky Blot – one the Loire’s greatest vignerons – died on Monday<p style="text-align: center;"> (This post was originally published on Les 5 du Vin on 16th May 2023)<br /></p><div class="wp-block-image" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><figure class="aligncenter size-large" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: table; margin: 0px auto;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-95968" data-attachment-id="95968" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"3.5","credit":"","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1294155599","copyright":"","focal_length":"10","iso":"500","shutter_speed":"0.16666666666667","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="jackyintheronds" data-large-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jackyintheronds.jpg?w=640" data-medium-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jackyintheronds.jpg?w=600" data-orig-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jackyintheronds.jpg" data-orig-size="640,427" data-permalink="https://les5duvin.wordpress.com/2023/05/16/jacky-blot-one-the-loires-greatest-vigneron-died-on-monday/jackyintheronds/" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jackyintheronds.jpg?w=640" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px; vertical-align: bottom;" /></figure></div><p class="has-text-align-center" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">Jacky in the Taille aux Loups cellars in Husseau – all the wines were fermented in wood</i></p><figure class="wp-block-image size-large" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; display: block; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 1em 40px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-95970" data-attachment-id="95970" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"4.5","credit":"","camera":"Canon PowerShot Pro1","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1223734751","copyright":"","focal_length":"16.8125","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0.0015625","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="jackysortin" data-large-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jackysortin.jpg?w=640" data-medium-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jackysortin.jpg?w=600" data-orig-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jackysortin.jpg" data-orig-size="3264,2448" data-permalink="https://les5duvin.wordpress.com/2023/05/16/jacky-blot-one-the-loires-greatest-vigneron-died-on-monday/jackysortin/" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jackysortin.jpg?w=1024" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px; vertical-align: bottom;" /></figure><div class="wp-block-image" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><figure class="aligncenter size-large" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: table; margin: 0px auto;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-95972" data-attachment-id="95972" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"4.5","credit":"","camera":"Canon EOS 5D Mark II","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1316530052","copyright":"","focal_length":"24","iso":"160","shutter_speed":"0.002","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="jbsorting" data-large-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jbsorting.jpg?w=640" data-medium-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jbsorting.jpg?w=600" data-orig-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jbsorting.jpg" data-orig-size="640,427" data-permalink="https://les5duvin.wordpress.com/2023/05/16/jacky-blot-one-the-loires-greatest-vigneron-died-on-monday/jbsorting/" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jbsorting.jpg?w=640" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px; vertical-align: bottom;" /></figure></div><p class="has-text-align-center" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">During the harvest Jacky was always in the vineyard at the sorting table.</i></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I am still in shock I have just learned that Jacky Blot (Domaine de la Taille aux Loups/ Domaine de la Butte) died on Monday of pancreatic cancer having only been diagnosed this April. It seems like a bad dream!</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I had huge respect for Jacky – for what he and Joëlle achieved joined by their son Jean-Philippe along with their dedicated team in particular Dominique, Natalie and Christophe. I can only imagine how devastated they feel. My thoughts are with them.</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">From a modest start in 1988 Jacky and Joëlle created one of the Loire’s greatest domaines producing wonderful wines from Montlouis, Vouvray, which latterly had to be labelled Vin de France but were actually ‘Grand Cru Vouvray’, and Bourgueil. Jacky was an inspiration with an almost ruthless passion to make top quality Chenin and Cabernet Franc and he succeeded making world class examples of both varieties. He was very hands on – during the harvest he would be out in the vineyard working on the sorting table.</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">There will be time to say more but for the moment I want my own personal space to remember Jacky – proud that he counted me as a friend.</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">So terribly sad that the Loire has in the space of just four days lost two great men, great human beings – yes wonderful producers but much more than that!</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"></p><div class="wp-block-image" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><figure class="aligncenter size-large" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: table; margin: 0px auto;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-95977" data-attachment-id="95977" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"4.5","credit":"","camera":"Canon PowerShot Pro1","caption":"","created_timestamp":"1194189075","copyright":"","focal_length":"23.90625","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0.016666666666667","title":"","orientation":"1"}" data-image-title="jackyblot1107" data-large-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jackyblot1107.jpg?w=640" data-medium-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jackyblot1107.jpg?w=600" data-orig-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jackyblot1107.jpg" data-orig-size="3264,2448" data-permalink="https://les5duvin.wordpress.com/2023/05/16/jacky-blot-one-the-loires-greatest-vigneron-died-on-monday/jackyblot1107/" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/jackyblot1107.jpg?w=1024" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px; vertical-align: bottom;" /></figure></div><p class="has-text-align-center" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i style="box-sizing: inherit; font-style: italic;">Jacky @ Domaine de la Butte with a glass of his Bourgueil</i></p><h2 class="wp-block-heading has-text-align-center has-vivid-red-color has-text-color" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; color: var(--wp--preset--color--vivid-red) !important; font-family: "Playfair Display", Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.75em; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 700; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 34.3613px; margin: 50px 0px 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: center; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Farewell Jacky you have left a huge legacy</h2><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><br />Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-89379005021478568782023-05-17T10:04:00.001+01:002023-05-17T10:04:21.129+01:00Farewell Guy Bossard<p> (This post was originally published on Les 5 du Vin on Sunday 14th May 2023)<br /></p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I was very sorry to learn overnight (13th-14th May 2023) that Guy Bossard (Domaine de l’Ecu, Pays Nantais) had died. Guy passed away on Friday 12 May aged 72. Guy was a major figure in the Loire both for his Muscadet Sèvre et Maine and for being a successful early champion of biodynamics. It appears that he had been suffering from a long illness.</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Guy was one of several vignerons including – Pierre Luneau, Louis Métaireau and Jean-Ernest Sauvion – in the 1980s and early 1990s who demonstrated through the quality of their wines that Muscadet could be so much more than a simple wine with a great capacity to age gaining further complexity.</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">Our sincere condolences to Guy’s family and friends. Un hommage lui sera rendu mercredi à 10h45 au crématorium de Château-Thébaud.</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">I can do no better than to share<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pascaline.lepeltier" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #ca2017; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;"><span> </span>Pascaline’s Lepeltier’s very fine tribute<span> </span></a>on Facebook to Guy:</p><div class="wp-block-image" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><figure class="aligncenter size-large" style="box-sizing: inherit; clear: both; display: table; margin: 0px auto;"><img alt="" class="wp-image-95900" data-attachment-id="95900" data-comments-opened="1" data-image-caption="" data-image-description="" data-image-meta="{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}" data-image-title="guy-bossard" data-large-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/guy-bossard.jpg?w=448" data-medium-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/guy-bossard.jpg?w=448" data-orig-file="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/guy-bossard.jpg" data-orig-size="448,482" data-permalink="https://les5duvin.wordpress.com/2023/05/14/farewell-guy-bossard/guy-bossard/" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/guy-bossard.jpg?w=448" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); box-sizing: border-box; height: auto; max-width: 100%; padding: 5px; vertical-align: bottom;" /></figure></div><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">‘Le vin a perdu une très grande âme, et un vrai, beau vigneron, unique par sa sincérité et sa compréhension exceptionnelle de la vigne, et bien sûr des superbes terroirs du Muscadet qu’il a défendus toute sa vie autant qu’il a défendu une viticulture préservant le vivant. Guy Bossard s’en est allé hier et je dois dire que cette nouvelle me touche beaucoup. Je me souviendrai toujours de la première bouteille goûtée : jeune apprentie, Mr<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.instagram.com%2F_u%2Fjacquesthorel%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR3mADANFnRN2BW0r2zhRbZTo3Z4DtoocsIMCXak8rLAOTQarJe9fPM_W_U&h=AT0FnEXi8atzJwY4P1n2RHl6atxGLtxp4sKoDwM2p2CLl1uieNEzCpp_3EysXkp2JlgWYhRSXPcSMtwF4WMiYjXDM5Clbsw-8maiF7ROjMR8MxUwz6HbXP11UNYms8POSF5wAPA&__tn__=-UK-y-R&c[0]=AT14HPzlBb5RR41LLWC_SWkEkFl1KDSHLX3k9AzABaQpUtLJzBCpZd7RWCg2X2sW8defx4S2l0Kq7qrW-G6jFTVY1mH8t0TfzItjNhB5kRRLlEcoIaz-NF2AWltsI4_Hc_9j44w-8DtnJJ3P76g0c8wVDeFHq8N-mGQLLQsPrB5Hw-RuLMrUovNPJb9IdCfreCQx0OpWx5jawHYr1aAGMXMo87Jlu9oL9xsEnzk" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #ca2017; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank"><span> </span>@jacquesthore</a>l à l’Auberge Bretonne m’avait demandé de servir une bouteille du Domaine de l’Ecu 1989 à<a href="https://www.instagram.com/_u/olivier_poussier_sommelier?fbclid=IwAR1-sIrxIPOqVl5js7q6uLe670-2rDd_jiUT5OCLSkRk8RxQSzqpo-go93A" rel="noreferrer noopener" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: inherit; color: #ca2017; overflow-wrap: break-word; text-decoration: none; transition: all 0.1s ease-in-out 0s;" target="_blank"><span> </span>@olivier_poussier_sommelie</a>r Quel vin! Quelques semaines, Guy dînait à l’Auberge pour le fameux Repas de Vignerons. Il m’invita à le visiter, ce que je fis quelques semaines après. Je lui dois beaucoup dans ma carrière : quel puits de connaissance sur la vigne, la greffe, la biodynamie, le sol, la musique – et l’âme humaine. Avec quelle gentillesse et humilité partageait-il ses connaissances Ses vins n’ont jamais quitté mes cartes – des vins magnifiques qui ont convaincu tellement mes clients que le Muscadet pouvait produire des vins de classe mondiale. Alors que le vin plus que jamais devient pour certains ce produit spéculatif et m’as-tu-vu, nous perdons avec Guy l’absolu opposé. « C’est la nature qui a le dernier mot, pas l’homme » disait-il. Merci pour tout Guy.’</p><p style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: inherit; color: #111111; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17.85px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: 30.345px; margin-bottom: 1.5em; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">‘Wine has lost a very great soul, and a real, beautiful winegrower, unique in his sincerity and his exceptional understanding of the vine, and of course of the superb Muscadet terroirs that he defended all his life as much as he defended a viticulture that preserves life. Guy Bossard left yesterday and I must say that this news touches me a lot. I will always remember the first bottle I tasted: as a young apprentice, Mr Thorel at the Auberge Bretonne asked me to serve a bottle of Domaine de l’Ecu 1989 to Olivier Poussier. What a wine! A few weeks ago, Guy dined at the Auberge for the famous Repas de Vignerons. He invited me to visit him, which I did a few weeks later. I owe him a lot in my career: what a wealth of knowledge on the vine, grafting, biodynamics, soil, music – and the human soul.’</p><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" /><br />Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-84681221984927160892022-09-29T09:47:00.006+01:002022-09-29T23:36:24.164+01:00Farewell inspirational Catherine Roussel @ Clos Roche Blanche<p><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-HsRghyMT7oV-mNVanwW6JakFtgfvVC9mt8F11vi_mNohlmW9UEDcztm7FrtSWzcsArPa4Fr52SUh1dvPDT1bWYoJ7JMqXzRNNw9hh9ZhACnTV82Jyd066cNnv7OoTIeZA-xRucvn1l6L7W-OYucD8-mBthTuwu5MtQziwf9Gw9v2b00Rhxs70byYdg/s3731/Catherine%20Roussels.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3561" data-original-width="3731" height="381" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-HsRghyMT7oV-mNVanwW6JakFtgfvVC9mt8F11vi_mNohlmW9UEDcztm7FrtSWzcsArPa4Fr52SUh1dvPDT1bWYoJ7JMqXzRNNw9hh9ZhACnTV82Jyd066cNnv7OoTIeZA-xRucvn1l6L7W-OYucD8-mBthTuwu5MtQziwf9Gw9v2b00Rhxs70byYdg/w400-h381/Catherine%20Roussels.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">September 2014: Catherine at the start of the last vintage </span></span></i><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We were very sad to hear late yesterday afternoon that Catherine Roussel, the inspirational owner of the Clos Roche Blanche in the Cher Valley had died. Catherine along with Didier </span><span><span face="Verdana,sans-serif"><span class="st">Barouillet</span></span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"> made wines that punched away above the standard reputation of Appellation Touraine. Their wines enjoyed great success in the USA and the wines' quality inspired others in the Cher Valley by showing what was possible through dedicated work in the vineyard and small yields. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">I first met Catherine and Didier in 1989 and made many visits to their vineyards in Mareuil-sur-Cher/Pouillé. We regularly bought their wines, which Catherine preferred to drink them young and wasn't convinced about their ability to age. Here I have to say she was mistaken as they age amazingly well not just the reds but their Touraine Sauvignon as well. To date examples have already aged well for best part of 30 years. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We will be opening some to drink in Catherine's memory.</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Our thoughts and condolences are with Didier and Catherine's family and friends. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Her funeral will be at the Blois Crematorium on Tuesday 4th October. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgT1NXIb4YJlHmiG8BjmRyINjqp7eW2WKrTVpZANhCaA04RF8R1PDpbfWlLF_EiI0XXo6Vr0kkcGasXhu0Kp4Zxk_LTTqWP_0wydbHuFWHBHOev-y2V26n30c4_kSFZbQRo-yB90oe1x8Mb1QZ_TIaTGalDRosUqaTxvO1LRjp3NEAxuftVrcjtSmYQ/s3743/Catherine%20Rousselas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3743" data-original-width="3658" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgT1NXIb4YJlHmiG8BjmRyINjqp7eW2WKrTVpZANhCaA04RF8R1PDpbfWlLF_EiI0XXo6Vr0kkcGasXhu0Kp4Zxk_LTTqWP_0wydbHuFWHBHOev-y2V26n30c4_kSFZbQRo-yB90oe1x8Mb1QZ_TIaTGalDRosUqaTxvO1LRjp3NEAxuftVrcjtSmYQ/w391-h400/Catherine%20Rousselas.jpg" width="391" /></a><span style="font-weight: normal;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />September 2014: Catherine at the start of the last vintage </span></span></i></span><span><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span><br /></span></div><h2 class="date-header"><span><span style="color: red;"> </span></span></h2><h2 class="date-header"><span><span style="color: red;">A couple of earlier posts on Jim's Loire: </span> <br /></span></h2><h3 class="date-header" style="text-align: left;"><span>Monday, 7 September 2009</span></h3>
<a name="5737456300388048842"></a>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<a href="http://jimsloire.blogspot.com/2009/09/t-shirt-shorts-and-sandals-vintageclos.html">T-shirt, shorts and sandals vintage@Clos Roche Blanche starts Thursday</a></h3><p></p><p><br /></p><h3 class="date-header" style="text-align: left;"><span>Tuesday, 30 September 2014</span></h3>
<a name="2091137686282231950"></a>
<h3 class="post-title entry-title" itemprop="name">
<a href="http://jimsloire.blogspot.com/2014/09/clos-roche-blanche-ac-touraine-historic.html">Clos Roche Blanche, AC Touraine – historic last vintage for Catherine & Didier
</a></h3><p></p><p><br /></p>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-39978037051346160272021-11-08T17:03:00.002+00:002021-11-08T17:36:52.878+00:00Brief sortie to Anjou in late October <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sxC3DyE378g/YYFuxdR6qKI/AAAAAAABQbI/7NS5GeYuVJgdrWDPpaig0S4OM1iJw2e9gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Colours%2B-%2Bto%2Bsouth-east.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sxC3DyE378g/YYFuxdR6qKI/AAAAAAABQbI/7NS5GeYuVJgdrWDPpaig0S4OM1iJw2e9gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Colours%2B-%2Bto%2Bsouth-east.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">Magnificent autumn colours from the Quarts de Chaume <br />and way into the distance <br />Also a reminder of how high parts of Q de C are <br />before it plunges down to the Layon</span></i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PeJVRNaT4UU/YYFzEzpNGhI/AAAAAAABQbQ/tcbdww6fea08iWA5ypfX-ImMBvyfQ0IFgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/B6.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PeJVRNaT4UU/YYFzEzpNGhI/AAAAAAABQbQ/tcbdww6fea08iWA5ypfX-ImMBvyfQ0IFgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/B6.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Heavily laden Chaume<br />Also demonstrates Chenin's variable <br />ripening making it suitable for making sweet wine –<br />sweetness from some berries freshness from others<br />usually necessary to pick selectively<br /> </i> <br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">On Tuesday 26th October we made a </span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: medium;">flying </span>visit across to Anjou from our base in the Cher Valley east of Tours. We drove through foggy conditions of varying intensity. It was particularly dense as we headed down to the River Layon from Beaulieu sur Layon heading to Saint-Lambert-du Lattay. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RES-ewzoAhU/YYlG6DFElpI/AAAAAAABQc0/FOsYY474ZxUsghu9H93kbkYNWlXWlmi4QCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Emmanuel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RES-ewzoAhU/YYlG6DFElpI/AAAAAAABQc0/FOsYY474ZxUsghu9H93kbkYNWlXWlmi4QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Emmanuel.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Emmanuel Ogereau – 'the boss' </i></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VKlrQfGRW9Q/YYlG6JTAWEI/AAAAAAABQcw/By70udDPoTgJJ7a3pVHJlgHf-1AIAo8iACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Vincent.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VKlrQfGRW9Q/YYlG6JTAWEI/AAAAAAABQcw/By70udDPoTgJJ7a3pVHJlgHf-1AIAo8iACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Vincent.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Vincent – happy to take a back seat these days</i></span><br /> </span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">After visiting Catherine, Vincent and Emmanuel Ogereau at their domaine and tasting a few fermenting 2021 wines including the 1er Tri of their Quarts de Chaume, we headed as it was lunchtime to the Quarts de Chaume for a picnic. By this time the fog had lifted and we were treated to some magnificent views with their autumn colours. We picnicked as we often do along the track to Les Martinières – a right turn off the small road that leads to the hamlet of Chaume. This track is the dividing line between Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru and Coteaux du Layon Chaume Premier Cru. See map <br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LzjFNPyxWgs/YYkxm366rOI/AAAAAAABQb4/nMURXK7QZ88_Sgkxzxau_Ia2ieamcIC-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Cartographie%2BChaume%2Bet%2BQuarts-de-Chaume%2Bsans%2Bge%25CC%2581ols%2B.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1457" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LzjFNPyxWgs/YYkxm366rOI/AAAAAAABQb4/nMURXK7QZ88_Sgkxzxau_Ia2ieamcIC-ACLcBGAsYHQ/w285-h400/Cartographie%2BChaume%2Bet%2BQuarts-de-Chaume%2Bsans%2Bge%25CC%2581ols%2B.jpg" width="285" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;">Pink = Quarts de Chaume vines</span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Green = Chaume vines<br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Naturally
we had a look at some of the vines. Unsurprisingly given the fine
weather during October many had already been picked including the <i>vignes larges</i>
of Domaine des Baumard. Some others had probably already been partially
picked and were waiting for the final sweep through the vines. However,
close to where we stopped on the northern side of the track so in
Chaume not Quarts de Chaume was a very well laden parcel of vines, which
looked like it hadn't been picked at all. </span></span> <br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vHVUx64--z0/YYGAPnkbaDI/AAAAAAABQbY/bjWMrCTlOjkreRSho2UR8liNQZDFL97sgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/B8.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vHVUx64--z0/YYGAPnkbaDI/AAAAAAABQbY/bjWMrCTlOjkreRSho2UR8liNQZDFL97sgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/B8.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span>Parcel of vines near the Martinières track </span></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span> </span></i></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tszl9VhJohI/YYGAYvtnt1I/AAAAAAABQbc/tWW7-eG7bIUK4rqlkL7ETMa26LZIIUDVwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/CRM-IMG_3764.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tszl9VhJohI/YYGAYvtnt1I/AAAAAAABQbc/tWW7-eG7bIUK4rqlkL7ETMa26LZIIUDVwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/CRM-IMG_3764.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div><p style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span></span></span></i></span></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lm_OSxA456E/YYk0AFUGGdI/AAAAAAABQcQ/FubIfUiqUBgLkeFtp3rsq3wmO3iDXIzWACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/B3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1356" data-original-width="2048" height="265" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lm_OSxA456E/YYk0AFUGGdI/AAAAAAABQcQ/FubIfUiqUBgLkeFtp3rsq3wmO3iDXIzWACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h265/B3.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></i></span></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span>A generous crop...</span></i></span></span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CJL1aT9VgNw/YYkzF0SA2XI/AAAAAAABQcE/Ps0_E-dHpCAd6t_qf455CoIQ3Gg8bEDAQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/B5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CJL1aT9VgNw/YYkzF0SA2XI/AAAAAAABQcE/Ps0_E-dHpCAd6t_qf455CoIQ3Gg8bEDAQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/B5.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />Although the yields shown in the above photos are clearly generous it is more difficult to say whether they meet or exceed the criteria for Coteaux du Layon Premier Cru. Had they been to the south of the track and in the Quarts de Chaume it would have been clear that this crop exceeded the Q de C criteria, which are more strict than those for Chaume. In the Quarts de Chaume each vine may not have more than 1.7 kilos of grapes for a yield of 20 hl/ha (25 hl/ha rendement butoir). The potential alcohol minimum has to be 18%. The photos show more than 1.7 kilos per vine. </span><p></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">However, Chaume does not have a weight limit per vine and the authorised yield is 25 hl/ha, which can be adjusted up to 30 hl/ha and the minimum potential alcohol is 16.5%. Difficult to say if the Chaume criteria have been exceeded here rather that the producer is pushing the envelope and isn't really in line with the spirit of a village <i>premier cru </i>sweet wine. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">You have to wonder if the Baumards may not after all have had a point when opposing Chaume 1er Cru!! <br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><h2 style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligne_de_Perray-Jouannet_aux_Fourneaux ">Les Treilles and TGV du Layon</a> </span></h2><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After our picnic we headed back to Saint-Lambert taking the old railway line track along the northern bank of the Layon pased the Clos des Treilles now part of Domaine Belargus. The disused railway line is now a green route between Thouarce and Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eLzfR5fEGlw/YYkviH9QNzI/AAAAAAABQbw/2Ic_50uYZn8QwMCah6adN1b1RRJ5E1lIQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Treilles.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eLzfR5fEGlw/YYkviH9QNzI/AAAAAAABQbw/2Ic_50uYZn8QwMCah6adN1b1RRJ5E1lIQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Treilles.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Clos des Treilles</i></span><br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligne_de_Perray-Jouannet_aux_Fourneaux ">'L'ancienne ligne de chemin de fer
Perray-Jouannet</a> a été ouverte le 18 août 1884 et fut déclassée en 1954.
D'une longueur de 26 km, elle était aussi appelée Ligne du Layon, car
elle suivait ses méandres. Aujourd'hui, la partie située en Saint Aubin
de Luigné et Thouarcé est aménagée en voie verte, sur 16 km.' <br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RKKTiT5lDnU/YYlBKo5iu-I/AAAAAAABQcY/3FWJmuhwH94SpaQ86cKkzgJxOJuc-Fw6ACLcBGAsYHQ/s1210/Gare%2Bde%2BBeaulieu.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="794" data-original-width="1210" height="263" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RKKTiT5lDnU/YYlBKo5iu-I/AAAAAAABQcY/3FWJmuhwH94SpaQ86cKkzgJxOJuc-Fw6ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h263/Gare%2Bde%2BBeaulieu.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Beaulieu-Saint-Lambert Station<br />The steep sides of the northern side of the Layon <br />can be seen heading into the distance <br />The Clos des Treilles is part of this massif</i></span><br /> <br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We dropped in briefly to Domaine Belargus and saw Adrien Moreau, the wine-maker, and Franck. The 2021 harvest is tiny averaging around 10hl/ha but the quality is good both from the dry Chenin and the Quarts de Chaume with a potential alcohol of just over 23˚.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C7_xmzm4H7s/YYlE5LTy46I/AAAAAAABQck/fzzaYcuCmmAsQpKbuZ4HxfhvWzBVvHCjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Vue%2Beast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C7_xmzm4H7s/YYlE5LTy46I/AAAAAAABQck/fzzaYcuCmmAsQpKbuZ4HxfhvWzBVvHCjgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Vue%2Beast.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>View eastwards from Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay<br />towards Rablay-sur-Layon</i></span><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dlFL1hvEtFM/YYlE5MoniYI/AAAAAAABQcg/cjHT35UgsdYViwKESYKXt0zoiLGoZejaACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Vue%2Beasta.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dlFL1hvEtFM/YYlE5MoniYI/AAAAAAABQcg/cjHT35UgsdYViwKESYKXt0zoiLGoZejaACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Vue%2Beasta.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> Time for a few autumn colour photos before heading back to Eastern Touraine. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-88431544455991630082021-10-29T22:15:00.007+01:002021-10-30T16:42:07.263+01:00Ivan Massonnat buys Domaine de Beauséjour (AOP Chinon) – a second ambitious wine project<div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R-UWhTJicmQ/YXwpmDIViAI/AAAAAAABQao/N9RUc7jZql8LrfEDExtrTfN3qQuZbg-HQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/BU0A7737.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R-UWhTJicmQ/YXwpmDIViAI/AAAAAAABQao/N9RUc7jZql8LrfEDExtrTfN3qQuZbg-HQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/BU0A7737.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ivan Massonnat</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QXrIKqxWweE/YXwtkrpF9aI/AAAAAAABQaw/DCfm33SzrCQnfQDQwgulNcWV78xTI-W0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Beause%25CC%2581joura.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QXrIKqxWweE/YXwtkrpF9aI/AAAAAAABQaw/DCfm33SzrCQnfQDQwgulNcWV78xTI-W0gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Beause%25CC%2581joura.jpg" width="400" /><br /></a><i>Domaine de Beauséjour, Panzoult <br />October 2010</i><br /></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On Friday 15th October 2021 Ivan Massonnat realised a vinous dream that predates his Belargus project in Anjou when he signed the contract to purchase <a href="https://domainedebeausejour.com/">Domaine de Beauséjour</a> (Appellation Chinon) in Panzoult. The commune of Panzoult is in the eastern end of the Chinon appellation on the north side of the valley of the Vienne. Beauséjour is a handsome property on the road between Cravant-les-Coteaux and Panzoult. On the other side of Panzoult Baudry-Dutour, Chinon's largest estate, has their winery and offices. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ivan, who has had a second home in the Chinon area for 15 years, had tried to buy Beauséjour in 2016 but the negotiations, which lasted nearly a year, were ultimately fruitless. Instead Ivan embarked on his Chenin Blanc adventure – Domaine Belargus in Anjou. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Beauséjour has been created by the Chauveau family, especially by Gérard Chauveau. His father Dr Jacques Chauveau bought a simple farm in 1951. However, it didn't become a <i>domaine viticole </i>until 1968 when Jacques' son Gérard, an architect and town planner, inherited the property. He planted the first vines the following year and then slowly built the estate up to its current size – 100 hectares in one continuous plot, which is certainly unusual in the Loire and elsewhere in many parts of France, where it is customary for farmers to have lots of different parcels of land. The estate now has 27 hectares of vines facing south across the valley of the Vienne, 50 hectares of forest and the rest as fields.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In 1995 David Chauveau, Gérard's son became responsible for wine-making and three years later in 1998 took over the running of Beauséjour with his mother Marie-Claude. In late February 2021 Gérard Chauveau died at 95. The family sought a buyer to continue the work of Gérard and contact with Ivan was resumed. Although there were apparently a number of interested parties, the Chauveaus chose to reach agreement with Ivan. They will continue to be involved with David Chauveau as co-manager and Marie-Claude has the right to stay in the family home for the rest of her life.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The purchase of Beauséjour will allow Ivan in two years' time to give up his high finance life in Paris where he is a partner in PAI Partners, a venture capital and private equity company, and become of full-time vigneron. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ivan sees Beauséjour as a long-term project as he explains:</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;">
</p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><b><i>'Un projet
global, un projet de vie.</i></b></span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Ce projet, son
« Premier Amour », préfigure la reconversion d’Ivan dans le monde du
vin. </span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pour Ivan, tout
est question d’équilibre ! Quand il aura tourné la page de sa « vie
parisienne », il pourra ainsi se concentrer sur 2 projets complémentaires :
Belargus et Beauséjour, le Chenin et le Cabernet Franc, les schistes et le calcaire,
l’Anjou et la Touraine... </span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A Beauséjour, le
chantier est immense : Ivan souhaite donc s’inscrire dans le temps (très) long.
Les premières années seront uniquement consacrées à un travail de fond sur le
vignoble et à sa conversion en bio.'</span></p><span style="font-family: inherit;">
</span><p style="text-align: justify;"><style><span style="font-family: inherit;">@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-520092929 1073786111 9 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:Georgia;
panose-1:2 4 5 2 5 4 5 2 3 3;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0cm;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:FR;}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:11.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:FR;}.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
line-height:115%;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</span></style><span style="font-family: inherit;"></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GAj8A1rWFIk/YXwtq3mirOI/AAAAAAABQa0/UnY7pmUgK64mQ90Z2WjtW56UtXC9cGgpwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Beause%25CC%2581jour.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GAj8A1rWFIk/YXwtq3mirOI/AAAAAAABQa0/UnY7pmUgK64mQ90Z2WjtW56UtXC9cGgpwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Beause%25CC%2581jour.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>Domaine de Beauséjour, Panzoult </i></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i>October 2010</i></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In a nice piece of symmetry Ivan and his wife bought their Chinon <i>maison secondaire</i> from Madame Chauveau's niece...! </span> <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In the short time (since 2018) Ivan has been involved in Anjou Ivan has already made a considerable impression, Beauséjour looks to be another exciting project – this time red with Cabernet Franc balanced by Chenin Blanc in Anjou, although perhaps there might some day be space for some Chenin Blanc plantings on a clay-limestone slope at Panzoult... </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Meanwhile in Anjou plans for a new Belargus winery are advancing. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span></p>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-84045888093772049312021-10-24T21:40:00.002+01:002021-10-24T22:13:33.170+01:00Sancerre: autumn colours <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TRt2HISpVXg/YXVP9KBfuwI/AAAAAAABQZA/WcwTIqzao6ckGmN7CmlgYaG60AB-uAUSQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Vines%2B%252B%2BMDa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TRt2HISpVXg/YXVP9KBfuwI/AAAAAAABQZA/WcwTIqzao6ckGmN7CmlgYaG60AB-uAUSQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Vines%2B%252B%2BMDa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i>Les Monts Damnés from Chavignol </i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WvBiwXxyroM/YXWBvbn-pRI/AAAAAAABQZs/rbc96aJEgK0VVXitFVfB_CcoMF2Nz4OigCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/MD%2B%252B%2Bmist.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WvBiwXxyroM/YXWBvbn-pRI/AAAAAAABQZs/rbc96aJEgK0VVXitFVfB_CcoMF2Nz4OigCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/MD%2B%252B%2Bmist.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Slopes of Monts Damnés – Sancerre in mist in distance</span></span></i><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><p style="text-align: left;"></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AvxN0R0XbH0/YXVQDOPy1KI/AAAAAAABQZE/uq92guVn_5cxem0tvuFAxGTJtiBRe3rNQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1214/Clos%2Bde%2Bla%2BPoussie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1214" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AvxN0R0XbH0/YXVQDOPy1KI/AAAAAAABQZE/uq92guVn_5cxem0tvuFAxGTJtiBRe3rNQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Clos%2Bde%2Bla%2BPoussie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">Clos de la Poussie, Bué </span></span></i><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">We were in Sancerre last Wednesday and Thursday checking out the 2021 harvest, which has been finished for some time now. When you have a dry end of season the autumn colours in the Sancerre appellation can be magnificent. They certainly are this year after dry weather for much of September and October to date. Ironically June and July were wet causing problems with mildew. Many parts of Sancerre had already been hit by frost over two nights in early April: 6th/7th and 7th/8th. It is very unusual for Sancerre to be hit by frost. Usually when the neighbouring appellations of Menetou-Salon and Pouilly-Fumé are frosted Sancerre escapes. The last serious frost for many of the Sancerre producers was the infamous one on the night of the 21st/22nd 1991. Some producers have lost 80% of their crop.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">For most producers picking started during the week of 20th September and finished early in October. Fortunately although the crop is small quality is good thanks to fine weather in September which meant that 2021 is better than many vigneron feared. The ferments I tasted were clean, precise with attractive fruit, while less concentrated and powerful with higher acidity than in recent vintages. As elsewhere in the region the 2021 wines will have a more typical Loire profile with greater freshness. </span><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D9NanHuBNJ4/YXVQFMIcVwI/AAAAAAABQZI/NADDi1vCrh0DqCUT3U2fOOpusXwj2xjmQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Bue%25CC%2581%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2BClos%2Bde%2Bla%2BPoussie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-D9NanHuBNJ4/YXVQFMIcVwI/AAAAAAABQZI/NADDi1vCrh0DqCUT3U2fOOpusXwj2xjmQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Bue%25CC%2581%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2BClos%2Bde%2Bla%2BPoussie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">The main street of Bué with the dominant <br />Clos de la Poussie in the background </span></i></span><br /></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_DVW4zzWTD0/YXVQMDYvDBI/AAAAAAABQZQ/qJ4gKF1A3YEMW6uaxbacCmwpOdyZFgrUwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Clos%2Bde%2Bla%2BPoussiea.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_DVW4zzWTD0/YXVQMDYvDBI/AAAAAAABQZQ/qJ4gKF1A3YEMW6uaxbacCmwpOdyZFgrUwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Clos%2Bde%2Bla%2BPoussiea.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Clos de la Poussie – owned by Ladoucette<br />The Clos used to have serious erosion but a </span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">change to grassing over the vineyard appears </span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">to have made a big difference<br /></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></i><br /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u3pzfyvoHN0/YXVQQzdmG1I/AAAAAAABQZY/Z57NKjhkaAgU-fy90Sdo-czRhS_T9sFCQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1214/Bue%25CC%2581%2B-%2Bvue.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1214" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-u3pzfyvoHN0/YXVQQzdmG1I/AAAAAAABQZY/Z57NKjhkaAgU-fy90Sdo-czRhS_T9sFCQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Bue%25CC%2581%2B-%2Bvue.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">View of Bué and its vineyards</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mX58lkKt5Tc/YXXCIth9xcI/AAAAAAABQZ0/gE4eXkFlKpE-eefH7cVOTjVaDGaLaFEXgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Bue%25CC%2581%2Bvines%2B%252B%2Btractors.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mX58lkKt5Tc/YXXCIth9xcI/AAAAAAABQZ0/gE4eXkFlKpE-eefH7cVOTjVaDGaLaFEXgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Bue%25CC%2581%2Bvines%2B%252B%2Btractors.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Base of the Clos de la Poussie with tractors </span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FwXl5XXPzMo/YXXCMXclXcI/AAAAAAABQZ4/LsxANLQlZ0QcoS03l32NkPmvLDMRAM7hgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Clos%2Bde%2Bla%2BPoussie%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2Bbuild.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FwXl5XXPzMo/YXXCMXclXcI/AAAAAAABQZ4/LsxANLQlZ0QcoS03l32NkPmvLDMRAM7hgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Clos%2Bde%2Bla%2BPoussie%2B%25E2%2580%2593%2Bbuild.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Clos de la Poussie – building</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3wQhy7YqozA/YXXCg1qeO3I/AAAAAAABQaI/NgKQjO--TXI3FgXCbhKMAfH1ThqGr0ZcQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Vines%2B%252B%2BSancerre.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3wQhy7YqozA/YXXCg1qeO3I/AAAAAAABQaI/NgKQjO--TXI3FgXCbhKMAfH1ThqGr0ZcQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Vines%2B%252B%2BSancerre.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></i> <br /></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Vines with town of Sancerre in background <br /></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c0OkRgkAYUo/YXXCOFEvDXI/AAAAAAABQZ8/19rdbX2pucMqxwP4m4U1ryYu9NmV22CvgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Chavignol.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c0OkRgkAYUo/YXXCOFEvDXI/AAAAAAABQZ8/19rdbX2pucMqxwP4m4U1ryYu9NmV22CvgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Chavignol.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Chavignol: the main street <br /></span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Hotel Restaurant Famille Bourgeois on right</i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mSKk6etAFiU/YXXCRvYY0-I/AAAAAAABQaA/N4qYpC69Ez8SPmfD2zmZqAYjplX_E0yIACLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Les%2BLoges%2B2%2BSancerre.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mSKk6etAFiU/YXXCRvYY0-I/AAAAAAABQaA/N4qYpC69Ez8SPmfD2zmZqAYjplX_E0yIACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Les%2BLoges%2B2%2BSancerre.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>View from Domaine Jonathan and Didier Pabiot </span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">above Les Loges, Pouilly-sur-Loire </span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">towards Sancerre<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eh5sbfHyVsI/YXXCkNYTrbI/AAAAAAABQaQ/fgkACVO8sOYN8zIVPb9C70lTQkvq-gunwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Ch%2BMenetou-Salon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Eh5sbfHyVsI/YXXCkNYTrbI/AAAAAAABQaQ/fgkACVO8sOYN8zIVPb9C70lTQkvq-gunwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Ch%2BMenetou-Salon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Château de Menetou-Salon</span></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9VHexXpD1kc/YXXCmzl5QbI/AAAAAAABQaU/mi2-s5ZomBAgCKa-TOcpVmOJz-mzUPKDgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Menetou-Salon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9VHexXpD1kc/YXXCmzl5QbI/AAAAAAABQaU/mi2-s5ZomBAgCKa-TOcpVmOJz-mzUPKDgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Menetou-Salon.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Small town of Menetou-Salon <br /> </span></span></i><br /></div></div><div> <p></p></div>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-85388588864387032592021-10-18T17:48:00.009+01:002021-10-31T12:14:33.991+00:00Clos Rougeard – can its iconic status be maintained?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2q53D6Y8THM/YW0th9G9PvI/AAAAAAABQR4/as_TIXawxd4qRHz_617-b6-_D-YhodC1ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Work%2Bsite.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2q53D6Y8THM/YW0th9G9PvI/AAAAAAABQR4/as_TIXawxd4qRHz_617-b6-_D-YhodC1ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Work%2Bsite.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Extensive construction at <a href="https://www.clos-rougeard.com/#domaine">Clos Rougeard</a> 14th October 2021</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Above and below <br /></i></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h-sobsJv9rs/YW0tsDlsspI/AAAAAAABQR8/MNXIQqyiw_YHvU0MBYf1hpRE02LtWe_AACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Clos%2BRougearda.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h-sobsJv9rs/YW0tsDlsspI/AAAAAAABQR8/MNXIQqyiw_YHvU0MBYf1hpRE02LtWe_AACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Clos%2BRougearda.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QlYzn8jxC78/YW1ZLpFgkTI/AAAAAAABQSg/21hAzOGN31cK29M6zzX09oLF3qQqGt9ogCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Clos%2BRougeard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QlYzn8jxC78/YW1ZLpFgkTI/AAAAAAABQSg/21hAzOGN31cK29M6zzX09oLF3qQqGt9ogCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Clos%2BRougeard.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Last Thursday (14.10.21) we went across to Saumur to see how the 2021 vintage was coming along – overall the vignerons we saw said that it was better than they feared at the end of August as once again fine weather during September and well into October has made an important difference, especially the recent wind from the east which has concentrated the grapes. Unfortunately the April frosts and mildew have played their part. <br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Approaching Chacé (<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #212529; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">now in the commune of Bellevigne-les-Châteaux, which is a merger of former communes – Chacé, Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg and Brezé) </span>from the direction of Champigny we could see a large crane. I instantly wondered whether this was a new construction at Clos Rougeard. So it proved. </span></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><p></p><p></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jPHEXjzciJ0/YW0t5oaATaI/AAAAAAABQSE/DrjCDU5pjqonc8c-ZbfcSipFOJfgYseWACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Construction%2Bdetails.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jPHEXjzciJ0/YW0t5oaATaI/AAAAAAABQSE/DrjCDU5pjqonc8c-ZbfcSipFOJfgYseWACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Construction%2Bdetails.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: x-small;"><i>Details of the construction work, <br />which involves partial demolition and renovation <br />of the old factory building <br />+ constructing a new building<br />at </i></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;">14 Allée des Tilleuls<br /></span>(above and below) </i></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-moj9X4dOkP8/YW1Yu-_543I/AAAAAAABQSY/tfLIvL2kqpww4aSsRtpvz3vJNxR_eOuJACLcBGAsYHQ/s2040/Construction%2Bdetailsaa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1971" data-original-width="2040" height="386" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-moj9X4dOkP8/YW1Yu-_543I/AAAAAAABQSY/tfLIvL2kqpww4aSsRtpvz3vJNxR_eOuJACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h386/Construction%2Bdetailsaa.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><i><br /> </i><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">After Charly Foucault's death at the end of 2015, the iconic Clos Rougeard was sold in 2017 to Bouygues brothers, industrialists who run construction and telecommunications businesses. They are also the owners of Château Montrose in Saint-Estèphe. Under the new ownership, Clos Rougeard is now becoming more and more visible with the new winery and daily visiting hours (excluding Sunday), which raises the question over whether the domaine's iconic status will continue.</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>The old 'winery' Rue de l'Eglise, Chacé </b></span><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AO4FuA0aQKE/YW1wpv4YrQI/AAAAAAABQSw/HGST042zLVcQogtOg4ZnXSKclsylvNPbgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Charly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AO4FuA0aQKE/YW1wpv4YrQI/AAAAAAABQSw/HGST042zLVcQogtOg4ZnXSKclsylvNPbgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h268/Charly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span>Charly Foucault September 2011</span></i></span><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span>checking the flow of destemmed Cabernet Franc </span></i></span><br /></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></i></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ihWkQZ4uU5Y/YW1wQxzG6QI/AAAAAAABQSo/IMCaillQFDovUEt0CM4OhQ1QTeE1NfOjACLcBGAsYHQ/s351/Nady%2526Charly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="234" data-original-width="351" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ihWkQZ4uU5Y/YW1wQxzG6QI/AAAAAAABQSo/IMCaillQFDovUEt0CM4OhQ1QTeE1NfOjACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Nady%2526Charly.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>15 </i></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Rue de l'Eglise, Chacé: Nadi and Charly close to the </i></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>quai de reception for the grapes during the 2011 harvest<br /></i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tsaJiXu-CDA/YW1zQKppizI/AAAAAAABQS8/FfL3kNOnNOUhW9P4U0k-TkHmbxFUGWoawCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Emptyingcagettes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="640" height="281" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tsaJiXu-CDA/YW1zQKppizI/AAAAAAABQS8/FfL3kNOnNOUhW9P4U0k-TkHmbxFUGWoawCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h281/Emptyingcagettes.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></span></span> </i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>2011<br /></i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i></i></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IGRSA9O2idY/YW1zL5ubtYI/AAAAAAABQS4/eZ8-b0yQczo3tCUcu5fx3eHmeB5C5VpiACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Sortingtablea.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="572" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IGRSA9O2idY/YW1zL5ubtYI/AAAAAAABQS4/eZ8-b0yQczo3tCUcu5fx3eHmeB5C5VpiACLcBGAsYHQ/w358-h400/Sortingtablea.jpg" width="358" /></a></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>2011: sorting table – Anne Vatan, Nady's wife in centre</i></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NenWsnHyKrE/YW2WXD0HQOI/AAAAAAABQUk/qA7dkhLLeNUzoG349txrYe4DmUf96k__ACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/NadiFoucaults.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NenWsnHyKrE/YW2WXD0HQOI/AAAAAAABQUk/qA7dkhLLeNUzoG349txrYe4DmUf96k__ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/NadiFoucaults.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Nady during 2010 vintage<br /> </i></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The old cellar</span></span></b><i><br /></i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fWpMC_icHGg/YW10DUe9GUI/AAAAAAABQTI/QGxxxV8G7islJAYSAL4C5Ar34v_evu_AACLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/barrelsts.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fWpMC_icHGg/YW10DUe9GUI/AAAAAAABQTI/QGxxxV8G7islJAYSAL4C5Ar34v_evu_AACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/barrelsts.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i></i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>The old cellar cut out of the tuffeau (limestone)<br />under 15 Rue de l'Eglise<br />The Foucaults continued to use barrels <br />when many Loire producers had moved <br />to concrete or stainless steel.<br /></i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><br /></i></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--0ShIfmI1Ew/YW10RCYbKqI/AAAAAAABQTQ/MyAqpFiXgHs15dNA6cvcT8niRIstPlqdACLcBGAsYHQ/s400/CRCoinss.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--0ShIfmI1Ew/YW10RCYbKqI/AAAAAAABQTQ/MyAqpFiXgHs15dNA6cvcT8niRIstPlqdACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/CRCoinss.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Coins stuck on the wall of the cellar </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> <br /></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6AW-k9mAhw8/YW10Q6EaUsI/AAAAAAABQTM/Eh7JZtZuiB4oTHSNOxHv8kC9Kd_FHfHeQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Coins.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6AW-k9mAhw8/YW10Q6EaUsI/AAAAAAABQTM/Eh7JZtZuiB4oTHSNOxHv8kC9Kd_FHfHeQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Coins.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></span></span> <br /></i></span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ij6MS2pHWc/YW10U6TQjqI/AAAAAAABQTU/w1njLje1W-kf_V2r5NTaduLAIclfNqR3gCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/CRbottless.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0ij6MS2pHWc/YW10U6TQjqI/AAAAAAABQTU/w1njLje1W-kf_V2r5NTaduLAIclfNqR3gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/CRbottless.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X5Pqn_k03yQ/YW11aGiZRyI/AAAAAAABQTw/14_zLu9cIIgy5ZwdNxtcx4dcqBUeJIyVQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/tastingareas.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-X5Pqn_k03yQ/YW11aGiZRyI/AAAAAAABQTw/14_zLu9cIIgy5ZwdNxtcx4dcqBUeJIyVQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/tastingareas.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>The tasting area<br /></i></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i> <br /></i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Questioning Rougeard's iconic status has nothing to do with the expertise of Richard and Jacques-Antoine, who now head up the domaine in the vines and winery, or </span><span style="font-family: verdana;">the quality of the wines made under the new regime. Instead I'm asking how important i</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">ts former invisibility was </span></span>to the domaine's iconic status. Back in Charly and Nady's time, there was no sign for Clos Rougeard in their commune of Chacé. The mythical cellar and the chai at 15 Rue de l'Eglise in the centre of Chacé were well hidden. This invisibility along with the old cellar, the small production, the quality of the wines, the expertise and personalities of Charly and Nady all played their part in adding to the mystique of Clos Rougeard and creating its</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> iconic status, with prices to match. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Clearly the purchase of the domaine by Martin and Olivier Bouygues meant that changes would happen. Indeed changes had already started to happen before Charly's death. I assume that the old cellar and quai de reception had become too cramped so, by the 2015 vintage, they had moved to an old factory building at the northern end of Chacé – 14 Allée des Tilleuls. </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: #660000;"><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Sumana, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Foucaults' new winery – 2015 </span><br /></span></span></b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-family: Sumana, Georgia, "Times New Roman", Times, serif; font-size: 16px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xv6IAv2A8m4/YW11_z8AsGI/AAAAAAABQT4/XgJoE5lb5AgQX014B_exzUxrH6BXaNh4ACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_0491.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xv6IAv2A8m4/YW11_z8AsGI/AAAAAAABQT4/XgJoE5lb5AgQX014B_exzUxrH6BXaNh4ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h268/IMG_0491.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PCxNOcD9fZE/YW12Aw9apTI/AAAAAAABQT8/iujGwxcyAZoYaQYhOeAk2N8xfU_oDqk-wCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_0492.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PCxNOcD9fZE/YW12Aw9apTI/AAAAAAABQT8/iujGwxcyAZoYaQYhOeAk2N8xfU_oDqk-wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h268/IMG_0492.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b0mI_zF48Wo/YW12C5djAlI/AAAAAAABQUE/wHw6RQRVE5kkrfV9WKbkeb-H7pBJcqnxgCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_0494.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b0mI_zF48Wo/YW12C5djAlI/AAAAAAABQUE/wHw6RQRVE5kkrfV9WKbkeb-H7pBJcqnxgCLcBGAsYHQ/w268-h400/IMG_0494.jpg" width="268" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><i>Entrance to the winery </i></span></span></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W9cD4fMSOnc/YW12WQebfQI/AAAAAAABQUY/W-UK0km2ea0PrjWdz-N5oAy8hmt10PoBQCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Rougeard-chais.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-W9cD4fMSOnc/YW12WQebfQI/AAAAAAABQUY/W-UK0km2ea0PrjWdz-N5oAy8hmt10PoBQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h268/Rougeard-chais.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><i>During the 2015 vintage</i></span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-74OiCWWrJk4/YW12Vd-smxI/AAAAAAABQUU/D9q9EPxSZRAdfAqY6GNMjCeRU0_7vbD0gCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/RougeardChais.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-74OiCWWrJk4/YW12Vd-smxI/AAAAAAABQUU/D9q9EPxSZRAdfAqY6GNMjCeRU0_7vbD0gCLcBGAsYHQ/w268-h400/RougeardChais.jpg" width="268" /></a></div> <p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It will be interesting to see whether and how Clos Rougeard's greater visibility along with the lifting of the shroud of mystery that used to surround the domaine will change perceptions and its iconic status. How many changes can occur before iconic status is imperiled or an amended narrative comes necessary? <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Whatever changes there are at Clos Rougeard there is little doubt that they will give Saumur-Champigny and Saumur greater visibility along with Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MBsOpGf83yk/YW2edZg0CPI/AAAAAAABQUs/W8J4a8vCGBUjYRumHRiJqPoceVbNqYptACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Signa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MBsOpGf83yk/YW2edZg0CPI/AAAAAAABQUs/W8J4a8vCGBUjYRumHRiJqPoceVbNqYptACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Signa.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Visiting hours: Monday to Saturday 9am – 12pm. 2pm-7pm </span><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"> </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Address :</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #212529; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span> </span>14 Allée des Tilleuls, 49400 Bellevigne-les-Châteaux</span><br style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;" /><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: #212529; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Phone :</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #212529; display: inline; float: none; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span> </span></span><a href="tel:+33241529265" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; color: inherit; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; transition: all 0.5s cubic-bezier(0.39, 0.575, 0.565, 1) 0s; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">+33 (0)2 41 52 92 65</a> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <br /></p>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-30049094922832320642021-10-11T17:31:00.002+01:002021-10-11T17:32:31.670+01:002021 Loire Vintage – Montlouis, Touraine, Bourgueil, St Nic and Chinon<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gQR6D8rFibk/YWQKDB_7GaI/AAAAAAABQRQ/fWN1t2jQY5oh211p7UdladSDHV5HZs8GACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Cab%2BFranc.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gQR6D8rFibk/YWQKDB_7GaI/AAAAAAABQRQ/fWN1t2jQY5oh211p7UdladSDHV5HZs8GACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Cab%2BFranc.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>2021 Cabernet Franc </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J40au6MNdxk/YWQJsrB9dPI/AAAAAAABQRI/fAU1VXew71AVvh3J-34qArpjVi8lXCPjgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Pickersa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1878" data-original-width="2048" height="366" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J40au6MNdxk/YWQJsrB9dPI/AAAAAAABQRI/fAU1VXew71AVvh3J-34qArpjVi8lXCPjgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h366/Pickersa.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Last week I made a number of visits to producers to see how the 2021 Loire vintage was coming along. The start of the 2021 Loire harvest was a good couple of weeks later than the 2020 vintage, although not as late as 2013. <br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Tuesday 5th October – <a href="https://www.lerocherdesviolettes.com/">Xavier Weisskop </a></b><b>(Montlouis and Touraine) <br /></b>I cycled over to Dierre to see Xavier, who was quite upbeat: </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">"We started picking on Tuesday 21st September and finished with the Côt a week later on Tuesday 28th. Our frost protection worked well as did our treatments against mildew. There was a big pressure of mildew this year especially during June and July and we had to spray the vines 14 times, including four Sundays. Our average yield is about 40 hl/ha." </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Wednesday 6th October – various Touraine producers in the Cher</b></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b> </b></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b></b></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mj_cgXfzlqo/YWQvGRBu1UI/AAAAAAABQRc/hfEWTa_ZsWMdaBBqz1KJCy6iHkwsK1iXgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Sign.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mj_cgXfzlqo/YWQvGRBu1UI/AAAAAAABQRc/hfEWTa_ZsWMdaBBqz1KJCy6iHkwsK1iXgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Sign.jpg" width="400" /></a></b></div><b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KfzSsbMZdto/YWQvS920bcI/AAAAAAABQRg/e9kS9QRB_2gkBIohKU4XOZ2j4wxTKVNFACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Premises.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KfzSsbMZdto/YWQvS920bcI/AAAAAAABQRg/e9kS9QRB_2gkBIohKU4XOZ2j4wxTKVNFACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Premises.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> </b><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://www.merieau.com/fr/accueil/">Jean-François Mérieau</a></b> (AOP Touraine)<br />For a number of years now Jean-François Mérieau has been based at Paul Buisse's old premises – Cave de la Boule Blanche – at the eastern end of Montrichard, while continuing to use the old winery across on the south side of the River Cher in Saint-Julien-de-Chedon. Paul Buisse retired in 2010 selling his business to Pierre Chainier. A few years later Chainier sold the premises to Jean-François. When I dropped in Jean-François was across at Saint-Julien but his wife Emilie was in the office.<br /></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Emilie Mérieau</b>: "We started picking on Monday 27th September and have now finished the Côt, Gamay and Sauvignon Blanc. We will finish with the Cabernet Franc next week. Quality is good but we don't have a lot of grapes as we were hit by the April frosts and mildew. Yields vary depending on the grape variety – Côt is around 40hl/ha, while we have less Gamay – between 25/30 hl/ha. I can't give you a figure for our Sauvignon Blanc but it was affected by the frost and mildew."</span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b><a href="https://domaine-sauvete.com/">Domaine Sauvète</a></b> (AOP Touraine) </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Xeho-Fkj_s/YWQwt4lfnoI/AAAAAAABQRs/In-b3FBzjiQU4insu4zk5ZiLUdu21y2egCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Winery.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_Xeho-Fkj_s/YWQwt4lfnoI/AAAAAAABQRs/In-b3FBzjiQU4insu4zk5ZiLUdu21y2egCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Winery.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br />After Merieau I headed upstream along the north bank of the Cher to Monthou to Domaine Sauvète. I haven't been to see them for a few years – in part due to the Covid interruption – so I haven't seen their new functional winery and office. The old chai used to be opposite their house lower down the road. The domaine has long been organic and is now run Jérôme, Dominique and their daughter Mathilde. <br /></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Dominique and Mathilde Sauvète</b>:
"We started picking on Tuesday 21st September beginning with Sauvignon
Blanc then Gamay and the Friday. We have now finished. Unfortunately we
were hit to an extent by the frost in the first week of April but we do
have 18 hectares protected by wind machines and other 1.5 hectares by
frost pots, which limited our losses. </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Yields vary </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">from variety to variety</span></span>:
Sauvignon Blanc is 25 hl/ha, Gamay 20-25 hl/ha, Pineau d'Aunis 10-15
hl/ha, while Côt, which resists frost better is between 30-40 hl/ha. The
Sauvignon Blanc is only 15/20 hl/ha as second buds didn't develop after
the frost. 2021 is a more typical Loire – <i>plus ligérien</i> ... <i>plus typé Touraine</i>
– with fresh fruit and not too much colour for the reds with alcohol
degrees ranging from 10.5-12.5%. We had to spray our vines 13 times to
combat mildew – there was one week when we had to spray twice! We had
some mildew on the leaves but not on the grapes."</span></span></p><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><b>Noella Morantin</b></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">From
Monthou I rode through the vineyards before descending down the steep
hill into the village of Thesée and back into the Cher Valley. I haven't
visited Noella for a number of years and this was my first visit to her
new premises in Thesée. Previously she was based in </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">La
Tesnière in the commune of Pouillé. Noella had just finished the
harvest, so she and her team of pickers were celebrating, so I kept my
visit short. Unfortunately she had been hit hard by the frost with those
parcels affecting ranging from a loss of 60% to 80%, although some
parcels were not frosted. Potential alcohols for the Sauvignon Blanc
ranges from 11.5% to 13%. Noella has 8 hectares of vines all across on
the south side of the Cher in Pouillé. She has recently bought the last
of Junko's parcels – Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. </span></span></span></div><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Further harvest reports to follow including Bourgueil, St Nicolas de Bourgueil and Chinon. </span></span></span></p>
<p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><style>@font-face
{font-family:"MS 明朝";
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:128;
mso-generic-font-family:roman;
mso-font-format:other;
mso-font-pitch:fixed;
mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-1593833729 1073750107 16 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-1593833729 1073750107 16 0 415 0;}@font-face
{font-family:Palatino;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-1610611969 2013274202 341835776 0 403 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
border:none;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}p
{mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0cm;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0cm;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";}.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Palatino;
mso-ascii-font-family:Palatino;
mso-fareast-font-family:"MS 明朝";
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast;
mso-hansi-font-family:Palatino;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;
mso-fareast-language:JA;}div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style></span> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <br /></span></p><h2 class="h3"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></h2><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #5f6368; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"></i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #4d5156; display: inline; float: none; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-decoration-thickness: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-62443079023208405762021-10-04T20:22:00.006+01:002021-10-05T11:08:30.449+01:002021 in Muscadet Sèvre et Maine<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EJ2z8mqQpJ0/YVremoccHpI/AAAAAAABQO4/4qfIVIZxKsUVlJAZNyYMJQyS_gPaYcHLgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Melon%2B21.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-EJ2z8mqQpJ0/YVremoccHpI/AAAAAAABQO4/4qfIVIZxKsUVlJAZNyYMJQyS_gPaYcHLgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Melon%2B21.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Melon de Bourgogne @Domaine Luneau-Papin</p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6W3d0LCjTfA/YVrhaJtMvFI/AAAAAAABQPI/hM_9qNe6xgYvJIDDXkh0IlJ4c6GcB5RuQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Hod%2Bcarrier.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6W3d0LCjTfA/YVrhaJtMvFI/AAAAAAABQPI/hM_9qNe6xgYvJIDDXkh0IlJ4c6GcB5RuQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Hod%2Bcarrier.jpg" width="400" /></a> </p><p style="text-align: center;">Hod carrier@ Domaine Luneau-Papin </p><p style="text-align: justify;">Last Thursday (29th September) we headed to the Pays Nantais to visit a few vigneron in Muscaxdet Sèvre-et-Maine to see how the 2021 vintage is coming along. There is no doubt that overall that 2021 is a small harvest. However, there are considerable variations between producers and vineyard sites. Some unfortunate producers like Fred Niger (Domaine de l'Ecu) have made virtually nothing. Others in privileged sites have harvested up to 45 hl/ha. It depends on which sites escaped the succession of April frosts, the various hail storms and what grapes producers had left weren’t devoured by mildew. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.domaineluneaupapin.com/"><b><span style="color: red;"><span style="background-color: white;">Domaine Luneau-Papin</span></span></b></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: black;"><span style="background-color: white;">Pierre-Marie Luneau: </span><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: white;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: black;">"We are on the last lap – we'll finish on Monday. We started on 16th September. Overall the yield is small – around 15 hl/ha but it is very variable. La Butte de la Roche wasn't frosted so we got between 20-35 hl/ha. In contrast in other sites you have to really search to find any grapes. In our most affected parcel we got only 6 hl/ha. This year we have a much smaller team of pickers – just 17 whereas other years we have had a team of 60-70, so 2021 has been much more relaxed. Due to the recent fine weather the quality of the grapes that we do have is good with potential alcohols varying from 11.7 - 12.5. " </span>e e </span></span><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MdMnl29ymlk/YVrhZE4C0pI/AAAAAAABQPE/dGAvY61-HAQAZbPOeHo4LI0lQdApwaoNACLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Hod.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MdMnl29ymlk/YVrhZE4C0pI/AAAAAAABQPE/dGAvY61-HAQAZbPOeHo4LI0lQdApwaoNACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Hod.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">2021 Melon de Bourgogne (above and below)<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9GN2z3udCqY/YVrhUg39JTI/AAAAAAABQPA/EMHkAUrjgvEYxcm4t5sJGXBiaBT9G26XQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Melon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> <br /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9GN2z3udCqY/YVrhUg39JTI/AAAAAAABQPA/EMHkAUrjgvEYxcm4t5sJGXBiaBT9G26XQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Melon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9GN2z3udCqY/YVrhUg39JTI/AAAAAAABQPA/EMHkAUrjgvEYxcm4t5sJGXBiaBT9G26XQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Melon.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qW7aU4SzdPs/YVrjIWpVjqI/AAAAAAABQPU/JMwiYeQJaqo6TJJv9kAIYWaAPy6BXu5RACLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Pierre-Marie.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qW7aU4SzdPs/YVrjIWpVjqI/AAAAAAABQPU/JMwiYeQJaqo6TJJv9kAIYWaAPy6BXu5RACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Pierre-Marie.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Pierre-Marie Luneau in the vineyard<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8bfc_jNxf3Q/YVry1cMggoI/AAAAAAABQPo/Wx8b5gJa-h4qUEb-bQNECDnSum96hbGrgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Melon%2Barriving%2B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8bfc_jNxf3Q/YVry1cMggoI/AAAAAAABQPo/Wx8b5gJa-h4qUEb-bQNECDnSum96hbGrgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Melon%2Barriving%2B.jpg" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Grapes arriving @the winery <br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9N-N9BA4KIo/YVryw3yfsBI/AAAAAAABQPk/xL6BPR_afQgR78RHjqWRspUtjFDiW_rAwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Statue.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9N-N9BA4KIo/YVryw3yfsBI/AAAAAAABQPk/xL6BPR_afQgR78RHjqWRspUtjFDiW_rAwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/Statue.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sgDqsSlyhAI/YVryvGIcKXI/AAAAAAABQPg/BH3lj_zZRA0g6UeP_BpxolFJVIvi5RodwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Eggs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sgDqsSlyhAI/YVryvGIcKXI/AAAAAAABQPg/BH3lj_zZRA0g6UeP_BpxolFJVIvi5RodwCLcBGAsYHQ/w266-h400/Eggs.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">New eggs<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Z_6G8Y_ftY/YVrys1MdPQI/AAAAAAABQPc/zQNqeVQXbXgsLb47BsDgU7uQxsX8pwsgACLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Barrels.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2Z_6G8Y_ftY/YVrys1MdPQI/AAAAAAABQPc/zQNqeVQXbXgsLb47BsDgU7uQxsX8pwsgACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Barrels.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://domaine-ecu.com/"><b><span style="color: red;">Domaine de l'Ecu</span></b></a></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OEAEYhPaM0Y/YVr1m0wLAwI/AAAAAAABQP4/Qu5QL47qFPE78mY49snnva8mVROmi_PWwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Cathedral.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OEAEYhPaM0Y/YVr1m0wLAwI/AAAAAAABQP4/Qu5QL47qFPE78mY49snnva8mVROmi_PWwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Cathedral.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">The cathedral of l'Ecu viewed from the south <br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKauiIsg_bA/YVr1nwEDUMI/AAAAAAABQP8/AOqiq-Dj9Aoh4-KZCBUO52c5lyefP_m1QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Cathedrala.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-MKauiIsg_bA/YVr1nwEDUMI/AAAAAAABQP8/AOqiq-Dj9Aoh4-KZCBUO52c5lyefP_m1QCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Cathedrala.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The cathedral of l'Ecu viewed from the east</div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">I made a quick visit to the Cathedral of Ecu (aka Domaine de l'Ecu). Early Setember 2019 was the last time I was in the commune of Le Landreau. The cathedral was then in construction. It is a magnificent winery but unfortunately Fred Niger has been very badly hit this year by a vicious combination of 11successive nights of April frosts, hail in June and mildew. The sad result is that he is only getting 5 hl/ha. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Fred Niger: "This has been an annus horribilis plus!! <br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Hopefully nature will be kinder next year. <br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TGFYY-NHWwg/YVr1qZE1QkI/AAAAAAABQQM/us5MeR1alRY57Cs_sWbnju-joD5GIHgSACLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Fred-fone.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TGFYY-NHWwg/YVr1qZE1QkI/AAAAAAABQQM/us5MeR1alRY57Cs_sWbnju-joD5GIHgSACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Fred-fone.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Le Patron taking his ease </div><div style="text-align: center;"> <br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cj0T3h5YN8E/YVr1oM6FrOI/AAAAAAABQQA/1ncnZ2yxaRUqsSHCvFJjtp961Slaop68gCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Ecu%2Bnameplate.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cj0T3h5YN8E/YVr1oM6FrOI/AAAAAAABQQA/1ncnZ2yxaRUqsSHCvFJjtp961Slaop68gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Ecu%2Bnameplate.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i2JOw-Zh9Lg/YVr1qy7dgvI/AAAAAAABQQQ/kaUZ-d95mJMflXQwMbNMU8T31C3oFKuawCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/crypt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i2JOw-Zh9Lg/YVr1qy7dgvI/AAAAAAABQQQ/kaUZ-d95mJMflXQwMbNMU8T31C3oFKuawCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/crypt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">The crypt of l'Ecu (above and below)<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gxrNX3QcQYA/YVr1se5lEXI/AAAAAAABQQY/3qjusi0zliIYGM0QEiJzm7JDkEA13j3jgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/cryptb.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-gxrNX3QcQYA/YVr1se5lEXI/AAAAAAABQQY/3qjusi0zliIYGM0QEiJzm7JDkEA13j3jgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/cryptb.jpg" width="400" /></a> <br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9lNI33P9ml8/YVr1r10vlJI/AAAAAAABQQU/U6YLyiNLPWQslhBIXw5aYuUjphg--U8AgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1214/crypta.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1214" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9lNI33P9ml8/YVr1r10vlJI/AAAAAAABQQU/U6YLyiNLPWQslhBIXw5aYuUjphg--U8AgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/crypta.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fred Niger in his crypt – <br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">la messe 7/7 jours...<br /></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tmoxfISvcVU/YVr1pFhzcdI/AAAAAAABQQE/AXTpvkDuWqQyntOWsUxgMhfW9rAPtzdrgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Fred%2B-%2Bcrypt.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tmoxfISvcVU/YVr1pFhzcdI/AAAAAAABQQE/AXTpvkDuWqQyntOWsUxgMhfW9rAPtzdrgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Fred%2B-%2Bcrypt.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tIOATLsDafI/YVr1phMS7KI/AAAAAAABQQI/QxkTTE47rfUcG-UOL1xDqVJiE56rdFhEgCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Fred%2B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tIOATLsDafI/YVr1phMS7KI/AAAAAAABQQI/QxkTTE47rfUcG-UOL1xDqVJiE56rdFhEgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Fred%2B.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><br /><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://www.bonnet-huteau.com/"><span style="color: red;"><b>Bonnet-Huteau</b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Jean-Jacques Bonnet: "My brother Rémi has retired, so I am now in partnership with Vincent Pineau. With the exception of our Cabernet and Côt, which is not yet ripe, we will finish the harvest tomorrow (Friday). It has lasted 14 days. Our yields have been very variable: on the Butte de la Roche, which wasn't frosted, the yield is 50 hl/ha. Our lowest yield is 10 hl/ha, while overall it is averaging out between 25/30 hl/ha. The frost in 2017 was worse for us because we now have some parcels with frost protection. Through the partnership with Vincent, we are fortunate in having vines in a number of different communes so the risks are spread. We are happy with the quality. The potential alcohols are between 11.5 and 12.5 with acidity between 4.5 and 5.5. </p><p style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://lieubeau.com/?lang=en"><span style="color: red;"><b>Lieubeau </b></span></a></p><p style="text-align: justify;">Vincent and François Lieubeau: "2021 is better than we feared. We started picking on 16th September beginning with the young vines that were protected against the frost. Potential range between 11.5 to 12.2/12.3. <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;">We have nearly finished – all the parcels that we pick by hand were finished on Tuesday night. For those parcels where we have frost protection we have a yield of 45 hl/ha. Our lowest yield for Melon de Bourgogne is 10 hl/ha with between 25/30 hl/ha for other grape varieties. We will be installing more anti-frost measures – it is the way forward." <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RkiS-GRLTx8/YVtRyK7sTbI/AAAAAAABQQ4/4L7RTV53jSg4eVsJbtnhrQuAEpMUIYcGwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Grolleau.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RkiS-GRLTx8/YVtRyK7sTbI/AAAAAAABQQ4/4L7RTV53jSg4eVsJbtnhrQuAEpMUIYcGwCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/Grolleau.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Processing Grolleau <br /></p></div><div><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> <br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: justify;"> </p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /> </p><p> </p></div>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-63051018770913605882021-10-01T20:40:00.004+01:002021-10-01T20:49:36.047+01:00Finally back in the Loire + 2021 vendange <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ho7DY2iw9H8/YVcicBW0eKI/AAAAAAABQOQ/-9a52ft_Ys8vRMh0jyMTZ7mAj2MzoB_XACLcBGAsYHQ/s640/IMG_6166.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="427" data-original-width="640" height="268" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ho7DY2iw9H8/YVcicBW0eKI/AAAAAAABQOQ/-9a52ft_Ys8vRMh0jyMTZ7mAj2MzoB_XACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h268/IMG_6166.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;">Part of Epeigné including the Mairie taken from top of l'Eglise </p><p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w54SujwdZc4/YVci31zlD9I/AAAAAAABQOY/DXBTYCnNWKwsr3J2gg4TPTR19LboWugvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s533/Epeigne%25CC%2581signs.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-w54SujwdZc4/YVci31zlD9I/AAAAAAABQOY/DXBTYCnNWKwsr3J2gg4TPTR19LboWugvQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Epeigne%25CC%2581signs.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><p></p><p>A little after 18.30 on Monday 27th September 2021 we came back to France, La Loire and Epeigné-les-Bois for the first time since 9th July 2020. This is our longest spell away from France for over 40 years. It is great to be back – great to be away from England, which has become an increasingly sad and insane country. Good to come to a country where buying petrol isn't a problem and the shelves in the shops are full. </p><p>Our spell away was due to the second COVID lockdown. Thanks to be being double vaccinated we can come back even though the daily UK infection rate remains worryingly high with no-one in 'Government' appearing to care. Good to see here that wearing a mask in shops etc appears to be universal unlike England where the government has said you do as you wish so many people don't bother to wear a mask in confined spaces.</p><p>We nearly didn't get here as with the petrol supply crisis we only had 60 miles of petrol in our car and we needed 65 to get to the tunnel. Fortunately we have a hybrid motor so we got to the tunnel and through to France OK but it was nail-bitingly close!</p><p> </p><p style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n3frj00LKqA/YVcm1ISIJVI/AAAAAAABQOg/5koN70nptLwirA7JOkVhjknpmAcavPzrwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Table%2Bde%2Btri.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-n3frj00LKqA/YVcm1ISIJVI/AAAAAAABQOg/5koN70nptLwirA7JOkVhjknpmAcavPzrwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Table%2Bde%2Btri.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><i>Sorting Pineau d'Aunis @Domaine Vincent Roussely</i><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l9Z2OmiLRwc/YVdjbBVqQdI/AAAAAAABQOo/QIoLIF-st4YMiT7scA-nCcG44rSmb7eBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Pineau%2Bd%2527Aunis.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-l9Z2OmiLRwc/YVdjbBVqQdI/AAAAAAABQOo/QIoLIF-st4YMiT7scA-nCcG44rSmb7eBwCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Pineau%2Bd%2527Aunis.jpg" width="300" /></a></i></div><i>Pineau d'Aunis </i><p></p><p><i><br /><br /></i>The 2021 harvest is now well underway in many parts of the Loire, so now seems a good time to resurrect <i>Jim's Loire</i> after its long COVID confinement... As throughout almost all of France 2021 in the Loire is a very small harvest overall but it appears that there are wide variations – some parcels that weren't hit by the April frosts or hail in the early summer or not badly affected by mildew have produced normal quantities of around 45 hl/ha. Other less fortunate plots have virtually no grapes or just 4 or 5 hl/ha. </p><p>On Tuesday afternoon I cycled over to Angé to see how Vincent Roussely's 2021 harvest was going. Given the context of 2021 Vincent is reasonably happy. He started picked at the end of the week beginning 13th September. Yields vary between 18 - 25 hl/ha with potential alcohols ranging from 12.2 to 12.3. Vincent has now picked most of his grapes – Sauvignon Blanc, Arbois, Gamay, Pineau d'Aunis, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. He is now waiting for his Côt to ripen. Vincent stressed that although the quality is good, the grapes are quite fragile, so it was important to pick while the weather has been good.<br /></p><p>Vincent thinks 2021 will be ready to drink young with an accent on the fruit with greater freshness than some recent vintages like 2018 – more typically Loire. He won't be making his more long lasting wines that require more concentration. </p><p>The weather forecast at the beginning of October is not favourable with some heavy rain forecast for this weekend. </p><p><br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KaEigvrsjrQ/YVdje6TBlEI/AAAAAAABQOs/QWrqnw14ydEKPt54cklDt1ArPU_XJdjcwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Gamay.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KaEigvrsjrQ/YVdje6TBlEI/AAAAAAABQOs/QWrqnw14ydEKPt54cklDt1ArPU_XJdjcwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Gamay.jpg" width="400" /><br /></a></i></p><p style="text-align: center;">Gamay <br /></p><p style="text-align: center;"><br /></p><p> </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-21348539008610760432020-12-07T18:10:00.046+00:002020-12-08T08:35:48.067+00:00Legendary Jacques Puisais dies at 93<p style="text-align: center;"> </p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7n3Q4wCeHDc/X84VKOQVGvI/AAAAAAABPQQ/UXQKX6X4c1Mfqq1VrGtDx1HU32apYm7owCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Jacques%2BP%252C%2BIvan%2B%2526%2BJo%2B%252B%2B1961.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1119" data-original-width="2048" height="219" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7n3Q4wCeHDc/X84VKOQVGvI/AAAAAAABPQQ/UXQKX6X4c1Mfqq1VrGtDx1HU32apYm7owCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h219/Jacques%2BP%252C%2BIvan%2B%2526%2BJo%2B%252B%2B1961.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jacques Puisais with Ivan Massonnat and Jo Pithon (Belargus)<br />30th March 2019 @ Vincent le Cuisinier <br />with the 1961 le haut Lieu demi-sec <br /></span></span></i></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></i></td></tr></tbody></table><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jacques Puisais (born: 8th June 1927 Poitiers</span></span></b></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">died 6th December 2020 Chinon)</span></span></b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span><br /><span style="color: red;"><i><b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">« bien manger et du bien boire »</span></span></span></b></i></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Very sad news that Jacques Puisais, a Loire and French legend, died aged 93 in Chinon's Hospital on Sunday (6th December 2020) of Covid-19 – another victim of this horrible pandemic. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jacques was a biologist, oenologue, a philosopher and a teacher. He was a major figure in the Loire for many reasons – as an innovative wine-maker he pioneered the use of pigeage (punching down). He played a significant part in improving the quality of Loire wines in part through developing in 1960 a way of identifying even a small percentage hybrid grapes in a wine. Thus helping to reinforce the quality of appellation wines by eliminating those that illegally contained hybrid grapes. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jacques was a great believer in and teacher of how to eat and drink well. In 1976 he founded the </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">l'Institut Français du Goût at Tours and Paris. An important part of his work was to show children the importance of food and how to eat well – <i>'le goût juste'</i>. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Jacques was a passionate lover and supporter of Touraine and of Loire wines, especially Chenin Blancs. <br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">• <br /></span></span></p><h2 class="title_page ng-binding ng-scope" style="text-align: left;">Indre-et-Loire : Jacques Puisais l'épicurien est décédé<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">'</span></span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Le chantre du goût et du bien-manger s’est éteint des suites
du Covid-19, dimanche au centre hospitalier du Chinonais, à l’âge de 93 ans. Il
a été, avec Alfred Mame, l’un des pères de l’Institut du goût.</span></span></span></h2><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Chaque repas est un moment que vous ne retrouverez jamais. Les
mots distillés dans un sourire malicieux sont lâchés à l’ombre de son jardin de
Chinon où il aimait recevoir. Ils sont signés Jacques Puisais, alors
« trésor vivant » de la gastronomie française.'</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/tours/indre-et-loire-jacques-puisais-l-epicurien-est-decede">Read the rest here</a>. </span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Part of <a href="https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/chinon/perico-legasse-c-etait-un-pere-spirituel">Périco Légasse's tribute, La Nouvelle République: </a></span></span><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">'C’est cela qu’il lui a appris, à Périco Légasse, au-delà de la science
indispensable ou de la connaissance, au-delà des valeurs mêmes : <i>« Il m’a inculqué le “ goût juste ”</i>…<i> Et puis ce culte de la Touraine ! » </i>Pour Jacques Puisais, elle était <i>« la synthèse de l’âme française, le résumé du paradis français ». </i>Pour lui, <i>« la cité idéale de la gastronomie, c’était Chinon, car c’est là que Rabelais était né ».'</i> <br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">More details of Jacques Puisais' life and work:<br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Puisais">Wikipedia (English)</a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacques_Puisais">Wikipedia (French) </a></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">•• <br /></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Over the years I had the privilege and pleasure of meeting Jacques on a number of occasions. He was a charming, erudite man and a great enthusiast. There was no side to Jacques – no big head, although he had every reason to be proud of his achievements. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">The last time I saw Jacques was entirely serendipitously. It was on the 30th March 2019 at Vincent le Cuisinier in Ingrandes de Touraine when Jacques was 91. CRM and I were at Vincent and Olivia's wonderful restaurant to share over lunch a couple of Jo Pithon's wines including the 2005 Clos des Treilles (Anjou Blanc) with Jo and Ivan Massonnat, who had bought Pithon-Paillé the previous year which now forms part of his Domaine Belargus. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">I had also brought along the 1961 Le Haut Lieu <i>demi-sec</i> from Domaine Huet for our apéro. Entirely by chance Jacques was also lunching with Vincent with Périco Légrasse that day. I offered him a glass. It turned out that Jacques had made this 1961 for Gaston Huet. I had no idea that he had made wine for Gaston. Jacques was on good form – a wonderfully alert 91 years young! A lovely memory now tinged with sadness. </span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></p><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Ivan Massonnat's reponse to Jacques' death: </b> <br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">'Merci Jim pour cette triste nouvelle... (à peine) compensée par ce magnifique souvenir. Je me souviens de ce 61 comme si c'était hier...</span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="-moz-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">La Loire vient de perdre un de ses plus grands ambassadeurs.'</span></span></div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><b><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></i></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fspl_3lL_HI/X84X9kvFXTI/AAAAAAABPQY/Vmp9SpR30iEpPoJ1H50Y0qDO6ZNW7ikEwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/96%252BJacquesPuisais.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1630" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fspl_3lL_HI/X84X9kvFXTI/AAAAAAABPQY/Vmp9SpR30iEpPoJ1H50Y0qDO6ZNW7ikEwCLcBGAsYHQ/w319-h400/96%252BJacquesPuisais.jpg" width="319" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Jacques Puisais @<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #4d5156; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Journées du<span> </span></span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #5f6368; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Livre</i><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #4d5156; display: inline; float: none; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;"><span> </span>et du<span> </span></span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #5f6368; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Vin1.5. 2011</i></i></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background-color: white; color: #5f6368; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: left; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px;">Tasting and commenting on a 1976 Domaine de la Noiraie (Bourgueil)</i></i></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span><br /></div><div><p></p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span></span><p><style><font size="3"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Palatino;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-1610611969 2013274202 341835776 0 403 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
border:none;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Palatino;
mso-ascii-font-family:Palatino;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-hansi-font-family:Palatino;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}size:595.0pt 842.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;
mso-header-margin:35.4pt;
mso-footer-margin:35.4pt;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here are two other instances of various times when I met Jacques: </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://jimsloire.blogspot.com/2011/04/16th-edition-of-livres-et-vinsbouvet.html">Journées du Livre et du Vin 2011</a>. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">In March 2010 there was a vertical tasting of Bourgueil from 1959 to 1999 at L'Hotel de Ville in the centre of Tours commented on by Jacques and Périco Légrasse. <a href="http://jimsloire.blogspot.com/2010/03/bourgueil-vertical-1999-1959-all-nines.html">See here</a>. <br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span face="Verdana,sans-serif"><span> </span><span></span></span></span></span><br /></p></div>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-54220655107633048462020-09-14T18:24:00.003+01:002020-09-15T08:52:35.160+01:00Great day for a bike ride and other reflections......<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tT-EvYa7UMI/X1-K_vlVI1I/AAAAAAABPHk/pAVJUwQcIt0-mWJIWTYGlvQRfBGzVH7tgCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/14.9.20.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tT-EvYa7UMI/X1-K_vlVI1I/AAAAAAABPHk/pAVJUwQcIt0-mWJIWTYGlvQRfBGzVH7tgCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/14.9.20.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">London: view towards Canary Wharf</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">Today has been a lovely mid-September's late summer's day with temperatures around 27˚C perfect for a bike ride, especially as this is the second rest day in the Tour de France so no need to rush back to catch the live action.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;">The slopes of the North Downs are the closest open countryside to London's Forest Hill. Here there are plenty of lanes to explore – some quite narrow and requiring care as this close to London there are a good number of cars on them as well. It is noticeable that with Covid-19 there has been a big increase in the number of cyclists of all abilities and sizes out of their bikes. </span></span></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tda9BFlgpkk/X1-O1UoEOSI/AAAAAAABPHs/ynBikmFy3SUbn5VvAcQPjzWL8hlvpHpvQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1300/Col%2Bdu%2BSkelly%2B-%2Bview.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1148" data-original-width="1300" height="354" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Tda9BFlgpkk/X1-O1UoEOSI/AAAAAAABPHs/ynBikmFy3SUbn5VvAcQPjzWL8hlvpHpvQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h354/Col%2Bdu%2BSkelly%2B-%2Bview.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Col du Skelly, <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/place/Beddlestead+Ln,+Warlingham/@51.2977204,0.0075117,17z/data=!4m13!1m7!3m6!1s0x47df5585b2a36105:0x2842811937914f0e!2sBeddlestead+Ln,+Warlingham!3b1!8m2!3d51.2977171!4d0.0097004!3m4!1s0x47df5585b2a36105:0x2842811937914f0e!8m2!3d51.2977171!4d0.0097004">Beddlestead Lane, Warlingham </a><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Photo by Malc McDonald </i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></div></div><p style="text-align: center;"></p><p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nz40LEAL0FA/X1-O3o5vyHI/AAAAAAABPHw/_JcOh9vOAIEBcGEv6ptBslQt0rJ7KnRAQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Paul%2BSkelly.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nz40LEAL0FA/X1-O3o5vyHI/AAAAAAABPHw/_JcOh9vOAIEBcGEv6ptBslQt0rJ7KnRAQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/Paul%2BSkelly.jpg" width="300" /></a></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">A memorial to a local cyclist, Paul Skelly, <br />who died suddenly in 2016 aged 53. </span></span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></span></i></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">The Downs are chalk hills that typically have a scarp slope and a more gentle dip slope. In the case of the North Downs the dip slope faces London providing a steady and fairly gentle climb up to the ridge that overlooks the Kent and Surrey countryside. After a narrow and steep descent down Hesiers Lane, the Col du Skelly (Beddlestead Lane) is a fairly steady climb of 3.16 kms at an average of 4% with a height gain of 120 metres that takes you to the ridge at the top of the North Downs dip slope. Carrying on into Kent and Surrey will take you down the steep inclines of the scarp slope. Here are found plenty of steep challenging climbs – some with up to 20% gradients and more, which will test even fit young cyclists. </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It was back in the late 1970s and 1980s that I rode and managed these hills on a conventional bike now I enjoy riding up them on my electric bike, which still allows you to work hard but without expiring at the roadside. <br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eLKej3QZ0N4/X1-VDNHs_1I/AAAAAAABPH8/ZFUoJWcBjPooXceSBThDzKUkCiPd60IBwCLcBGAsYHQ/s676/2020%2BLogo.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="208" data-original-width="676" height="122" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eLKej3QZ0N4/X1-VDNHs_1I/AAAAAAABPH8/ZFUoJWcBjPooXceSBThDzKUkCiPd60IBwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h122/2020%2BLogo.jpeg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">These
are short, sharp hills more akin to the famous climbs in Belgium that
are a feature of the Spring Classics, such as the Tour of Flanders.
Certainly nothing like the long Alpine climbs that face the remaining riders in the 2020 Tour de France this week – assuming that the race continues after all the riders and staff are tested for Covid-19 over the rest day. </span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Leaving aside the racing, which has been exciting this year, the Tour de France is a great advert for the beauty of the very varied French countryside – all the more so now with high definition TV pictures compared to the grainy but atmospheric black and white of the early days of television and the time of news reels. The length of stage races also allows commentators to talk about the food and wine of the regions the race passes through. Wine wise journalist and author <a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fran%C3%A7ois_Thomazeau_(%C3%A9crivain)">François Thomazeau</a> is to date the most impressive and knowledgeable without being precious or pompous. A few nameless others broadcast their ignorance and prejudices with gusto. <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Along with travel guides and crime novels often set in Marseille, Thomazeau also compiles the official guide to the sights along the route of the Tour that briefs commentators allowing them to talk knowledgeably about places of interest – châteaux, churches etc. Thomazeau can be heard on the excellent daily <a href="https://thecyclingpodcast.com/">Cycling Podcast</a> along with Richard Moore and Lionel Birnie. <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">It won't be long before we know whether Slovenia will have its first Tour de France winner and whether Irishman Sam Bennett will dethrone Peter Sagan as King of the Green Points Jersey. <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><a href="http://jimsloire.blogspot.com/p/tour-de-france-list-of-all-time-stage.html">Here complete list of the Tour de France stage winners</a> from the first edition in 1903 to the present day. <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> <br /></span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span> </span></span></p>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-78932836569204958832020-09-07T18:17:00.003+01:002020-09-07T20:57:35.314+01:00Remembering Frédéric Mabileau <p style="text-align: center;"> <a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dnNsb3C3Z-4/X1Zn0SlxP-I/AAAAAAABPGc/XZRYNv6fO6wC3usxBaEzJJOqPvceNpN_gCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/FredericMab11510s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="285" data-original-width="320" height="356" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dnNsb3C3Z-4/X1Zn0SlxP-I/AAAAAAABPGc/XZRYNv6fO6wC3usxBaEzJJOqPvceNpN_gCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h356/FredericMab11510s.jpg" width="400" /></a></p><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i><i>Fred @ RSJ Restaurant 2010</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i> </i></div><br /><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">A week after Fred died in a ULM crash at Saumur Airport on 31st August I still haven't come to terms with his sudden and shocking death. <a href="Le fait qu’il soit décédé avant que l’ULM prenne feu est confirmé, tout comme la piste de la défaillance technique écartée. ">An article</a> (</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i>Décès de Frédéric Mabileau : la défaillance technique écartée</i>) in <i>La Nouvelle République </i>(4.9.2020) says that a mechanical fault in the ULM, which Fred was apparently in the process of buying has been ruled out. This after an autopsy in Angers the <i>NR</i> says leaves two possibilities either that Fred was suddenly taken ill or he lost control of the ULM. Although the ULM caught fire once it had crashed he was apparently already dead before the fire broken out – a small consolation that he did not burn to death. <br /></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Fred's funeral will be held on Wednesday 9th September in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil at 10 am. Due to Covid-19 there are currently restrictions on the number of people who can attend a funeral. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Here are some photos of Fred taken over a number of years, which recall much happier times.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E3p5PE097h4/X1ZiW_WXkBI/AAAAAAABPF0/zsMYNuc4ewkQpcupks5IUDC7fnAnorZbACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/RSJ%2B25th%2Banniversary%2Bcopy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E3p5PE097h4/X1ZiW_WXkBI/AAAAAAABPF0/zsMYNuc4ewkQpcupks5IUDC7fnAnorZbACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/RSJ%2B25th%2Banniversary%2Bcopy.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i></i></span></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i></i></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i></i></span></div><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span><i>Fred (centre) @ the RSJ Restaurant <br />celebrating it 25th anniversary in 2005<br />Also present left to right: Noël Pinguet (Huet),<br />Thomas Meunier (i/c commerce for Fred),<br />Nigel Wilkinson (proprietor RSJ), Christine and Eric Nicolas </i></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span class="st">(Domaine de Bellivière, </span></i></span><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span class="st"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span class="st">Jasnières)</span></i></span></span> </i></span></span> </span></span><br /></span></i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fc3K5yxogrA/X1ZjxUC43VI/AAAAAAABPF8/tDghTRxlpVYLZol-VPBqZ9VdmGt3z6_cACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Fred%2526Thomas2008%2Bcopys.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fc3K5yxogrA/X1ZjxUC43VI/AAAAAAABPF8/tDghTRxlpVYLZol-VPBqZ9VdmGt3z6_cACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Fred%2526Thomas2008%2Bcopys.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></span> <br /></span></i></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">2008: Fred and Thomas with first vintage of the <br />still fermenting Saumur Blanc from Le Puy Notre Dame<br /></span></i></span></p><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br />Below: Fred with the 2008 Saumur<br /></span></i></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></i></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L0To7ye8sjw/X1ZkTBgDMdI/AAAAAAABPGE/kS6mmmYacTUXHh-a76pjFAi9JWGHvzoZwCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Fred-Saumur%2B2008s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1410" data-original-width="2048" height="275" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L0To7ye8sjw/X1ZkTBgDMdI/AAAAAAABPGE/kS6mmmYacTUXHh-a76pjFAi9JWGHvzoZwCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h275/Fred-Saumur%2B2008s.jpg" width="400" /> </a></i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i> </i></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1bIabiHrUO4/X1ZoME_1RII/AAAAAAABPGk/p9eHRzJqf9kco7tXKkbmgGHucqLCZYVFACLcBGAsYHQ/s533/FSTs14808.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="400" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1bIabiHrUO4/X1ZoME_1RII/AAAAAAABPGk/p9eHRzJqf9kco7tXKkbmgGHucqLCZYVFACLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/FSTs14808.jpg" width="300" /></a></i> </i></span></div><span style="font-size: small;"><i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2008: Fred and Thomas with Sarah Ahmed<br />(The Wine Detective)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9oF7Oy6xAPI/X1ZpruFYNlI/AAAAAAABPG0/JvL5xokBsf44fEX3CPDiYu4_h6Ezul1QQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/FredericMab%2B2008copys.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9oF7Oy6xAPI/X1ZpruFYNlI/AAAAAAABPG0/JvL5xokBsf44fEX3CPDiYu4_h6Ezul1QQCLcBGAsYHQ/w300-h400/FredericMab%2B2008copys.jpg" width="300" /></a></i></i> <br />Tasting with Fred @ Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil<br /></span></div></i></span><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p8d0n2UKKE0/X1ZknQQa-kI/AAAAAAABPGM/cjwcwUEu0aUzTtcVMWSMMr19_rccRO0nACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/FredMabSBhod09%2Bcopy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="2008" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p8d0n2UKKE0/X1ZknQQa-kI/AAAAAAABPGM/cjwcwUEu0aUzTtcVMWSMMr19_rccRO0nACLcBGAsYHQ/w393-h400/FredMabSBhod09%2Bcopy.jpg" width="393" /></a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Fred as hod carrier 3.10.2009</span></i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">1er tri du Chenin Le Puy Notre Dame</span></i></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span>Below Fred emptying his hod </span></i></span><br /></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g3-4q9n8XOs/X1Zm0SO7KLI/AAAAAAABPGU/6OXKw2UnrIQb39-hYZjLCTgyr2HEZYs-ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Fredemptying09%2Bcopy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-g3-4q9n8XOs/X1Zm0SO7KLI/AAAAAAABPGU/6OXKw2UnrIQb39-hYZjLCTgyr2HEZYs-ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Fredemptying09%2Bcopy.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5pGDM9vNlzU/X1ZqOMnEWOI/AAAAAAABPG8/PQ8ZWmG02yw0Vyax2EM6mnhcDb45GcJLQCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/FreddyMab2011%2Bcopys.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5pGDM9vNlzU/X1ZqOMnEWOI/AAAAAAABPG8/PQ8ZWmG02yw0Vyax2EM6mnhcDb45GcJLQCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/FreddyMab2011%2Bcopys.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Fred, a glass of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil and Bacchus</i></span></span><br /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J-B67IaQJyk/X1ZqQa299II/AAAAAAABPHA/GXpA3hJZjKICCGEHzqiv3W_DiAV36lKqACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/FreddyMabb2011%2Bcopys.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-J-B67IaQJyk/X1ZqQa299II/AAAAAAABPHA/GXpA3hJZjKICCGEHzqiv3W_DiAV36lKqACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/FreddyMabb2011%2Bcopys.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9tl24Hcv78g/X1Zo7QEg-XI/AAAAAAABPGs/8E0deRx7XpYa7YUMYGGm2JZRsDstRvZ1ACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Vendange%2B2013.%2Bcopys.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-9tl24Hcv78g/X1Zo7QEg-XI/AAAAAAABPGs/8E0deRx7XpYa7YUMYGGm2JZRsDstRvZ1ACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Vendange%2B2013.%2Bcopys.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>2013 vintage Fred in his winery with </i><br /><i>Chris Kissack (The Wine Doctor) </i><br /></div><i> </i><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yAyqzlV0f5c/X1ZeK4-Z7CI/AAAAAAABPFs/BUo3LcIt8z4ebur5JACauYGfSOKjU_O2wCLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Fred%252Bfoudre%2B2018%2Bcopy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1365" data-original-width="2048" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yAyqzlV0f5c/X1ZeK4-Z7CI/AAAAAAABPFs/BUo3LcIt8z4ebur5JACauYGfSOKjU_O2wCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Fred%252Bfoudre%2B2018%2Bcopy.jpg" width="400" /></a> <i><br />Frédéric Mabileau with his new foudre <br />taken during the 2018 harvest </i></i><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /><i><br /></i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span><br /></p>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-67218263012350759192020-09-01T18:43:00.004+01:002020-09-01T18:53:25.125+01:00Frédéric Mabileau: killed in a micro-lite plane crash – terrible news! <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2GeB53rf2Mk/X06EXKxYk4I/AAAAAAABPEg/8PG-1_Ns55wdtrGfCUkNk5x8nfhp8nsegCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Fred%252B%2Bvat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2GeB53rf2Mk/X06EXKxYk4I/AAAAAAABPEg/8PG-1_Ns55wdtrGfCUkNk5x8nfhp8nsegCLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h266/Fred%252B%2Bvat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"></span></span><br /><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"> <i><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Frédéric Mabileau during the 2018 vintage </span></span><br /><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">with his prized new foudre</span></span></i></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Frédéric Mabileau, one of the most talented Loire producers and a star of Saint-Nicolas-de Bourgueil and Bourgueil not forgetting his Saumur Blanc, was killed in a micro-lite (ULM) crash yesterday. The crash apparently occurred at take-off from Saumur Airport. Fred was 53 years old. </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This is horrible and shocking news. I have known Fred for 30 years and watched and admired his progress and talent. <br /></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Our thoughts and condolences are with Nathalie, his wife, and all the family. </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: medium;">••• </span><br /></span></span></p><h1 class="titre monet"><a href="https://www.ouest-france.fr/pays-de-la-loire/saumur-49400/saumur-le-pilote-tue-dans-l-accident-d-ulm-est-un-viticulteur-renomme-dans-la-region-98e566f8-ec62-11ea-a8a5-19e473d4a646">Saumur. Le pilote tué dans l’accident d’ULM est un viticulteur renommé dans la région</a></h1>
<p class="su-standfirst chapeau"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span class="paywall-free">Frédéric
Mabileau était vigneron à Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. Les circonstances
du crash de son autogire, lundi 31 août, demeurent inconnues. L’enquête
a été confiée au parquet de Saumur.</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;">Report from <i>Ouest-France</i>.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p><h1 class="title_page ng-binding ng-scope"><a href="https://www.lanouvellerepublique.fr/indre-et-loire/commune/bourgueil/un-viticulteur-du-bourgueillois-se-tue-dans-un-accident-d-ulm">Indre-et-Loire : un viticulteur du Bourgueillois se tue dans un accident d'ULM</a></h1><h1 class="title_page ng-binding ng-scope"><i><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: medium;">La Nouvelle République </span></span></i><br /></h1><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></span></p>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-41023509297701804982020-08-25T10:19:00.003+01:002020-08-25T10:58:51.287+01:002020 Muscadet harvest officially starts tomorrow<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wzs1Nf0vhFg/X0TUoQ2lS3I/AAAAAAABPBc/Tl45g0SrDawRx_Fnydrj0c85X-_XMB_ewCLcBGAsYHQ/s1280/Black%2Bhod%2Bguy.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wzs1Nf0vhFg/X0TUoQ2lS3I/AAAAAAABPBc/Tl45g0SrDawRx_Fnydrj0c85X-_XMB_ewCLcBGAsYHQ/s640/Black%2Bhod%2Bguy.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
<p></p><div class="page" title="Page 1">
<div class="layoutArea">
<div class="column">
<p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>From the 2018 vintage @Domaine Luneau-Papin<br />They start tomorrow </i><br /></span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana; font-size: medium;"><span><span>The 2020 Muscadet harvest officially starts tomorrow. The start is very early but not, however, the earliest in recent times as the official start in 2003 was 19th August, the 24th in 2011 and 25th in 1989. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;">Unfortunately for a number of reasons I am going to miss the start of the Loire harvest this year but hope to get out to the Loire in mid-September, although we may have to quarantine for 14 days if France imposes restrictions. The 2020 harvest looks promising both in quality and quantity, which should help producers hit by frost in 2017 and 2019. </span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Bonnes Vendanges à tous</span></b></span></span></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><span style="color: red;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></b></span><br /></span></span></p><p><b><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Communiqué from Fédération Vins de Nantes (25.8.2020)
</span></span></b></p>
<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">MUSCADET : le ban des vendanges, historiquement précoce, prononcé le mercredi 26
août 2020
</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">La Fédération des Vins de Nantes </span><span style="font-weight: 700; vertical-align: 4pt;">(1)</span><span style="font-weight: 700;">, propose à </span><span style="font-weight: 700;">l’Institut National des Appellations
d’</span><span style="font-weight: 700;">Origine, le ban des Vendanges du Muscadet qui devrait être prononcé par arrêté
préfectoral le mercredi 26 août 2020. La récolte s</span><span style="font-weight: 700;">’</span><span style="font-weight: 700;">annonce de bonne qualité avec des
volumes satisfaisants et une précocité exceptionnelle.
</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Suite aux contrôles de maturité, coordonnés par la Fédération, </span><span>qui servent d’indi</span><span>cateurs sur
</span><span>l’équilibre entre le sucre et l’acidité </span><span>du raisin </span><span>et évaluent l’état sanitaire du vignoble, </span><span>la
récolte des premières grappes de melon de Bourgogne sera autorisée, par arrêté
préfectoral, pour </span><span>les vins d’AOC </span><span>Muscadet à partir du mercredi 26 août 2020.
</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Le millésime se caractérise par son exceptionnelle précocité (une des années record depuis
40 ans avec 1989, 2003 et 2011) liée à un printemps chaud et sec. Le début de l</span><span>’</span><span>été marqué
par des épisodes très chauds, suivi par des précipitations orageuses d</span><span>’</span><span>août, a optimisé la
maturité avec des bons équilibres sucre/acidité et des volumes qui vont permettre
d</span><span>’</span><span>approcher les rendements des cahiers des charges d</span><span>’</span><span>appellation, minimisés par quelques
pertes liées aux journées caniculaires.
</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Selon Christian Gauthier, Président de la Fédération des Vins de Nantes, </span><span style="font-style: italic;">« Cette récolte
marquera les esprits des vignerons. Nous avons évité de peu un gel de printemps, vécu
comme tous, une période d</span><span style="font-style: italic;">’</span><span style="font-style: italic;">épidémie traumatisante puis retrouvé espoir avec une saison
estivale très encourageante pour la vigne et le commerce. Les précipitations orageuses ont
été les bienvenues mais demandent une extrême vigilance des vignerons pour vendanger
sereinement au bon moment afin d</span><span style="font-style: italic;">’</span><span style="font-style: italic;">optimiser le potentiel qualitatif. » </span><span>En effet, la météo
variable des derniers jours rend instable les évolutions de maturité entre acidité et degré et </span><span>nécessite une attention particulière sur l</span><span>’</span><span>état sanitaire des grappes bien contenu jusque-là. </span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Le Président se veut rassurant : </span><span style="font-style: italic;">« Les maturités peuvent être un peu hétérogènes selon les
secteurs jusque dans les parcelles mais il faut faire confiance au talent des vignerons pour
gérer ces aléas à la vigne et en cave. » </span><span>D</span><span>’</span><span>un point de vue économique : </span><span style="font-style: italic;">« Cette récolte va
permettre d</span><span style="font-style: italic;">’alimenter </span><span style="font-style: italic;">notre marché (environ 300 000 HL) qui repart bien suite à la saison
touristique. Elle va aussi favoriser la reconstitution de nos stocks, impactés par les gels de
2017 et 2019, avec du Volume Complémentaire Individuel </span><span style="font-style: italic; vertical-align: 4pt;">(2)</span><span style="font-style: italic;">. Souhaitons que 2020 marque
les esprits comme un millésime exceptionnel - à l</span><span style="font-style: italic;">’</span><span style="font-style: italic;">instar des grandes années précoces (1989
ou 2003) - que comme celui de l</span><span style="font-style: italic;">’</span><span style="font-style: italic;">année du COVID-19 qui a affecté économiquement toute
notre filière. »
</span></span>
</p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>Les vendanges en Muscadet, qui sonnent le départ dans tout le bassin du Val Loire,
devraient s</span><span>’</span><span>étirer sur 3 semaines en fonction des terroirs. <br /></span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span><br /></span><span></span></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span></span></span><div class="page" title="Page 2"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span>FEDERATION DES VINS DE NANTES<br />
13 château de la Frémoire </span><span>– </span><span>44 120 VERTOU
Tél. 02 40 80 14 90 </span><span>– </span><span>Fax. 02 40 80 30 04
</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span> </span></span></p>
</div>
</div>
</div><span style="font-family: verdana;">
</span>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-36334502675348517092020-08-09T11:12:00.002+01:002020-08-09T11:15:54.799+01:00Auvergne (cont): Domaine Miolanne<p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="Domaine Miolanne" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68816" height="266" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/domaine-miolanne.jpg" width="400" /><em> </em></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><em>Vineyards and the wooden winery @Domaine Miolanne</em></span></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">We made a morning visit to Domaine Miolanne on our second and last full day in the Côtes d'Auvergne. The evening before in a bistro/wine bar in nearby Champeix we had drunk their sparkling – Bulles de Miolanne Brut – for our apéro and found the dosage too high for our taste, so I had a slight reservation before our visit. Happily this was put to rest during our visit.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="Bulles" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68826" height="359" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/bulles.jpg" width="400" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Domaine Miolanne was established in 2012 by Laure Cartier and Jean-Baptiste Deroche. Laure comes from a family of vignerons – Mas de Gourgonnier in Les Baux de Provence, while Jean-Baptiste is an oenologue. Since 1990 there had been a five-hectare domaine here. Miolanne now extends over 17 hectares with 10 hectares of vines and five of cereals. Laure and Jean-Baptiste immediately started converting their domaine to organic viticulture achieving certification in 2016. In 2014 built their wooden chai, which includes a tasting area and a wine bar, which is open during the summer.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="Laure Cartier" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68839" height="267" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/laure-cartier.jpg" width="400" /><em style="color: var(--color-text); font-size: 1rem;"> <br /><span style="font-size: small;">Laure Cartier</span></em></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">The domaine, which is at around 450 metres, which means that there is a considerable range of summer temperature between the day and night, which helps to keep acidity in the grapes. There is a range of volcanic soils: lava, basalt and pumice as well as clay-limestone. Their oldest vines date from 1940. Unfortunately they were hit by frost in 2017 – their vineyards are relatively flat. Then by drought last year leading to a loss of 65% of a normal crop. In the generous 2018 vintage they produced 50,000 bottles, while in 2019 just 20,000.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Lying in the rain shadow of Le Mont Dore and Le Puy de Sancy the average rainfall is here is 450 mm. Overall this part of the Auvergne has less rain than other areas of the Loire. For example the weather station at Clermont Ferrand recorded an average rainfall of 578 mm between 1981 and 2010 this compares with an average of 695.6 mm at Tours.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Miolanne has a range of of grape varieties: 3.5 hectares each of Gamay and Pinot Noir, a hectare of Chardonnay, 0.5 ha each of Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Syrah. With Laure we had a quick tour of the vines as well as a disused quarry close to one of their vineyards.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="Laure + volcanic rock" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68838" height="267" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/laure-volcanic-rock.jpg" width="400" /></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>The disused quarry<br />(above and below)<br /></em><em> </em></span><img alt="Close up of carrière" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68840" height="267" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/close-up-of-carriecc80re.jpg" width="400" /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Unfortunately hail storms are a regular threat here and part of Miolanne has hail netting protection covering a plot of young vines. The netting, which is approved by the INAO, can be lifted for the harvest, it does slow grape maturity slightly by two or three days says Laure. It is no surprise that it is expensive: 15,000 € per hectare.</span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><img alt="Hail netting" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68842" height="267" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/08/hail-netting.jpg" width="400" /> <em> </em></span></p><p style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><em>Netting providing protection against hail </em></span></span></p><h3><span style="font-family: verdana;"><strong> </strong></span></h3><h3><span style="color: red;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><strong>Tasting </strong></span></span></h3><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><strong>2019 D–Miolanne VDF</strong><br />This is an unusual blend of Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer plus a little Pinot Gris, which is fermented and aged in barrel. From vines ob pumice it has citric aromas, attractive texture and floral notes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><strong>2019 Volcane Rosé, Côtes d'Auvergne</strong><br />An equal blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir and a pale pink, this is another successful rosé from the Auvergne – well balanced attractive red fruits and a fresh finish with some saline notes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><strong>2019 Volcane Rouge, Côtes d'Auvergne</strong><br />Also an equal blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir, this is very much a juicy, easy drinking <em>vin des copains </em>with some smoky notes.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><strong>2019 Basalt éphmère</strong><br />100% Gamay and vinified by carbonic maceration resulting in sweet ripe quite concentrated black fruits with a slight bitterness in the finish that adds interest.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><strong>Hors Piste, PetNat, VDF</strong><br />Made from 100% Gamay and vinified this crisp, lemony, extra brut PetNat was to my taste much more exciting and enjoyable than the Bulles de Miloanne that we had drunk the previous evening.</span></p><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: verdana;"><span style="color: red;"><strong>••</strong></span></span></h2><p><span style="font-family: verdana;">Domaine Miolanne is another domaine which underlines that the Côtes d'Auvergne and the other appellations of Upper Loire are well worth exploring.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p><p><span style="font-family: verdana;"> </span></p>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-28139171189249537472020-07-26T15:24:00.000+01:002020-07-26T15:24:49.128+01:00Côtes d’Auvergne: Discovering Desprat Saint-Verny with Léa (Part 2 – pm)<div class="separator"><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pinot Gris 4.4" class="size-full wp-image-68373 aligncenter" height="402" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/pinot-gris-4.4.jpeg" width="332" /></span></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><img alt="Léa Desprata" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68344" height="400" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/lecc81a-desprata.jpg" width="266" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><i>Léa Desprat</i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">At the end of June I wrote about <a href="https://les5duvin.wordpress.com/2020/06/30/discovering-desprat-saint-verny-with-lea-part-1-morning/">our morning getting to know Desprat Saint-Verny</a> with Léa Desprat, now it is time to cover the afternoon activities. However, before I do a mention of an enjoyable lunch at Hostellerie Le Petit Bonneval at 63170 Pérignat lès Sarliève a little to the south of Clermont Ferrand. The dining room is comfortable and spacious with the possibility of eating outside in good weather. Our lunchtime menu was 27€ for three courses.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><img alt="Petit Bonneval" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68346" height="400" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/petit-bonneval.jpg" width="300" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><i>Lunch @ Hostellerie <a href="https://www.lepetitbonneval.com/fr,1,709.html">Le Petit Bonneval</a></i><br /><i>a little to the south of Clermont Ferrand</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><img alt="Entrée Petit B" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68348" height="329" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/entrecc81e-petit-b.jpg" width="438" /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O5AVJJtNDQI/Xx2QVQoitdI/AAAAAAABO-M/Me76CEfiUCIsaI9SvqcKWn8juD632NfuACLcBGAsYHQ/s2048/Salmon%2B-%2B1st%2Bcourse.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1536" data-original-width="2048" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-O5AVJJtNDQI/Xx2QVQoitdI/AAAAAAABO-M/Me76CEfiUCIsaI9SvqcKWn8juD632NfuACLcBGAsYHQ/w400-h300/Salmon%2B-%2B1st%2Bcourse.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><i>First course: cured salmon<br />Our best course</i></span></div>
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">Gilles Vidal and basalt</span></h3>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><img alt="Gilles Vidal" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68351" height="400" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/gilles-vidal.jpg" width="347" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><i>Gilles Vidal, vigneron and president of the Syndicat AOC des Côtes d'Auvergne</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><img alt="Gilles - basalt" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68352" height="267" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/gilles-basalt.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><i>Gilles with a lump of basalt</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">After lunch we met Gilles Vidal, an associate with Desprat Saint-Verny, in his steeply sloping vineyard at <a href="http://www.saintgeorgessurallier.fr/">St Georges sur Allier</a> to see a vineyard planted on basalt. Gilles has a layer of clay-limestone above basalt. He explained that Pinot Noir from vines planted on basalt tends to be less peppery than when planted on other volcanic soils. St Georges sur Allier is around 15 kilometres to the south east of Clermont Ferrand, so there is significant pressure on vineyards continuing because of the lucrative demand for land for housing.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">Gilles talked about the renaissance of the Côtes d'Auvergne that had started in the 1970s when production was transformed from <i>vin de soif</i> when water would be added to marc (grape residue after fermentation) to make more thin wine to quality wine. Noble grape varieties were planted, yields cut and new equipment purchased. Under AOC Côtes d'Auvergne is maximum is 55 hl/ha and 52 hl/ha for the crus.</span><br />
<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">Cave de Saint-Verny, Veyre-Monton</span></h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">After our visit with Gilles Vidal we headed to Veyre-Monton and the Cave de Saint– Verny's winery and shop. The winery has an impressive array of stainless steel, some refurbished old concrete tanks and a new barrel cellar with volcanic overtones. To date there are no fashionable concrete eggs or amphores – something for the future?</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><img alt="St V winery" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68354" height="267" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/st-v-winery.jpg" width="400" /><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><img alt="Barrel cellar" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68355" height="267" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/barrel-cellar.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
<div class="title">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="title"><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">Following visiting the winery we had a pretty comprehensive tasting of the extensive range of the Desprat Saint-Verny wines. Overall the range was impressive, which is crucial as Saint-Verny accounts for around 50% of the production of Côte d'Auvergne. If the Saint-Verny range was poor it would really be an uphill task to improve the region's image. There were no poor wines here.</span></div>
<div class="title">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div class="title"><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><b>Here are some highlights: <br /></b></span></div><div class="title"><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><img alt="Tracteur Bleu" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68371" height="400" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/tracteur-bleu.jpeg" width="257" /></span><br /></div>
<div class="title" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"> <i>2018 Le Tracteur Bleu, AOC</i></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">Le Tracteur Bleu (100% Gamay) is the entry level red and it does exactly what it is supposed to do – a juicy, soft easy drinking red in short a <i>vin des copains</i>.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c8tKG3IWUic/Xx2RXA1391I/AAAAAAABO-U/SBXNJsApFhUzDW9738SZdFOi2sdmim8gQCLcBGAsYHQ/s402/Pinot%2BGris%2B4.4.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="402" data-original-width="332" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-c8tKG3IWUic/Xx2RXA1391I/AAAAAAABO-U/SBXNJsApFhUzDW9738SZdFOi2sdmim8gQCLcBGAsYHQ/w330-h400/Pinot%2BGris%2B4.4.jpeg" width="330" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<font size="2"><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><i>2017 Les Coutayres (Pinot Gris), </i><br /><i>IGP Puy de Dôme</i></span></font></div>
<div><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">Les Coutayres is a well made, lightly perfumed, quite rich Pinot Gris coming from various parcels.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><img alt="809 Chard Muscaté" class="size-full wp-image-68376 aligncenter" height="400" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/809-chard-muscatecc81.jpeg" width="335" /></span><br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<font size="2"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">2019 809 Chardonnay Muscaté, AOC</span></i></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">One of three good Chardonnays we tasted. The 809 has rich concentration and texture with a saline finish.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><img alt="Corent" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68385" height="400" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/corent.jpeg" width="392" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<font size="2"><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><i>2019 Corent – La Chambre de Léa AC<br />(80% Gamay 20% Pinot Noir)</i></span></font></div>
<br />
<div><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">This was yet another good example from Corent – Auvergne cru exclusive for rosé. We were very impressed with the Corents we tasted during our trip and this has been confirmed by subsequently drinking those we bought while in the Auvergne. Direct press giving onion skin this Corent has interest and complexity making it more than just a pleasant rosé for an apéro, so a wine for grilled fish for instance.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><img alt="348 Gamay" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68387" height="470" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/348-gamay.jpeg" width="406" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><i>2017 348 Gamay, AOC</i></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">The 348 Gamay has more concentration and length than Tracteur Bleu but so it should as it is about twice the price. To drink now or keep for another year or so.</span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><img alt="17 Le Legendaire" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68388" height="400" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/17-le-legendaire.jpeg" width="342" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<font size="2"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">2017 La Légendaire, Côtes d'Auvergne</span></i></font></div><font size="2"><i>
</i></font><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">La Légendaire is Saint-Verny's icon wine range. These wines spend six months aging in a buron in Cantal at 1200 metres. The red Légendaire is an equal blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir, which spends 12 moths in barrique before its six month sojourn high up in Cantal. This is an impressive red that can be enjoyed now but may well yet improve further – sweet ripe fruit, slightly smoky aromas and a long finish.</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"><img alt="Pierre &amp; Léas" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-68391" height="266" src="https://les5duvin.files.wordpress.com/2020/07/pierre-lecc81as.jpg" width="400" /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<font size="2"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;">Pierre Desprat and his daughter Léa</span></i></font></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana", sans-serif;"></span>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-80484915695787151382020-07-04T11:03:00.000+01:002020-07-04T12:19:04.155+01:00Jean Candiago is Epeigné-les-Bois' new Maire<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VqGuYoNCQVo/XwA-v33cF5I/AAAAAAABO00/ZfM7YwTbKqwKpYgARArK_T7TUz_QUhKXwCK4BGAsYHg/s400/Mairie%2540Epeigne%25CC%2581s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VqGuYoNCQVo/XwA-v33cF5I/AAAAAAABO00/ZfM7YwTbKqwKpYgARArK_T7TUz_QUhKXwCK4BGAsYHg/w400-h300/Mairie%2540Epeigne%25CC%2581s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FbAKwDLDnCE/XwBV4E5FfgI/AAAAAAABO3M/mO2h1OprVPgC17g5TPz32-c6SuiObyJgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/Jean%2BCandiago.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1168" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FbAKwDLDnCE/XwBV4E5FfgI/AAAAAAABO3M/mO2h1OprVPgC17g5TPz32-c6SuiObyJgQCLcBGAsYHQ/s400/Jean%2BCandiago.jpg" width="291" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Jean Candiago with his wife Véronique </span></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Following last Sunday's 2nd Round of the Municipal Elections the first meeting of Epeigné-les-Bois new Conseil Municipal was held last evening. Jean Candiago was elected Maire, Michèle Prieur as 1st Deputy Maire, Claire Dupré as 2nd Deputy Maire and Michel Caraty as 3rd Deputy Maire. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>Conseillers</b>: <span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Frédéric Chevalier, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Stéphanie Maghissene, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Fabienne Somméria, Francis Benoît, Amélie Boguet, Viviane Fève and Ludovic Guillon. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_v3z0h_zLyk/XwBTLtDfAOI/AAAAAAABO28/2sdhhk_LGncwkzx9q1eohAo0P-UocjWHwCK4BGAsYHg/s2454/Tableau.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2100" data-original-width="2454" height="343" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_v3z0h_zLyk/XwBTLtDfAOI/AAAAAAABO28/2sdhhk_LGncwkzx9q1eohAo0P-UocjWHwCK4BGAsYHg/w400-h343/Tableau.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i>Announcement following meeting (3.7.2020)</i></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Jean Candiago replaces Christian Percevault, who has been Maire since 2014. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">I hope the new Conseil can heal the divisions that have sadly divided Epeigné for too many years. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-caiUouIEaYI/XwBRnoB6IEI/AAAAAAABO2k/k7fImuwkrdgAldqhKCAl8kNwYfg93O0lACK4BGAsYHg/s1065/Christian.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1065" data-original-width="845" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-caiUouIEaYI/XwBRnoB6IEI/AAAAAAABO2k/k7fImuwkrdgAldqhKCAl8kNwYfg93O0lACK4BGAsYHg/w318-h400/Christian.jpg" width="318" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"> <span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Christian Percevault @VE ceremony </i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">8th May 2020</span> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"> </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span>
<br />
</i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>
</i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WHnWaEX8q4s/XwA9LsdxznI/AAAAAAABO0c/K6q2MldtOo4RUt5r4KovMRl0v_5QfnlMwCK4BGAsYHg/s3264/New%2Bconseil.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></span></span>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-40109711916552660512020-06-28T20:41:00.001+01:002020-07-02T10:53:11.450+01:00Epeigné-les-Bois: result of 2nd Round of election for new Conseil – Sunday 28th June 2020<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iOdCdc_RwJ0/Xvjt80INjaI/AAAAAAABOuw/cxmdKDGypXgq1K_03PNsdlOTNOZ6PfX4gCK4BGAsYHg/s400/Mairie%2540Epeigne%25CC%2581s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iOdCdc_RwJ0/Xvjt80INjaI/AAAAAAABOuw/cxmdKDGypXgq1K_03PNsdlOTNOZ6PfX4gCK4BGAsYHg/w400-h300/Mairie%2540Epeigne%25CC%2581s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b51200;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="color: #b51200;"><b>Result of the 2nd Round of the municipal elections @Epeigné-les-Bois:</b></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">Ludovic Guillon: 102 votes (56.04%) elected </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">Dominique Hisbergue 80 votes (43.96%) </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">58.65% of the electorate voted. 0.55% of votes were declared invalid. This compares to 62.18% voted on 1st Round with 2.06% invalid votes. Although the number voting in the second round is a little lower than in the 1st Round, it is far above the national participation that was just </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">34.67%, so an encouraging level of participation in Epeigné-les-Bois. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mAfsUaTE5D0/Xvj7AoS7ktI/AAAAAAABOvI/ChLkFDujIEU1xkXjmpO8RN9dfIG4DdfCACK4BGAsYHg/s2545/Results-Salle%2Bdes%2BFe%25CC%2582tes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2545" data-original-width="1749" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mAfsUaTE5D0/Xvj7AoS7ktI/AAAAAAABOvI/ChLkFDujIEU1xkXjmpO8RN9dfIG4DdfCACK4BGAsYHg/w275-h400/Results-Salle%2Bdes%2BFe%25CC%2582tes.jpg" width="275" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Result of election@Sale des Fêtes</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></i></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: #b51200;"><b>Composition of new Conseil:</b></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Frédéric Chevalier </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Claire Dupré</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Jean Candiago </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Stéphane Maghissene</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Fabienne Somméria</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Michel Caraty </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Francis Benoît</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Amélie Boguet</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Viviane Fève</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Michèle Prieur </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Ludovic Guillon</span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: red;"><b>Update 2nd July 2020</b></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">The first meeting of the new Conseil will be tomorrow (3rd July 2020) at 19.30. The agenda will include the election of the new Maire and deputies along with various other roles and posts. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;">
</span></div>
Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-1124149161945861102020-06-28T14:21:00.002+01:002020-06-29T12:09:50.555+01:00Fabrice Gasnier est le nouveau Président du Syndicat des Vins de Chinon<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 81.75pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><b><span lang="FR" style="line-height: 115%;"></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><b><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LPhuo6x_kXg/XveyG035Y3I/AAAAAAABOt0/M9kjSob2MFY-b4zXsKX0Rtmg1Y4BCjRDwCK4BGAsYHg/s1006/Fab%2B%252B%2Bpartner.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1006" data-original-width="946" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LPhuo6x_kXg/XveyG035Y3I/AAAAAAABOt0/M9kjSob2MFY-b4zXsKX0Rtmg1Y4BCjRDwCK4BGAsYHg/s320/Fab%2B%252B%2Bpartner.jpeg" /></a></b></span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Press release on the appointment of <a href="http://www.domainefabricegasnier.com/">Fabrice Gasnier</a> as the new president of the <span lang="FR" style="line-height: 115%;">Syndicat des Vins de Chinon following the end of Francis Jourdan's three year term. </span> <span style="border: medium none;"> </span>
</span></span><style><font size="3"><span style="font-family: verdana;">
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Palatino;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-1610611969 2013274202 341835776 0 403 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-134238209 -371195905 63 0 4129279 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
border:none;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Palatino;
mso-ascii-font-family:Palatino;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-hansi-font-family:Palatino;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;
mso-header-margin:36.0pt;
mso-footer-margin:36.0pt;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</span></font></style></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 81.75pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span lang="FR" style="line-height: 115%;">'Elu par les 27
personnes siégeant au Conseil d'Administration du Syndicat des Vins de Chinon, Fabrice
Gasnier remplace désormais Francis Jourdan qui a dirigé l'AOC de 2017 à juin 2020.
Fabrice Gasnier se met donc au service du collectif pour un mandat de 3 ans. Il
peut s’appuyer sur un bureau renouvelé pour partie, composé de Sébastien du
Petit Thouars (Château du Petit Thouars) et Jean-Martin Dutour (Domaine
Baudry-Dutour) comme vice-présidents, Rodolphe Raffault (Domaine Jean-Maurice
Raffault) trésorier et Béatrice Lambert (Domaine Béatrice et Pascal Lambert) secrétaire,
ainsi que sur les 5 présidents de secteurs de l’appellation.</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0cm; tab-stops: 81.75pt; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">
</span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 1; tab-stops: 81.75pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small; line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "verdana"; line-height: 1;"><span lang="FR" style="line-height: 150%;"></span><span lang="FR" style="line-height: 1;">Vigneron, Fabrice Gasnier -50 ans- pratique la viticulture biodynamique
certifiée depuis 2008, sur les 30 hectares du domaine familial situé sur la
commune de Cravant les Coteaux. Fondateur de la Cuma de Cravant, il a une bonne
expérience du collectif avec la mise en place de systèmes de protection commun des
vignes contre le gel. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 1; tab-stops: 81.75pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small; line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "verdana"; line-height: 1;"><span lang="FR" style="line-height: 1;"> </span>
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 1; tab-stops: 81.75pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small; line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "verdana"; line-height: 1;"><span lang="FR" style="line-height: 1;">Elu pour représenter les 170 vignerons de Chinon, il aura pour mission
la promotion de l’appellation et la garantie de l’authenticité des vins de
Chinon. Les enjeux de demain sont nombreux, particulièrement tournés vers la
transition écologique de la production et les actions à mener dans le cadre du
changement climatique ; le commerce, le développement de l’export et la
gestion des stocks vont aussi être l’objet de son attention. Il défend déjà
avec ardeur « <i style="line-height: 1;">l’esprit de Chinon</i> », c'est-à-dire l’image
culturelle de nos vins, attachée à l’humanisme de Rabelais et au patrimoine qui
font la singularité du positionnement de l’AOC Chinon. Fabrice Gasnier
confie : « <i style="line-height: 1;">La marque « Chinon » nous donne à tous
beaucoup, c’est un juste retour que je lui consacre aussi de mon temps</i> ».
Une mission cependant conséquente lorsqu’on sait que Chinon est la plus
importante appellation de vins rouge de Loire – environ 13 millions de
bouteilles produites chaque année- qui s’étend sur 26 communes.'</span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 1; tab-stops: 81.75pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small; line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "verdana"; line-height: 1;"><span lang="FR" style="line-height: 1;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 1; tab-stops: 81.75pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small; line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "verdana"; line-height: 1;"></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small; line-height: 1;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S6oVeIP6FH4/XviY6gz9CPI/AAAAAAABOuU/uWlSokQn83M4NyTzdUVzvmSgmhuE-S-BgCK4BGAsYHg/s640/FrancisJourdana.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="427" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S6oVeIP6FH4/XviY6gz9CPI/AAAAAAABOuU/uWlSokQn83M4NyTzdUVzvmSgmhuE-S-BgCK4BGAsYHg/w268-h400/FrancisJourdana.jpg" width="268" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small; line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "verdana"; line-height: 1;"><span lang="FR" style="line-height: 1;"><br /></span></span></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 1; tab-stops: 81.75pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "verdana"; line-height: 1;"><span lang="FR" style="line-height: 1;">Francis Jourdan, the previous president </span></span></span></i></span><br /><span style="font-size: small; line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "verdana"; line-height: 1;"><span lang="FR" style="line-height: 1;"></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 1; tab-stops: 81.75pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small; line-height: 1;"><span style="font-family: "verdana"; line-height: 1;"><span lang="FR" style="line-height: 1;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><style><span style="font-family: verdana;"><font size="3">
<!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-520092929 1073786111 9 0 415 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin-top:0cm;
margin-right:0cm;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:FR;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-size:11.0pt;
mso-ansi-font-size:11.0pt;
mso-bidi-font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-fareast-font-family:Calibri;
mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:FR;}
.MsoPapDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
margin-bottom:10.0pt;
line-height:115%;}size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;
mso-header-margin:36.0pt;
mso-footer-margin:36.0pt;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</font></span></style>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-38078572377717905072020-06-27T09:52:00.003+01:002020-06-28T21:29:18.520+01:00Sunday 28th June 2020: Epeigné-les-Bois – 2nd Round elections.....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rgiTUYtdhz8/XvbvGYrBNiI/AAAAAAABOp0/J36UejKWEbwLo60UxnxVKEa55tA2iHixQCK4BGAsYHg/s400/Mairie%2540Epeigne%25CC%2581s.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="400" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rgiTUYtdhz8/XvbvGYrBNiI/AAAAAAABOp0/J36UejKWEbwLo60UxnxVKEa55tA2iHixQCK4BGAsYHg/w400-h300/Mairie%2540Epeigne%25CC%2581s.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Mairie @Epeigné-les-Bois</i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: #b51200;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: #b51200;"><b>Covid-19 voting precautions:</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: #b51200;"><span style="color: black;">Instructions include: all voters must wear masks, clean hands entering and exiting the Salle des Fêtes and no more than three voters inside at any one time. </span><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: #b51200;"><b><br /></b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: #b51200;"></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: #b51200;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t47UyqT2rAE/XvcHcFSemtI/AAAAAAABOro/0SwfNmUMt64KJZtMOEviWKYrXGToi-3SQCK4BGAsYHg/s3264/Les%2BBons%2BGestes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-t47UyqT2rAE/XvcHcFSemtI/AAAAAAABOro/0SwfNmUMt64KJZtMOEviWKYrXGToi-3SQCK4BGAsYHg/w300-h400/Les%2BBons%2BGestes.jpg" width="300" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: #b51200;"><b></b></span><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fymf2DzW5jY/XvcHjzEzAfI/AAAAAAABOr0/iru4pBezLvY52Q-wW7kJqapF6SZdEY75QCK4BGAsYHg/s3264/Dimanche%2B28a.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3264" data-original-width="2448" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fymf2DzW5jY/XvcHjzEzAfI/AAAAAAABOr0/iru4pBezLvY52Q-wW7kJqapF6SZdEY75QCK4BGAsYHg/w300-h400/Dimanche%2B28a.jpg" width="300" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-duOKFymSpS0/XvcHsoAUhnI/AAAAAAABOsE/OxzlMGXuO1IYxs-ioi6YijIAmgVOc6dvwCK4BGAsYHg/s2934/Otez.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2934" data-original-width="2259" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-duOKFymSpS0/XvcHsoAUhnI/AAAAAAABOsE/OxzlMGXuO1IYxs-ioi6YijIAmgVOc6dvwCK4BGAsYHg/w308-h400/Otez.jpg" width="308" /></a></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">More than three months after the 1st Round of the municipal elections (Sunday 15th March), the 2nd Round will be held this Sunday. The 2nd Round had originally been scheduled for Sunday 22nd March but was postponed due to Covid-19. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">Following the 1st Round 10 new councilors for the 11 seats on Epeigné's Conseil were elected. Two candidates – </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">Ludovic Guillon (49.47%) and Dominique Hisbergue (49.47%) narrowly missed getting the magic 50%. Both tied on 49.47% with 94 votes each. They are the two candidates this Sunday. Votes can be cast between 8am and 6pm. </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yCWiNFa2LgU/Xvb1uTAmkwI/AAAAAAABOqM/O2XUbK9oiPslrZBiPU7JIljwTr4gLHWYwCK4BGAsYHg/s3045/1%2B%2526%2B2.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2077" data-original-width="3045" height="273" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yCWiNFa2LgU/Xvb1uTAmkwI/AAAAAAABOqM/O2XUbK9oiPslrZBiPU7JIljwTr4gLHWYwCK4BGAsYHg/w400-h273/1%2B%2526%2B2.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Election billboards @Mairie</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BlzGWdHvALU/Xvb2dpKfDnI/AAAAAAABOq0/XUpai0mWa_EmP9howK6oMdrpLTI1UHhYwCK4BGAsYHg/s3125/Ludovic%2BGuillon.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3125" data-original-width="1636" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BlzGWdHvALU/Xvb2dpKfDnI/AAAAAAABOq0/XUpai0mWa_EmP9howK6oMdrpLTI1UHhYwCK4BGAsYHg/w210-h400/Ludovic%2BGuillon.jpg" width="210" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Ludovic Guillon</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pi1rqzKJGLI/Xvb2mdG9dOI/AAAAAAABOrA/oVcZlctnGEUqWKelY9KlC44t-iCbpeJKwCK4BGAsYHg/s2081/Dominique%2BH.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2081" data-original-width="1254" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pi1rqzKJGLI/Xvb2mdG9dOI/AAAAAAABOrA/oVcZlctnGEUqWKelY9KlC44t-iCbpeJKwCK4BGAsYHg/w241-h400/Dominique%2BH.jpg" width="241" /></a></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Dominique Hisbergue</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Whatever the result of Sunday's vote it will be good to have a conseil with a new mandate. The old conseil held its final meeting last evening. </span><i><br /></i></span></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Details of the 1st Round vote:</b></span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">62,18 % des citoyens d'Épeigné-les-Bois sont allés voter à l'occasion de
ce 1er tour des municipales. Ce chiffre était de 73,31 % en 2014 (soit
une baisse de -11,13 points). D'autre part, 2,06 % des suffrages n'ont
pas été admis car estimés invalides.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><br />
<div class="teaser teaser-content">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.20minutes.fr/elections/resultats/indre-et-loire/epeigne-les-bois-37150"><span class="teaser-headline color-default">Élections</span> <span class="teaser-title regular">Résultat élection municipale 2020 Épeigné-les-Bois</span></a></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></div>
Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-73180590308821311852020-06-26T21:24:00.003+01:002020-06-29T12:23:18.972+01:00Discovering Desprat Saint-Verny with Léa (Part 1 – morning)<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rQeMeJ4ULWU/XvGrLHRI-iI/AAAAAAABOjA/zos14yaUB48jB9FRQVNYdC-WevOliyNtwCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Le%25CC%2581a%2BDesprat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rQeMeJ4ULWU/XvGrLHRI-iI/AAAAAAABOjA/zos14yaUB48jB9FRQVNYdC-WevOliyNtwCK4BGAsYHg/w400-h266/Le%25CC%2581a%2BDesprat.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Léa Desprat</span></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ilr0v2iq_kM/XvNmbt4QDSI/AAAAAAABOlU/xv5DG-mk5kA0wYmvnJzsug1OPvueIZiZACK4BGAsYHg/s1280/St-Verny%2Bwinery%2B%2526%2Bshop.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ilr0v2iq_kM/XvNmbt4QDSI/AAAAAAABOlU/xv5DG-mk5kA0wYmvnJzsug1OPvueIZiZACK4BGAsYHg/w400-h266/St-Verny%2Bwinery%2B%2526%2Bshop.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Desprat Saint-Verny winery & shop<br /><span class="w8qArf"></span><span class="LrzXr">2 Route d'Issoire, 63960 Veyre-Monton</span></span></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">On our first full day in the Côtes d'Auvergne we spent the day with Léa Desprat, daughter of Pierre Desprat who is managing director of Desprat Saint-Verny. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">The Desprat Vins company was founded in 1885 in Aurillac. Pierre has run this wholesale wine company since 1984. In 2017 Desprat Vins merged with the Auvergne co-operative Saint-Verny, which was founded in 1950 and has been owned since 1991, following the co-op getting into financial problems, by Limagrain, a seed specialist company. This brought the largest distributor of Auvergne wines with the largest Auvergne producer into partnership. Léa along with her sister Lucie are the fifth generation of the Desprat family to be involved in the company. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">Saint-Verny now has 62 associate grape growers with around 170 hectares of vines and vinifies 8000 hectolitres producing one million bottles of wine (Côtes d'Auvergne and IGP Puy de Dôme) a year. The aim is to keep yields down to 45 hl/ha. In total </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="st">the Auvergne wine region has around 400 hectares in production – 267 ha as appellation Côtes d'Auvergne, 71 hectares as IGP Puy de Dôme and 50 hectares as Vin de France. This makes Desprat Saint-Verny as by far the largest producer in the Auvergne accounting for just under half of the total vineyards in production. </span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="st"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span class="st"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wly0pDnOhlE/XvNlJ7LpYAI/AAAAAAABOk8/j8yvjnYo818BnOcPOSr4SkcWONtLZjxegCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Pierre%2BDesprat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wly0pDnOhlE/XvNlJ7LpYAI/AAAAAAABOk8/j8yvjnYo818BnOcPOSr4SkcWONtLZjxegCK4BGAsYHg/w266-h400/Pierre%2BDesprat.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Pierre Desprat</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S2xajheylzM/XvNzwIFPTVI/AAAAAAABOmE/FCiti-ppMBAXwXPY4v1QL5JpM5VIVWrKwCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Cha%25CC%2582teaugay.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S2xajheylzM/XvNzwIFPTVI/AAAAAAABOmE/FCiti-ppMBAXwXPY4v1QL5JpM5VIVWrKwCK4BGAsYHg/w400-h266/Cha%25CC%2582teaugay.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">The small town of Châteaugay</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">about 10 kms north of Clermont-Ferrand </span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Our day with Léa started at the <a href="https://www.pierregoigoux.fr/">Domaine de la Croix Arpin</a> at Châteaugay owned by </span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Pierre Goigoux, who is good friends with Pierre Desprat. Pierre created his domaine in 1989 and now has 18 hectares of vines mainly in</span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"> two of the Auvergne crus - Châteaugay (total area: 64ha with vines between 300 and 500 metres altitude) and Chanturgue (6ha) which is in Clérmont-Ferrand. Both crus are for red wine only, so whites (Chardonnay) and rosés (Gamay/Pinot Noir) produced here are plain Côtes d'Auvergne. We also met Etienne Rachez, who used to be the wine-maker for Saint-Verny. He is now in partnership with Pierre making a range of wines called Héritage Volcanic from purchased grapes coming from 10ha of widely scattered plots both north and south of Clermont-Ferrand.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">After the introductions we headed out to one of Pierre's vineyards close to Châteaugay town to have a look at the type of volcanic soil here and, in particular, the pépérites, which are described as 'volcanic truffles'. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hkV8DliKF1Y/XvRdXJBJj-I/AAAAAAABOmc/-hc37s55lcIteXk5BU6zD1MEMcAhtqbUwCK4BGAsYHg/s1022/Peperit.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="851" data-original-width="1022" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hkV8DliKF1Y/XvRdXJBJj-I/AAAAAAABOmc/-hc37s55lcIteXk5BU6zD1MEMcAhtqbUwCK4BGAsYHg/w400-h333/Peperit.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Pierre showing us some pépérits</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-goHAheptUVY/XvRd4p6MtrI/AAAAAAABOmw/78Wm6uAyxEAONv6l5uKp6g_S_wAQIr_cgCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Etienne%2B%252B%2BVolcanic%2Bsol.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-goHAheptUVY/XvRd4p6MtrI/AAAAAAABOmw/78Wm6uAyxEAONv6l5uKp6g_S_wAQIr_cgCK4BGAsYHg/w400-h266/Etienne%2B%252B%2BVolcanic%2Bsol.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Etienne pointing out the volcanic strata </span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VrCmuJnUno/XvRen8yeQgI/AAAAAAABOnI/0HORaD7j2KIESPEtI1h4ST7jSkAoE1B9gCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Rock%2Bformation.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0VrCmuJnUno/XvRen8yeQgI/AAAAAAABOnI/0HORaD7j2KIESPEtI1h4ST7jSkAoE1B9gCK4BGAsYHg/w400-h266/Rock%2Bformation.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Close up of volcanic rocks</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Pierre: "Here we are in a rain shadow formed by the chain of volcanoes to the west. We have less than 600mm of rain a year, which is similar to Nice or to Alsace. This means that mildew is much less of a threat here than it is in other parts of the Loire. There has been a big change in the image of organic viticulture over the past few years. Eight years ago or so I wouldn't have considered going organic – I was certified Terra Vitis. Last year, however, I started the conversion to become organic and I think it won't be long before all vineyards are organic." </span></span></span><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></i></span><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S3ZwQs5QTpA/XvR_8St5bjI/AAAAAAABOn0/FFU0m1ETsEcvUtey1HlB984F4Jfkcm9GACK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Vines%2B%252B%2BPuy%2Bde%2BDo%25CC%2582me.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S3ZwQs5QTpA/XvR_8St5bjI/AAAAAAABOn0/FFU0m1ETsEcvUtey1HlB984F4Jfkcm9GACK4BGAsYHg/w400-h266/Vines%2B%252B%2BPuy%2Bde%2BDo%25CC%2582me.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></i></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Pierre's vineyards are dominated by the </i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>iconic Puy de Dôme, the highest of the volcanoes, to the west</i></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4SSo4_ZL0-A/XvSBZpa4eOI/AAAAAAABOoo/5ppPJOZYwysh-Q84TnnfP3n9VJ0q8XdzwCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/ChGay%2B-%2Beast.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4SSo4_ZL0-A/XvSBZpa4eOI/AAAAAAABOoo/5ppPJOZYwysh-Q84TnnfP3n9VJ0q8XdzwCK4BGAsYHg/w400-h266/ChGay%2B-%2Beast.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Looking east across the plain of the River Allier </i></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>to the faint smudge of the hills of </i></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i>the Parc Naturel Régional Livradois-Forez </i></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i> </i></span></span> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hwJ1QRBraVM/XvSAdig2HEI/AAAAAAABOoM/ZyWI8-TT_cUpGOh34zI0jktT1G0W_n_2wCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/2020%2Bgrapes.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hwJ1QRBraVM/XvSAdig2HEI/AAAAAAABOoM/ZyWI8-TT_cUpGOh34zI0jktT1G0W_n_2wCK4BGAsYHg/w266-h400/2020%2Bgrapes.jpg" width="266" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">2020 grapes already well </span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">in advance </span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">(18th June - above and below)</span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i></i></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lwN5MPz9jiw/XvSDfBkzGjI/AAAAAAABOpE/WcYDLS10yrgAiw-4gH-PXYvskBOl4-WnACK4BGAsYHg/s1280/2020%2Bgrapesa.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lwN5MPz9jiw/XvSDfBkzGjI/AAAAAAABOpE/WcYDLS10yrgAiw-4gH-PXYvskBOl4-WnACK4BGAsYHg/w400-h266/2020%2Bgrapesa.jpg" width="400" /></a></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></i></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VeVYqbN16ts/XvR_tViKk2I/AAAAAAABOnk/2OttEdxlyfI5V0WPYN7r4FYHtu0DgE-6wCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Old%2Bvine.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VeVYqbN16ts/XvR_tViKk2I/AAAAAAABOnk/2OttEdxlyfI5V0WPYN7r4FYHtu0DgE-6wCK4BGAsYHg/w333-h500/Old%2Bvine.jpg" width="333" /></a></i></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Gnarled old vine </i></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>Tasting:</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">We tasted wines from both Pierre's Domaine de la Croix Arpin and Etienne's Héritage Volcanic range. Here is a selection:</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: #b51200;"><b>Domaine de la Croix Arpin:</b></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>2018 La Fondeuse Blanc, Côtes d'Auvergne </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Pierre describes his La Fondeuse as a Chardonnay in a 'Burgundian style'. This cuvée from selected parcels is vinified and aged in barrel for 12 months and naturally the 2018 has a touch of wood. </span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">It is richly textured, concentrated and may well develop further in bottle. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">2018 Les Amandiers, Côtes d'Auvergne Châteaugay</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">From a parcel of vines with almond trees around the edge of the plot, this is a blend of Gamay with some Pinot Noir. Attractive richly textured black fruits, considerable concentration and length. Can be drunk with pleasure now but it should age well and develop further in bottle. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">2018 Côtes d'Auvergne Châteaugay</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">A blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir with attractive soft, quite rich fruit and good texture. To drink now or keep for up to five or six years. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /><b>2018 Le Damas Noir, IGP Puy de Dome</b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Damas Noir is a variety of Syrah that was around before phylloxera but then became almost extinct. A conservatoire for rare grape varieties was established in the Auvergne in 1990 and Damas Noir was one of the varieties that was rescued. Pierre planted some Damas Noir in 2011. This rare wine has red cherry and floral notes, concentrated fruit and freshness in the finish.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Some Syrah is now being planted in the Auvergne. It has, however, to be labelled as IGP since it is not an authorised variety for Côtes d'Auvergne. </span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: #0b8043;"><b>Héritage Volcanic:</b></span><br /><b>1495 Chardonnay 2019, Côtes d'Auvergne</b><br />1495 is the height of Le Puy de Dôme. A part of this white Côte d'Auvergne is vinified and aged in barrel. It has crisp citric and floral notes and freshness and salinity in the finish despite having 14% alcohol. </span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">2019 Effet de Fun, Côtes d'Auvergne 13.5% alc.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">A rosé made from 100% Gamay 'pressurage direct' (no skin contact) with pear notes. From vines on volcanic soil it has notes of pears along with some textured mouthfeel. I was impressed by the quality of the rosés that we tasted in the Auvergne and this has been confirmed by drinking some of them back in Touraine. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-thkAHg7R04o/XvZYZryDQFI/AAAAAAABOpc/B3Q2DJ-D_bIHmVuIGurhAD1iQjM1pfoMwCK4BGAsYHg/s1214/Pierre%2B%2526%2BLe%25CC%2581as.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1214" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-thkAHg7R04o/XvZYZryDQFI/AAAAAAABOpc/B3Q2DJ-D_bIHmVuIGurhAD1iQjM1pfoMwCK4BGAsYHg/w400-h266/Pierre%2B%2526%2BLe%25CC%2581as.jpg" width="400" /></a></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Pierre and Léa @Saint-Verny</i></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cGdMFmku2o4/XvNm5xEtBTI/AAAAAAABOlo/iJCwnq_Ik6EQXAPf6jZUUOdcHKraKFNQACK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Sign%2BDesperat%2BSaint-Verny.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cGdMFmku2o4/XvNm5xEtBTI/AAAAAAABOlo/iJCwnq_Ik6EQXAPf6jZUUOdcHKraKFNQACK4BGAsYHg/w266-h400/Sign%2BDesperat%2BSaint-Verny.jpg" width="266" /></a></span> </i></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: #b51200;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">•••</span></span></span><br /> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></span> </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Along with the second part of the day with Léa, reports on visits to Domaine Miolanne, Annie Sauvat, David Pelissier and Benoît Montel to follow. </span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></i></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></i></span><br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-51158692555228880862020-06-23T13:54:00.000+01:002020-06-23T14:17:37.487+01:00Côtes d'Auvergne: a few local eruptions.....<div style="text-align: justify;">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #d52c1f;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #d52c1f;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5sc5LGfeAb0/XvEQ2xi00hI/AAAAAAABOhE/N0zxBOOGU04kXowLw9Iod7_uQ9L8cAZNQCK4BGAsYHg/s2000/Tungurahua-Volcano-Eruption.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1333" data-original-width="2000" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5sc5LGfeAb0/XvEQ2xi00hI/AAAAAAABOhE/N0zxBOOGU04kXowLw9Iod7_uQ9L8cAZNQCK4BGAsYHg/w500-h333/Tungurahua-Volcano-Eruption.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;">Stock photo of volcanic eruption at Tungurahua (</span></i></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span class="st">Ecuador)</span></span></i></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #d52c1f;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #d52c1f;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #d52c1f;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>Some local tensions </b></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #d52c1f;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: black;">In common with a number of other French wine regions producers in the Auvergne appear to have problems working together for the collective good. This was highlighted by a news item in <i><a href="https://www.lamontagne.fr/clermont-ferrand-63000/actualites/gilles-vidal-elu-president-de-l-aoc-cotes-d-auvergne_13700921/" target="_blank">La Montagne</a> </i>when there was a change in the presidency of the </span></span></span><span style="color: #d52c1f;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">Syndicat AOC Côtes d'Auvergne at the end of 2019. </span></span> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">Yvan Bernard was président of the Syndicat AOC Côtes d'Auvergne from 2015 to 2019, when he resigned and <a href="https://www.lamontagne.fr/clermont-ferrand-63000/actualites/gilles-vidal-elu-president-de-l-aoc-cotes-d-auvergne_13700921/">was replaced by Gilles Vidal</a>,
an associate of Desprat Saint-Verny. It is unfortunate that the <i>La
Montagne </i>article reports that there has long been strife between the
independent vignerons and the members of the Saint-Verny Cooperative –
now associates of Desprat Saint-Verny. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">Yvan is currently vice-président of <a href="https://www.facebook.com/loirevolcanique/about/">Loire Volcanique </a>–
the association formed last year to promote the four Upper Loire
appellations: Côtes d'Auvergne, Côtes de Forez, Côte Roannaise and
Saint-Pourçain. Loire Volcanique should not be confused with </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://vinora.vin/">Vinora*</a>,
an organisation covering wines from around the world produced from
vines planted in volcanic soils. Vinora was formed a few years ago with
Pierre Desprat, who is its président, a leading player. It held its
first conference and salon at the end of January 2020 at
Clérmont-Ferrand.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">Vidal is keen to end the disagreements and has as his two vice-presidents two independent producers: </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">Benoît Montel in Riom and </span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">Pierre Goigoux, who has his own domaine but is also an associate of Desprat Saint-Verny. Goigoux was president of the Syndicat between 2011 and 2013, while Montel is president of the Fédération Viticole des Côtes d'Auvergne and Vidal is the vice-president of this organisation. </span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></span> <span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Palatino;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-1610611969 2013274202 341835776 0 403 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:78;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-134238209 -371195905 63 0 4129279 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
border:none;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Palatino;
mso-ascii-font-family:Palatino;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-hansi-font-family:Palatino;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;
mso-header-margin:36.0pt;
mso-footer-margin:36.0pt;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}</style></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fu02QJ2qaME/XvERu5foBpI/AAAAAAABOhY/43UUNqgoj_UtNeojWA8MNMb-WlWrI07SACK4BGAsYHg/s1214/Yvan%2BBernard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1214" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fu02QJ2qaME/XvERu5foBpI/AAAAAAABOhY/43UUNqgoj_UtNeojWA8MNMb-WlWrI07SACK4BGAsYHg/w500-h333/Yvan%2BBernard.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Yvan Bernard, ex-president </i></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Syndicat AOC Côtes d'Auvergne</i></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YirUnZzS4uw/XvESW8LYIhI/AAAAAAABOhw/XnfYlYY4kt4jLAquGuogUEqUwE04Tt8bQCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Gilles%2BVidal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1110" height="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YirUnZzS4uw/XvESW8LYIhI/AAAAAAABOhw/XnfYlYY4kt4jLAquGuogUEqUwE04Tt8bQCK4BGAsYHg/w435-h500/Gilles%2BVidal.jpg" width="435" /></a></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Gilles Vidal, président </i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i>Syndicat AOC Côtes d'Auvergne</i></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><br /></i></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><br /></i></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></i></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S5JvZP32SbE/XvEXlwSxCEI/AAAAAAABOig/me4JwqRek2cAf3jepx3t-zhh0uB9JfxkACK4BGAsYHg/s640/Benoi%25CC%2582t%2BMontel%2BCRM.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-S5JvZP32SbE/XvEXlwSxCEI/AAAAAAABOig/me4JwqRek2cAf3jepx3t-zhh0uB9JfxkACK4BGAsYHg/w375-h500/Benoi%25CC%2582t%2BMontel%2BCRM.jpg" width="375" /></a></span></span></i></span></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i>Benoît Montel</i></span></span></i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>vice-président </i></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: x-small;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i>Syndicat AOC Côtes d'Auvergne</i></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></i></span></span></i></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><br /></i></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><br /></i></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></i></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-KVibYnuSU/XvEW04_lOFI/AAAAAAABOiM/IZadzDVHiZYKLpvwJrHtfYq5wUa71Y3ZwCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Pierre%2BGoigoux.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C-KVibYnuSU/XvEW04_lOFI/AAAAAAABOiM/IZadzDVHiZYKLpvwJrHtfYq5wUa71Y3ZwCK4BGAsYHg/w500-h333/Pierre%2BGoigoux.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></span></i></span></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Pierre Goigoux</span></i></span></span></i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>vice-président </i></span></span></span></span></i></span></span></i></span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></i></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i>Syndicat AOC Côtes d'Auvergne</i></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></i></span></span></i></span></span></span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><br /></i></span></span></i></span></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></i></span></span></i></span></span> </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">Unfortunately
there is tension between Vinora and Loire Volcanique. Léa
Desprat, daughter of Pierre, is critical of the name – Loire Volcanique –
as from the four appellations involved Saint-Pourçain and Côte
Roannaise do not have volcanic soils. Benoît Montel, vice-president of
Loire Volcanique, says Loire and Volcanique are two separate entities.
This seems to me to be too fine and subtle distinction and that most
people will naturally assume that the soils of all four appellations are
of volcanic origin. This is regrettable as I think the grouping of
these four appellations makes sense, especially at present when a
renaissance is underway in the Upper Loire. Perhaps a better name would
be 'La Loire commence ici', although, of course, the source of the Loire
is considerably further south. </span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;">Regrettably there is almost no overlap between the producers involved in Vinora and Loire Volcanique as only Annie Sauvat is a member of both groups.</span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: small;"><b>Côtes d'Auvergne members of Vinora</b>: Clos Luern, Desprat Saint-Verny, La Tour de Pierre, La Croix Arpin (</span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Pierre Goigoux), Domaine Gougis, Miolanne, David Pelissier, <b><span style="color: #0f9d58;">Domaine Sauvat (Annie Sauvat)</span></b>, Domaine Vincent Auzolle. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>Côtes d'Auvergne members of Loire Volcanique: </b></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:Verdana;
panose-1:2 11 6 4 3 5 4 4 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-1593833729 1073750107 16 0 415 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Palatino;
panose-1:0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:-1610611969 2013274202 341835776 0 403 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
panose-1:2 11 6 4 2 2 2 2 2 4;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:3 0 0 0 1 0;}
@font-face
{font-family:Georgia;
panose-1:2 4 5 2 5 4 5 2 3 3;
mso-font-charset:0;
mso-generic-font-family:auto;
mso-font-pitch:variable;
mso-font-signature:647 0 0 0 159 0;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{mso-style-unhide:no;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:"";
margin:0cm;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
border:none;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
mso-default-props:yes;
font-family:Palatino;
mso-ascii-font-family:Palatino;
mso-fareast-font-family:"Arial Unicode MS";
mso-hansi-font-family:Palatino;
mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman";
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;
mso-ansi-language:EN-US;}size:612.0pt 792.0pt;
margin:72.0pt 90.0pt 72.0pt 90.0pt;
mso-header-margin:36.0pt;
mso-footer-margin:36.0pt;
mso-paper-source:0;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1</style></b><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: medium none; color: #3c4858;"><span style="border: none;">Y<span style="border: none;">van
Bernard, Domaine Charmensat, Benoît Montel, Gilles
Persilier, Domaine Catherine & Roland Royet, <span style="color: #0f9d58;"><b>Domaine Sauvat </b></span></span></span></span></span></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="background: white none repeat scroll 0% 0%; border: medium none; color: #3c4858;"><span style="border: none;"><span style="border: none;"><span style="color: #0f9d58;"><b><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">(Annie Sauvat)</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></b></span>,
Domaine des Trouillères.</span></span></span></span></span><span style="border: none; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"></span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></span></span></span></span></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"> <span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Agreed the two organisations have different objectives and scope but I would have thought that it made sense for members of Vinora to also be members Loire Volcanique.</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Hopefully these conflicts can be resolved as the Côtes d'Auvergne and IGP Puy de Dôme are still among the least known Loire areas, although they do now have an following including internationally. They need to work together to promote their wines. Conflict and division is surely a luxury they can ill afford. </span></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">More details on the tensions see: <a href="https://www.lamontagne.fr/clermont-ferrand-63000/actualites/gilles-vidal-elu-president-de-l-aoc-cotes-d-auvergne_13700921/">La Montagne</a> and <a href="https://www.vitisphere.com/actualite-90801-Gille-Vidal-preside-son-AOC-volcanique-en-soutien-du-salon-Vinora.htm">Vitisphere</a> </span></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";">*: David Cobbold, member of Les 5 du Vin, was at Vinora. Here are links to the two articles he wrote on the event – <a href="https://les5duvin.wordpress.com/2020/02/03/do-volcanic-wines-make-any-sense/" target="_blank">here</a> and <a href="https://les5duvin.wordpress.com/2020/02/10/some-volcanic-wines/" target="_blank">here</a>. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-24626424593470808702020-06-22T17:20:00.004+01:002020-06-23T14:29:05.192+01:00Côtes d'Auvergne: excellent visit to Yvan Bernard <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WzNdjTRAsRk/XusN66tjbmI/AAAAAAABOZY/QJdo_yiOGBkscz0IvcpHLr06NoCyzCdpwCK4BGAsYHg/s1214/Yvan%2BBernard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1214" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WzNdjTRAsRk/XusN66tjbmI/AAAAAAABOZY/QJdo_yiOGBkscz0IvcpHLr06NoCyzCdpwCK4BGAsYHg/s320/Yvan%2BBernard.jpg" width="481" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Yvan Bernard outside his caveau in Montpeyroux</i></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K09ZieKTftY/XusNpQdgcVI/AAAAAAABOZE/YhIUePoCyp8UQDgz35EZPU_Aoc4nu_s0QCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Caveau.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K09ZieKTftY/XusNpQdgcVI/AAAAAAABOZE/YhIUePoCyp8UQDgz35EZPU_Aoc4nu_s0QCK4BGAsYHg/s320/Caveau.jpg" width="452" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">
</div>
<font size="3"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">CRM, Wink Lorch, Lyn Parry and I spent three nights in the Auvergne visiting some producers in a small but an increasingly interesting wine region.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Our appointment with Yvan was for 4.30pm. When we arrived his caveau in Montpeyroux was closed, so we phoned his mobile. Yvan was in the vineyards and soon arrived. Initially we spent some time in front of his caveau with Yvan talking about his history and how he works.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">He now has 8 hectares of vines in a number of different parcels – some in Montpeyroux and a parcel in Boudes. He has 1.20 ha of Chardonnay, 2ha Pinot Noir, 0.5 Syrah and the rest is Gamay.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Yvan doesn't come from a family of vignerons. Although his grandfather, who was a coal miner, had some vines he only made wine for the family's own consumption. Yvan studied marketing. However, in 2000 he decided that he wanted to become a vigneron, so started studying in Beaune. The following year he studied oenology and did a stage in Brouilly (Beaujolais).</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Then in 2002, when Yvan was 23 years old, the maire of Montpeyroux offered him his current caveau, which is classified for its historic interest and belongs to the commune. At the same time he acquired some vines, which were in a very bad state and included some Gamay as well as some hybrids. Yvan now has 8 hectares of vines, which are all organic apart from his parcel in Boudes. In addition to Gamay he has Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay and has planted some Aligoté as well as some Côt (Malbec) as an experiment.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">From the start Yvan had wanted to be organic but waited until 2007 when he was ready to start the conversion process gaining certification in 2010. He will soon be moving to biodynamic viticulture.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Yvan has outgrown his cramped premises in the centre of the picturesque and historic village of Montpeyroux and will soon start building a new winery in the vines outside the village, which he expects to complete in 2022.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Yvan talked about the wine history of area compared to the present when there is between 400-450 hectares planted with vines grown between 300 and 550 metres.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">"Before 1870 there was a lot of Pinot Noir planted but with the huge surge in demand because of destruction wrought by phylloxera elsewhere in France, Gamay was planted because it was easier than Pinot Noir. There were 55,000 hectares planted in the Puy de Dôme départment and neighbouring areas before phylloxera arrived here late in 19th Century. Because of the demand in Paris and elsewhere there were fortunes made from wine. There were ports on the River Allier to transport wine towards Paris."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">"Unfortunately the Auvergne vineyards did not recover from phylloxera. Quality dropped during the boom times, so the region gained a bad reputation. Producers here were slow to graft, while at the same time industry arrived in particular the Michelin tyre factory, so people moved away from the land."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">"The renaissance here started during the 1990s when producers recognised that they had to up the quality of the wines made here. Over the last seven or eight years our wines have become more fashionable helped by the natural freshness and acidity in our wines unlike wine from regions like Languedoc, where alcohol levels are now high with low acidity. At this time we were one of the VDQS vineyards."</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">(This category, which was created in 1949, ceased to exist in 2011 and almost all the VDQS's were promoted to appellation status.)</span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">"We then had 25 different crus, which was far too many for the INAO when we applied to be promoted to appellation status, so we had to choose those with a real identity. Now have just five crus – all for red wine except for Corent, which is only for rosé." </span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Unfortunately the 2019 vintage in the Côte d'Auvergne was very small due to spring frosts, hail and drought. Last year Yvan only harvested 50% of a normal crop due to April frost and drought, August and September were particularly dry. Some of the soils, especially the sandy ones, here do not retain water unlike clay limestone, so are very susceptible to drought. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Clermont-Ferrand and its surrounding area are in a rain shadow formed to the west by Le Mont Dore (1840 metres) and Le Puy de Sancy (1886 metres) that have substantial annual rainfall while the area around Clermont-Ferrand has considerably less. The annual rainfall at the Mont-Dore ski station is 1582.3 mm, while the average (2011-2019) annual rainfall at the weather station at Clermont-Ferrand has been 536.4mm. Clermont-Ferrand is now drier than it was for the period 1981-2011 when the average annual rainfall was 578.9 mm – down by 7.4%. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Yvan: "We have three main types of soil here in the Côtes d'Auvergne: clay-limestone, volcanic over limestone and lava flow."</span></span></font><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zgd2m_OvDug/XusNZH8qpcI/AAAAAAABOYw/05nK1EzA3cEvj8cZm5q-6GkAdQtQWbnswCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Yvan%2BBernarda.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="324" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Zgd2m_OvDug/XusNZH8qpcI/AAAAAAABOYw/05nK1EzA3cEvj8cZm5q-6GkAdQtQWbnswCK4BGAsYHg/w486-h324/Yvan%2BBernarda.jpg" width="486" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Yvan Bernard in his tasting space in Monteyroux </i></span></span> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></div>
<br />
<font size="3"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>Tasting: </b>We then had a comprehensive tasting of Yvan's wines. I was impressed by his wines – it was certainly one of the best tastings we had in our three-day visit to the Auvergne. Here are my favourites: </span></span><br />
</font><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--YnPWLcKHfA/XvDnwXW3ofI/AAAAAAABOgY/S1IbKKe5fCI_sRmbLFjY6JGNysav6Ku6gCK4BGAsYHg/s640/Fleuve%2BTranquille%2B19.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/--YnPWLcKHfA/XvDnwXW3ofI/AAAAAAABOgY/S1IbKKe5fCI_sRmbLFjY6JGNysav6Ku6gCK4BGAsYHg/w300-h400/Fleuve%2BTranquille%2B19.jpeg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span>
<font size="3"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>2019 Fleuve Tranquille, VDF, 100% Aligoté 12.5% alc </b></span></span><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>10€ </b></span></span></b><br /></span></span></font><div><font size="3"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">This was made from grapes bought in Burgundy as although Yvan has recently planted some Aligoté it won't be in production until next year when he plans to make a Chardonnay/Aligoté blend from vines on basalt. <br /></span></span></font></div><div><font size="3"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></font></div><div><font size="3"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></font></div><font size="3"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Bottled in February this is crisp and refreshingly lemony with an attractive texture. A good apéro or with shellfish. </span></span><br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span>
<span></span></font><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-088T64tb7UE/XvDn6GF7o9I/AAAAAAABOgk/rMvq8F24HRM-Ku4G_6WJgXiWjyzw9eXPACK4BGAsYHg/s640/Corent%2B19.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-088T64tb7UE/XvDn6GF7o9I/AAAAAAABOgk/rMvq8F24HRM-Ku4G_6WJgXiWjyzw9eXPACK4BGAsYHg/w300-h400/Corent%2B19.jpeg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span>
<div><font size="3"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b><br /></b></span></span></font></div><div><font size="3"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>2019 Corent Côtes d'Auvergne Corent </b></span></span><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>7.70€ </b></span></span></b></span></span></font></div><div><font size="3"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span></font></div><font size="3"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Made from old vine (</span></span><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">between 40 and 100 years old) </span></span>Gamay d'Auvergne, which has large, tightly compact bunches and keeps its acidity. This is pressed without any maceration (pressurage direct). A crisp rosé with attractive weight and freshness. Overall I was impressive with the rosés we tasted on our trip, especially those from Corent. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>2019 Les Dômes Côtes d'Auvergne 8€</b><br />Yvan's first red is a blend of 90% Gamay with 10% Pinot Noir. Mid-plum colour with notes of violets, good concentration and texture but with some refreshing acidity in the finish. A bottle to enjoy with friends. </span></span></font><br />
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nFC4XC5fI6o/XvDZ-bW1pNI/AAAAAAABOfo/8cvHpcwoOJMnoBIaWdbNQB9Sp8NmHSyMACK4BGAsYHg/s640/Echalas%2B19.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nFC4XC5fI6o/XvDZ-bW1pNI/AAAAAAABOfo/8cvHpcwoOJMnoBIaWdbNQB9Sp8NmHSyMACK4BGAsYHg/w300-h400/Echalas%2B19.jpeg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"> </span><br />
<font size="3"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>2019 Echalas, Côtes d'Auvergne Boudes 8.20€</b><br />Boudes is both the most southerly of the Côtes d'Auvergne Crus and the southern limit of the Côtes d'Auvergne. It is also on a level with the most southerly of the Côtes de Forez communes. Echalas is the name for the vertical stakes traditionally used on the steep slopes around Boudes but which are increasingly being replaced by vines trained on wires. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">This is Yvan's non-organic vineyard on red clay. 100% Gamay and made from low yielding old vines, it has attractive peppery, red fruit notes and good mouth-filling texture. </span></span><br />
<span></span></font><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LJFPYyOp3mI/XvDaIw1hCsI/AAAAAAABOf0/5Nc4TA-Lt08HBryX_j9YikmbFs-LjZ7HwCK4BGAsYHg/s640/Arkose%2B18.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="640" data-original-width="480" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LJFPYyOp3mI/XvDaIw1hCsI/AAAAAAABOf0/5Nc4TA-Lt08HBryX_j9YikmbFs-LjZ7HwCK4BGAsYHg/w300-h400/Arkose%2B18.jpeg" width="300" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><b>2018 Arkose, Côtes d'Auvergne 12€</b><br /><font size="3">From old vine Gamay in Montpeyroux planted on granite with very low yields – 20 hl/ha. This is bottled without the addition of sulphur. Dense and quite deep colour this is a very concentrated Gamay with soft black fruits, complexity, structure and long finish. A decidedly impressive Gamay. </font></span></span><font size="3"><br />
</font><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="3">
<span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"> <span style="color: #d52c1f;"><span>•</span></span></span></span></font></div><font size="3">
</font><div><font size="3"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";">We also tasted 2019 Banlieue Rouge VDF made from Gamay St Romain bought in the Côte Roannaise to make up for the very small harvest of 2019, the 2018 Les Terrases IGP (100% Syrah) and two vintages (2018 and 2015) of Petrosus (Latin for Montpeyroux and 100% Pinot Noir). <br /></span></span></font></div><div><font size="3"><span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span></font></div><div><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3">I will be posting more reports on the visits we made during our three days in the Auvergne.</font><br /> </span></span></div>
<span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #d52c1f;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vAcHdfWg4DM/XusODMWvzjI/AAAAAAABOZk/lDfFyNrVQ7Y0KtZPFiYBSfQAqIOgBa3EwCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Yvan%2BBernard%252BW.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="307" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vAcHdfWg4DM/XusODMWvzjI/AAAAAAABOZk/lDfFyNrVQ7Y0KtZPFiYBSfQAqIOgBa3EwCK4BGAsYHg/w462-h307/Yvan%2BBernard%252BW.jpg" width="462" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Yvan and his vineyard worker </i></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-456611623448834500.post-36082388331482473692020-06-20T23:15:00.001+01:002020-06-20T23:34:15.367+01:00Côtes de l'Auvergne – portraits from this week's trip<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ML9mEB5I4tk/Xu58EEWnBII/AAAAAAABOas/tYdLjEgeoXMxP5T9l2tmjOmA4bvQkFhOACK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Le%2BPuy%2Bde%2BDo%25CC%2582me%2B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="294" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ML9mEB5I4tk/Xu58EEWnBII/AAAAAAABOas/tYdLjEgeoXMxP5T9l2tmjOmA4bvQkFhOACK4BGAsYHg/s320/Le%2BPuy%2Bde%2BDo%25CC%2582me%2B.jpg" width="441" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><i>Le Puy de Dôme – the region's icon</i></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WCwTNrw9O_s/Xu58tjuIo_I/AAAAAAABObA/g2jeQJi9vGAa9-4fBcXchQXQV8Qi_iyXACK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Auvergne%2Ben%2BEruption.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="298" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WCwTNrw9O_s/Xu58tjuIo_I/AAAAAAABObA/g2jeQJi9vGAa9-4fBcXchQXQV8Qi_iyXACK4BGAsYHg/s320/Auvergne%2Ben%2BEruption.jpg" width="448" /></a></div><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><i>L'Auvergne en Eruption</i></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3">This week we spent a very interesting and useful three and a half days in the Auvergne visiting producers and getting a better handle on the area – the terroir, some of its producers and catching some of excitement of the renaissance of this now small wine region but which towards the end of the 19th Century was hugely important. <br /></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><br /></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3">I will be publishing a number of posts over the next few days but here is a series of portraits of the people we met during our stay and who made us so welcome. <br /></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><br /></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><br /></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="color: #d52c1f;"><b><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3">Wednesday afternoon:</font></span></font></span></b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><br /></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CODO6UqaJXA/Xu6AEs1R6eI/AAAAAAABOcY/WzXC5qxDxiMYq2BLXoXpi0n9s0ev-h3lwCK4BGAsYHg/s1214/Yvan%2BBernard.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1214" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CODO6UqaJXA/Xu6AEs1R6eI/AAAAAAABOcY/WzXC5qxDxiMYq2BLXoXpi0n9s0ev-h3lwCK4BGAsYHg/w500-h333/Yvan%2BBernard.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><font size="3"><br /></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><i><font size="2">Yvan Bernard, Montpeyroux <br /></font></i></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><i><font size="2"><br /></font></i></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><span style="color: #d52c1f;"><b>Thursday: </b></span><br /></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RnINd3iLgok/Xu5_Kw_vNRI/AAAAAAABOb4/VR1cM44aKmcBUG4NajkhjsSKfeaG6bM1gCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Le%25CC%2581a%2BDesprat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RnINd3iLgok/Xu5_Kw_vNRI/AAAAAAABOb4/VR1cM44aKmcBUG4NajkhjsSKfeaG6bM1gCK4BGAsYHg/w500-h333/Le%25CC%2581a%2BDesprat.jpg" width="500" /></a></span></font></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><font size="2"><i>Léa Desprat, Desprat Saint-Verny </i></font><br /></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><br /></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><br /></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><br /></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C5Q3UEgQP_w/Xu5_L9hP8xI/AAAAAAABOb8/rDeiPznnh34KoVXjFF4wrt5rKp63PeyRgCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Pierre%2BDesprat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-C5Q3UEgQP_w/Xu5_L9hP8xI/AAAAAAABOb8/rDeiPznnh34KoVXjFF4wrt5rKp63PeyRgCK4BGAsYHg/w333-h500/Pierre%2BDesprat.jpg" width="333" /></a></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="2"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Pierre Desprat, Desprat Saint-Verny </span></i></font><br /></div><span style="font-family: "verdana";"></span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kFSEBlcsVxY/Xu5_M56II-I/AAAAAAABOcA/jQnWZU8wbH81yZsjqzb5U3gHBP3DXserQCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Pierre%2BGoigoux.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kFSEBlcsVxY/Xu5_M56II-I/AAAAAAABOcA/jQnWZU8wbH81yZsjqzb5U3gHBP3DXserQCK4BGAsYHg/w500-h333/Pierre%2BGoigoux.jpg" width="500" /></a></div></span><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="2"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Pierre Goigoux, </span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span class="st">Domaine de la Croix Arpin, Châteaugay</span></span></i></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="2"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span class="st"><br /></span></span></i></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="2"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mIny4RxpYAA/Xu6F2KyxcCI/AAAAAAABOds/XqaOOxWf3S8-ZDr0kt4vUkX_62owzBeXgCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Etienne%2BRachez%2B.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="853" height="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mIny4RxpYAA/Xu6F2KyxcCI/AAAAAAABOds/XqaOOxWf3S8-ZDr0kt4vUkX_62owzBeXgCK4BGAsYHg/w333-h500/Etienne%2BRachez%2B.jpg" width="333" /></a></div><span class="st">Etienne Rachez, business partner with </span></span></i></font><font size="2"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span class="st"><font size="2"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";">Pierre Goigoux</span></i></font> </span></span></i></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="2"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span class="st"><br /></span></span></i></font></div><div style="text-align: center;"><font size="2"><i><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><span class="st"><br /></span></span></i></font></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f4JPXmRgvI0/Xu5_J7gjViI/AAAAAAABOb0/s2tIJ2UvhlEr5UqiKQfhxlQuRWKpPs0NgCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Gilles%2BVidal.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1280" data-original-width="1110" height="500" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f4JPXmRgvI0/Xu5_J7gjViI/AAAAAAABOb0/s2tIJ2UvhlEr5UqiKQfhxlQuRWKpPs0NgCK4BGAsYHg/w435-h500/Gilles%2BVidal.jpg" width="435" /></a></span></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"> <font size="2"><i>Gilles Vidal, </i></font></font></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><font size="2"><i>Saint-Georges-sur-Allier – <br /></i></font></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><font size="2"><i>an associate with Desprat Saint-Verny</i></font></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><font size="2"><i>President of Syndicat AOC Côtes d’Auvergne </i></font></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="3"><br /></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><i><br /></i></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TlfBEPlA0nw/Xu6FRkhZdTI/AAAAAAABOdY/NxCwN_I5MWkC_b_XOeZjpG31r9GrWIujQCK4BGAsYHg/s1214/Pierre%2B%2526%2BLe%25CC%2581as.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="809" data-original-width="1214" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TlfBEPlA0nw/Xu6FRkhZdTI/AAAAAAABOdY/NxCwN_I5MWkC_b_XOeZjpG31r9GrWIujQCK4BGAsYHg/w500-h333/Pierre%2B%2526%2BLe%25CC%2581as.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><i>Pierre and Léa Desprat</i></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><i><br /></i></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><i><br /></i></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><span style="color: #d52c1f;"><b><font size="3">Friday:</font></b></span></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><span style="color: #d52c1f;"><b><font size="3"><br /></font></b></span></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><span style="color: #d52c1f;"><b><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HPSgb1HrL08/Xu6GmHP0nuI/AAAAAAABOeE/CieKIsciXDUyJtX6C0f2d5E1BRba9BBrgCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Laure%2BCartier.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HPSgb1HrL08/Xu6GmHP0nuI/AAAAAAABOeE/CieKIsciXDUyJtX6C0f2d5E1BRba9BBrgCK4BGAsYHg/w500-h333/Laure%2BCartier.jpg" width="500" /></a></div></b><i><span style="color: black;">Laure Cartier, Domaine Miolanne, </span></i></span></font></span><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><span style="color: #d52c1f;"><i><span style="color: black;"><span>Neschers</span></span></i></span></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><span style="color: #d52c1f;"><b><font size="3"><br /></font></b></span></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><span style="color: #d52c1f;"></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j0rpbC63lBI/Xu6HeB8RpGI/AAAAAAABOec/tklF2QEqNE8PqDbGxNb7Tuvw2HmOFk8MACK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Annie%2BSauvat.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-j0rpbC63lBI/Xu6HeB8RpGI/AAAAAAABOec/tklF2QEqNE8PqDbGxNb7Tuvw2HmOFk8MACK4BGAsYHg/w500-h333/Annie%2BSauvat.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><i>Annie Sauvat, Boudes</i></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><i><br /></i></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wfJ5qQv6B98/Xu6HuHYkVoI/AAAAAAABOe0/g81tCyYysX02-ZSOQCjWQzWNPE_4HogzACK4BGAsYHg/s1280/David%2BPelissier.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wfJ5qQv6B98/Xu6HuHYkVoI/AAAAAAABOe0/g81tCyYysX02-ZSOQCjWQzWNPE_4HogzACK4BGAsYHg/w500-h333/David%2BPelissier.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><i>David Pelissier, Boudes</i></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><i><br /></i></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><span style="color: #d52c1f;"><b>Saturday morning: <br /></b></span></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><span style="color: #d52c1f;"><b><br /></b></span></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><span style="color: #d52c1f;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mRmIgmrK2vA/Xu6Jx71TaHI/AAAAAAABOfQ/ZkI8ElvcX84sUsfZ3LYlqVvG-JVAxzKZwCK4BGAsYHg/s1280/Benoi%25CC%2582t%2BMontel.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="853" data-original-width="1280" height="333" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mRmIgmrK2vA/Xu6Jx71TaHI/AAAAAAABOfQ/ZkI8ElvcX84sUsfZ3LYlqVvG-JVAxzKZwCK4BGAsYHg/w500-h333/Benoi%25CC%2582t%2BMontel.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><b></b></span><i>Benoît Montel, Riom <br /></i></font></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "verdana";"><font size="2"><i></i></font></span><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <br /></div>Jim's Loirehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06696024920441263899noreply@blogger.com1