Harvest Report 2016 – Pays Nantais from Vincent Lieubeau

 2016 Melon de Bourgogne

Harvest Report 2016

The 2016 vintage will remain forever in our minds and memories, it is exceptional in more ways than one. 

First, it celebrates the 200th anniversary of Joseph Gregoire Lieubeau's birth. The child, orphaned on 1816, the 10th of May, under the porch of Nantes “Hotel-Dieu”, is the founder of both family and winery.

Distributors, wine shops, sommeliers, partners Chefs... This was our pleasure to welcome you at Stereolux arts hall to celebrate this anniversary at the foot of the “Ile de Nantes Machines” Elephant. Another important event is our sister Marie’s landing as she joined the winery this year in charge of management and direct sales. 

The 2016 vintage reminds us how related to nature, in all its complexity, our winemaker’s life is. All at once, an exceptional environment in which we have the chance to live. We are protecting nature, who in return, enables us years after years to express the diversity of terroirs and vintages. Also that is a challenge to adapt and accept the climate up and downs which can seriously complicate the vineyard work. 2016 will likely remain the “superlatives vintage”, scenarized with a devastating spring frost worse than 1991, an historic mildew pressure greater than 1977 and a summer drought dryer than 2003. 

The vineyard year began on a wet and mild winter with no real extended frost episode. Several direct consequences on spring: a slower than expected budburst, around April 7th, a strong initial mildew inoculum, preparing an exceptionally high diseases pressure throughout the vintage, and a very rapid weeds development, requiring enforced soil care (plowing and/or natural grass inter-row cover), even more speaking about organic farming. In late April, the “Loire winemakers scariest nights”, we had 4 episodes (April 17, 24, 25 and 28th) of spring white frost with temperatures down to -1/-2 °C. These destroyed all hope of harvesting on the hillsides banks and significantly affected other plots to an estimated overall loss of about 20% of the yield. 

May and June gave us no rest, with exceptional moisture, punctuated by violent thunderstorms (80mm recorded on May 29th). Despite a fierce fighting, a spectacular mildew development on leaves but also on fruits, causes severe crop losses. This was followed by an unusually dry summer with less than 15mm of cumulative rainfall on July and August (vs. a norm of about 100mm) causing hydric stress and a slight maturation slowdown on the most draining sandy soils. A few showers early September unblocked the situation.

In the end, the moderate temperatures recorded throughout the year led to a slightly late harvest that began on September 19th, a week after 2015. The harvest reached the Fruitière under the sun, with perfect sanitary state and signed again the historic identity of this vintage 2016. The strong September variations in temperature, the summer drought and the very limited yields have achieved alcoholic degrees and aromatic concentration that are historic in Muscadet area: 12.2% on average and over 13% on some very old plots. Paradoxically, dehydration of the berries related to drought and cool night temperatures have also helped maintain concentration by rather high acidity levels (average 4.4 g/l), announcing full bodied but balanced wines with the greatest aging potential. Finally, yields are exceptionally low due to the disastrous spring weather conditions, around 25 hl/hectare on average at the winery. 

2016 also achieved our second year of organic farming conversion (under Ecocert certification), an additional challenge on this vintage. On plot selections, the team skill and experience improvement, generalized soil plowing, sexual confusion, regular cares based on natural or mineral preparations (copper, sulfur, orange essential oil), manual harvesting, helped us keep the sanitary state and achieved an historic maturity. At the winery, our Crus are vinified without sulfites before fermentation, with natural yeast to respect the most natural terroir expression. With a little hindsight, and our natural optimism, this vintage 2016 will remain an excellent opportunity to enhance our learnings and improve our vineyard methods in hard climate conditions. From the quality of the grapes and first juice, the outcome is on the rightest track: a maturity and balance that are, like the 2016 weather conditions, exceptional and historic.

We look forward to present you this vintage 2016. Please do not hesitate to come back to us for any kind of further info,

Best regards,

Vincent Lieubeau

Loire 2016: to have and have not

If there is any Loire appellation that could stand a difficult and virtually non-existent vintage, it is Sancerre. Instead, if there is any substantial Ligerian appellation that has come through this 'very complicated year' relatively unscathed it is Sancerre. Indeed there appear to be a good number of Sancerre producers who have enjoyed a normal to bumper crop in 2016. 

 "It's almost scandalous!" admits Philippe Prieur of Domaine Paul Prieur in Verdigny.   

Sancerre – the haves:
Paul and Benoît Fouassier (Sancerre)
We started on Monday 3rd October and finished on the 14th. Our Sauvignon Blanc was hit by frost, coulure and then the drought with a significant amount of these grapes burnt by the heat of July and August. We haven't fully calculated the yields yet but it is between 30hl-40hl per ha for Sauvignon Blanc with the fruit between 12-13 potential alcohol with acidity varying from 4.5- 4.8. The acidity levels are higher than 2015 but lower than 2014.

The Pinot Noir fared better both at flowering and from the heat of the summer, so yields of 42 hl/ha and 13.5% potential alc."

Henry Natter (Montigny)
Unlike many other Sancerre producers, Henry Natter was in the middle of picking but well satisfied with the quantity and quality of the 2016 vintage. Often one of the last in the appellation to picky Natter still had another five days of harvest to do. 

Vincent and Adélaïde Grall (Sancerre)
The Gralls were decidedly happy with 2016. Vincent: "We finished last Wednesday (12th October) having started on the 3rd October. Our Sauvignon is between 11.5-12.5. Following the rain towards the end of September the grapes have plenty of juice, so we have made 65 hl/ha.

Alphonse Mellot jnr (Sancerre)
"The Sancerre reds are exceptional, while the whites are good. In terms of yields the reds are at 28 hl/ha (Mellot always has low yields for their Pinot Noir), while the Sauvignon Blanc is between 50-55 hl/ha."

However the picture is very different for the Mellot vines in the Côtes de la Charité, which was badly hit by the April frosts. "Here it is 6hl/ha for the Chardonnay and just 4 hl/ha for the Pinot Noir."  

Matthieu and Jean-Yves Delaporte, Domaine Vincent Delaporte (Chavignol)
I caught up with Matthieu and his father Jean-Yves early on Monday evening when they were finshing sorting over their last cases of Pinot Noir. Both were well pleased with the 2016 – 60hl/ha for the whites and 50 hl/ha for the reds.
 

Pierre Martin (Chavignol) 
"It's a good vintage. We started on Wednesday 5th October and finished yesterday (17th October). The rain in mid to end of September was crucial after the long dry spell in July, August and early September. Our Sauvignon Blanc is between 12-13% potential alc and 4-4.3 acidity, while the Pinot Noir is at 13% potential. Yields are between 55-60 hl/ha.

  

Gérard Boulay (Chavignol)
Gérard was also happy  with 2016. "We started on Monday 3rd October and finished on Sunday 16th. Our white Sancerre is between 12%-13.5%, while the Pinot is at 13.5%. There is a lot of tartaric acid this year – the recent fresh nights have been good for maintaining acidity. Yields are between 45/50 hl/ha. The Cul de Beaujeu is particularly good."

Domaine Paul Prieur (Verdigny)
Luc Prieur: "We started on Monday 3rd October and finished on Friday 14th." Luc is very happy with the quality of 2016. "Our Sauvignon came in at between 12%-12.5% potential and 4.7 to 5 acidity with a yield between 55-60 hl/ha, while the Pinot is at 13.6%-14% and 50 hl/ha. Some of our Pinot suffered from mildew and sunburn during the heat of July and August. 

François Crochet (Bué)
François and Karine Crochet are also very happy with their 2016. François: "We started on Friday 30th September having got special permission to start early. Yields for the Sauvignon are between 45-50 hl with a potential around 12% and 5 gms acidity. We had to pick our Pinot twice as grapes facing south got burnt by the sun. We picked these first to make rosé. These grapes came in at 13.3%. The rest we picked a little later for our Sancerre Rouge and were up to 14% potential. The Pinot yield is around 35-40 hl/ha."

François likens 2016 to the 2014s, while a number of other Sancerre producers put 2016 between 2014 and 2015 in style, so having some of the richness of 2015 but more acidity than 15 and less than 14. Certainly the juices that I tasted appeared promising – clean, mouth-filling with a freshness in the finish.

The have nots

Above Les Loges, Pouilly-Fumé 

Pouilly-Fumé:

Jonathan Pabiot (Les Loges, Pouilly-sur-Loire)
"Overall we lost 65% of the crop including all of our Chasselas. We started on Monday 3rd October and finished on 13th. The communes of Saint Martin, Saint-Laurent and to the south of Pouilly-sur-Loire – the southern part of the appellation – was particularly badly hit by the frost. In some of our parcels where we normally harvest 50 hl/ha we only managed 5 hl/ha, while in the commune of Tracy we picked 35hl/ha. Fortunately our best parcels escaped the frost."

Michel Redde et Fils (Pouilly-sur-Loire)
Sébastien Redde: "It has been a very complicated year. Of our 42 hectares, 10ha have recorded a total loss – no more than 2 ha/ha, 5 hectares were hit between 20%-50% by the frost here we averaged 15 hl/ha.  After the April frosts the mildew ravaged two hectares with a 90% loss. Overall we have made 30 hl/ha but the quality is good.

Masson-Blondelet (Pouilly-sur-Loire)
Pierre-François Masson: "Some of our Pouilly-Fumé parcels were badly hit. In those in the commune of St Martin we only picked 7.5 hl/ha and the same for those in Pouilly. However, our vines in Saint-Andelain were not hit by the frost. We are happy with what we picked in Sancerre – 45 hl/ha, while for the Pinot it was down – 25 hl/ha compared to around 40 hl/ha in a normal year. Unfortunately we will have to restrict allocations."   

Menetou-Salon
Domaine Philippe Gilbert
Menetou-Salon is among the worst hit by the April frost of the Loire appellations and Philippe Gilbert is no exception. "In a normal vintage we make 500hl of both red and white, so 1000 hls. This year we have 17 hls of rosé, between 60-70 hls of red and between 60 - 68 hls of white." This adds up to around 150-160 hls in 2016. – 15% of a normal year." The fact that the quality in 2016 is high must, of course, be particularly galling.

Philippe will not be going to Millésime Bio in January 2017. "There is no point in me going just to explain that I have no wine to sell!" he says.

•••

Today we cross La Manche and return to to Madame May's lunatic asylum – no further comment required!

  

Petit Thouars + Domaine de la Noblaie – two samples to try

 Château Petit Thouars, AC Touraine 

Sébastien du Petit Thouars 

and wine-maker Michel Pinard

I dropped into see Sebastien on Friday to catch up on where they were with the 2016 harvest. They were fortunate that they weren't hit by the late April frost. Sebastien told me that they would pick their Chenin Blanc tomorrow (Saturday) and then the Cabernet Franc next week. Currently their Chenin was at 13% potential and 6 acidity, while the Cabernet Franc was at 12.5% and 5 acidity. 

Sébastien kindly gave me a bottle of their 2015 Touraine Chenin Blanc – next year this can be labelled as Chinon Blanc as from the 2016 the Chinon appellation has been expanded to the south west. There is, however, a doubt for if Thouars 2016 has a similar quantity of residual sugar in it to the 2015 (over 20 grams) it won't meet the regulations for Chinon Blanc, which specify a maximum of 6 grams of residual sugar. 

Anyway the 2015 is very attractive – richly textured but with enough acidity not to make the wine cloying. It works as an apero but would I think be better with a rich paté/foie gras, blue cheese but also with pork and a rich sauce or pheasant à la Normande – cooked in apple and cream – or similar.  

Jérôme Billard, Domaine de la Noblaie 

At the Domaine de la Noblaie in Ligré (AC Chinon) we were given a bottle of 2008 Pierre de la Tuf – the domaine's special cuvée that is made in a limestone vat. The 2008 is delicious to drink at the moment – slightly herbal reflecting the relatively cool 2008 vintage but now with very soft and integrated tannins.   

Fury over ODG demand to hold Touraine 2016 prices

AC Touraine vineyards completely blitzed 

by weedkiller in late March  

Last Thursday I spent the day with Aynard Clermont-Tonnerre, the export manager for Ampelidae. Aynard used to run Le Clos du Porteau in Saint-Georges-sur-Cher. However, in 2009 the business went into administration and then filed for bankruptcy in October 2014. 

Aynard lives in Saint Georges-sur-Cher, so we drove down together to Haut-Poitou. This gave us plenty of time to chat – mainly about wine, of course. 

One topic we discussed was the letter (see below) from Alain Godeau, president of the Organisme de Défense et de Gestion de l’AOC Touraine et ses dénominations. Aynard was furious that the president of the ODG for Touraine was urging growers not to increase their prices despite the very small harvest that many, although not all, Touraine producers are facing in 2016.  Overall the 2016 harvest in the Loire is 32% down on 2015.

This year's very complicated vintage – affected by frost, often a poor flowering, widespread mildew, followed by drought and grapes burnt by the fierce sun – is just the latest in a series of short vintages starting with the April frost of 2012. 

Not only are recent harvest volumes down due to the climatic conditions of 2012-2016 but this is exacerbated by the losses from vines killed every year by Esca. 

Although it would clearly be foolish for Touraine producers to increase their prices dramatically, a modest price increase would surely be reasonable to enable producers here to make not only a decent living but also have sufficient funds to make investments. The current bulk price for Sancerre is around 800€ per hectolitre – very substantially higher than 205€ for Touraine Sauvignon – annexe below.   

If it is true, as Godeau asserts, that Touraine producers are making a good living at current prices, why is it that the use of weedkillers is so shamefully widespread in the Touraine appellations? It is noticeable that in Loire appellations, such as Saumur-Champigny, where producers can sell their wines at higher prices, the use of weedkillers is much less widespread. Blitzing a vineyard with weedkiller is the cheap option; alternative methods of weed control cost more.    

       

Organisme de Défense et de Gestion de l’AOC Touraine et ses dénominations

Noyers sur Cher, le 20 septembre 2016

Cher(e) collègue, 

Suite aux différents épisodes climatiques qui ont frappé le vignoble cette année, la récolte en Touraine s’annonce fragile et inégale sur l’ensemble du territoire.
 Depuis quelques années maintenant, les cours du vrac (cf. en annexe les cours moyens de la campagne 2015/2016), notamment en Sauvignon, sont bons et permettent de rémunérer le travail du vigneron. Cependant, la fluctuation de notre production impacte directement le marché avec des augmentations trop brusques des cours les années de plus faible récolte, impactant la commercialisation en aval, une trop forte augmentation des prix ne pouvant être acceptable par les distributeurs et le consommateur.

Nous avons déjà vécu cette situation en 1991, essayons de ne pas reproduire la même erreur... Il convient donc d’être raisonnable et de ne pas spéculer : une telle stratégie en période de faible disponibilité n’a jamais été bénéfique sur le long terme.

Dans ce contexte, une certaine stabilité des cours par rapport à la campagne qui vient de s’achever est indispensable de manière à ne pas déséquilbrer nos marchés, et ce pour l’ensemble de nos appellations.
 De plus, le Touraine ne se limitant pas au sauvignon, il serait stratégiquement intéressant de raisonner la commercialisation globale des produits du domaine, en ne misant pas tout sur le sauvignon et en maintenant de bons niveaux de rémunaration également pour les autres produits tels que les rouges et rosés, mais également les vins de base mousseux dont les cours augmentent progressivement.

Espèrant vous avoir convaincu de l’importance de la solidarité et du collectif sur notre vignoble, je vous transmets mes salutations et mes encouragements pour ces vendanges.

Le président de l’ODG Touraine Alain Godeau 

#2016 Loire harvest – Vouvray and Montlouis

Vines on the plateau above Rochecorbon 

The speck just above the trees is a Ryanair 

plane coming in to land at Tours Airport

Vouvray

Yesterday we had a brief look again at Vouvray – on Thursday (29th) we had dropped in on Michel Autran where we also saw Vincent Carême. 

Up in Parcay-Meslay we saw Jean-Michel Gautier (Domaine de la Racauderie):

"Parcay-Meslay was one of the worst hit communes by the April frost. We lost 80% of the crop, some lost 100%. We will start picking tomorrow. The remaining grapes are at 11% potential, which is fine for sparkling Vouvray which is our main focus. Although, however, we are increasing the proportion of our still wine as we have a good market in the United States for this."

Then on our way into Tours for CRM's late birthday lunch we dropped in on Château Gaudrelle and saw Cyril Nénin, the maître de chai:

"We haven't started picking yet as the the heat of July and August stopped the grapes from maturing. However, with the fine weather we can afford to take our time. At the moment the grapes are between 11.5% to 12% potential. We are waiting for them to attain 13%. The cool nights are keeping the acidity up. There is some noble rot developing, especially at Le Vigneau in Vouvray itself, and we hope we can make some sweet wine.

Although our old vines got frosted between 20%-30%, overall our potential yields are not bad – between 35-40 hl/ha. 

Montlouis 

Although parts of Vouvray have clearly been hit hard by the frost etc., Montlouis unfortunately looks to have come of worst. When we saw François Chidaine and Jacky Blot last Thursday both were pessimistic. François thought what little there was to be harvested would be picked this week, while Jacky said it would be surprised if they managed 10hl/ha. On the other hand he said the Cabernet Franc at La Butte (Bourgueil) was magnificent. Being on a slope his Bourgueil had escaped the April frost. Picking here wouldn't start before the middle of October.       

 Vines on the plateau above Rochecorbon 

The speck just above the vines is a Ryanair 

plane coming in to land at Tours Airport

 Picking machine in transit 

 Chenin Blanc in a vineyard above Rochecorbon 

Looked to reasonable quality but a small crop. Some botrytis developing. 

With the current fine weather this could be interesting.

(above and below) 

Mildewed leaf – one of the 'icons' of 2016!

2016 Loire harvest: Sancerre's luck holds but Pouilly's doesn't!

  

Sauvignon Blanc – Domaine Vincent Pinard 

Domaine Vincent Pinard 

Yesterday (Tuesday) we made a very quick day trip across from Touraine to Sancerre and Pouilly to have a quick look at the start of the vintage there. It confirmed that of all the major Loire appellations Sancerre has emerged the winner in this very complicated year. Although there was some loss from the late April frosts it was small in comparison to many of parts of the Loire including the neighbouring appellations of Pouilly-Fumé, Coteaux du Giennois and Menetou-Salon. 

Furthermore the Sauvignon Blanc grapes look good as did the sole example of 2016 juice I had time to taste at the Pinards. The harvest is just getting underway in Sancerre and I only saw Sauvignon being picked. The Pinot Noir is being left to ripen further. 

Clément and Florent Pinard (Domaine Vincent Pinard, Bué)

"We lost 15% through frost plus subsequent losses from coulure and mildew. We started picking last Friday. The Ban des Vendanges was on Saturday, so we got a dérogation (permission) to start a day early.   

Although it is really too early to say the yields are so far between 30-35 hl/ha and around 13% potential alcohol due to the reduced crop. Acidity levels are between 4-5.2 with plenty of tartaric and a low ph.    

We will pick a little Pinot Noir tomorrow but expect to really start on the Pinot at the end of this week."

2016 Sauvignon Blanc @ Domaine Vacheron 

 Loading Sauvignon into the press 

A busy Jean-Dominique

Jean-Dominique Vacheron, Domaine Vacheron, Sancerre

Jean-Dominique was understandably happy as well as being busy dealing with boxes of picked Sauvignon Blanc grapes. 

"We started on Thursday 29th September. Alcohol levels are between 12%-12.5% and acidity between 5-5.5. Yields are around 50 hl/ha. We will pick the Pinot Noir next week." 

I suggested that 50hl/ha was a record in the Loire this year. J-D said it wasn't quite a record. 

The view from the terrace of Domaine Henri Bourgeois's 

recently completed offices in Chavignol

Jean-Marie Bourgeois, Domaine Henri Bourgeois, Chavignol  

Picking here started on Monday by machine and hand picking today.

Jean-Marie: "The harvest is as we expected – it's very variable. Although it is still very early our highest yields will be around 45 hl/ha with some parcels very much lower –perhaps 20 hl/ha? We have rot in the grape bunches before flowering – I have never seen that! Also a complicated flowering with coulure and millerandage, especially in the Sauvignon which is rare. I think the Pinot Noir will be better as the flowering was earlier during better weather conditions. We may start picking the Pinot tomorrow."

The magnificently restored fountain 

and square in the centre of Chavignol

The semi-classic bike race Paris-Bourges 

pases thru Chavignol tomorrow

   

•••

 Loïc Cailbourdin

Loïc Cailbourdin, Domaine Alain Cailbourdin, Maltaverne, AC Pouilly-Fumé

Maltaverne is less than 8 kilometres by road from Sancerre but this year there is a chasm between the two. 

"We were among the worst hit by the frost with an 80% loss – others lost 100% of their crop. Our frost loss has been compounded by mildew and the drought of July and August bringing our total loss to around 85%. Overall the frost damage varied: Le Bois Fleury and Pouilly were badly bit, while Les Loges was less affected and Tracy not much." 

On our way to Maltaverne we had stopped off to have a look at the Domaine Michel Redde's vines near La Roche on the D4 and here there didn't appear to be much frost damage, although there was clear evidence of some sunburn damage during July/August. 

 Sauvignon Blanc in 

Domaine Michel Redde's vines near La Roche

Frazzled by the summer heat        

Benoît Roumet, director of the Bureau Vignobles du Centre, Saint-Satur

"Picking is still continuing in Quincy and Reuilly. With this fine weather they can wait for the optimum maturity. Unfortunately both Menetou-Salon and the Coteaux-du-Giennois were badly hit by the frost. However, the prospects are good in Châteaumeillant as they are in Sancerre." 

 Sauvignon Blanc above Bué – some signs of sunburn

(above and below) 

 Pinot Noir on the steep slopes of Les Monts Damnés

(above and below)

 Looking down the near vertical slopes 

of Les Monts Damnés to Chavignol

(above and below)

Currently the Loire weather is fine and settled with bright sunny days – low 20s˚C and cool nights. Encouraging for growers with grapes to pick this year but supreme anguish for those who have little or nothing to pick as they watch a potentially surprisingly good vintage out of their reach!  

2016 Loire harvest – Cher Valley: Laurent Saillard and Vincent Roussely

 Sauvignon Blanc, Laurent Saillard, 

ex-vineyards of Clos Roche Blanche 

Sauvignon Blanc from Le Clos, Angé, Vincent Roussely

On Friday we made two quick visits to two domaines in the Cher Valley – Laurent Saillard and Vincent Roussely. Both were in the middle of harvesting their Sauvignon Blanc. 

Laurent was reasonably happy – no April frost and mildew under control. The only significant loss was from grapes frazzle by the sun during the July and August heat wave. Although they now have a wind machine and used smoke pots during the frost, this vineyard also escaped the frost of 1991. It seems that there is a current of air that comes down through this site, which is just enough to keep the airt moving and protect the vines.

In contrast Vincent Roussely in Angé, about five kilometres to the west of Laurent's vines was hit by the April frost, so had few bunches of Sauvignon Blanc to pick in his Le Clos vineyard. 

 Laurent's team of pickers (above and below) including 

an American in Touraine (above)

 

Laurent loading boxes of Sauvignon

in his van   

••

 Vincent's team of US student pickers 

 

 Vincent Roussely

 Two bunches close together – sadly a rare sight!