Millésime Bio 2012: some portraits

Jonathan Pabiot and Nina Schomakers (Domaine Jonathan Pabiot, Pouilly-Fumé + Pouilly-sur-Loire)

It was difficult to make many posts during Millésime Bio 12. It was necessary to decide whether to seize the opportunity and taste as much as possible or take time out to post. I chose the former as it is always possible to post after the event and it gives you time to reflect on what you have tasted. In the event I tasted wines from nearly all the around 60 Loire producers present at the show and will be returning to wines that impressed me. It was also the opportunity to take a few pics of Loire producers – some shown here:    

Jonathan Pabiot

Nina Schomakers

Loïc Mahé (Savennières)

Vincent Caillé, Domaine Faye d'Homme, Monnières (Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine)

Damien Delecheneau, La Grange Tiphaine, ACs Montlouis and Touraine 

Vincent Roussely, Domaine du Clos Roussely (AC Touraine)

Pierre Gauthier, Bourgueil, Domaine du Bel-Air

Loire moustaches: Pierre Gauthier (Bourgueil –above) and Joseph Landron (Muscadet – below) shared the same table

 


    

Millésime Bio 2012: visit to Château de Cazeneuve (Pic Saint-Loup)

Name plaque@ Château de Cazeneuve

André Leenhardt: owner of Château de Cazeneuve

After a morning spent tasting at the Natoli & Coe (details to be posted later) we headed off for lunch and a visit to Château de Cazeneuve in Pic Saint-Loup. André Leenhardt and his wife bought the property some 20 years ago. In the 19th century the property had produced wine that was used to make vermouth but then there had been a switch to the production of table grapes. When the Leenhardts bought Cazeneuve the cellars hadn't been used for 20 years.

Today they have some 40 hectares, which includes nine hectares which their son has rented recently and goes into their early drinking cuvée – Carline. They started to convert their vineyards to organic production in 2007 and received their certification in 2010. Cazeneuve has an impressive range of wines including a white made from mainly from Roussanne and Grenache Blanc with the addition of some Vermentino and Viognier.

2005 Le Roc des Mates, Pic Saint-Loup, Château de Cazeneuve

Amongst the reds I was very impressed by the spicy and structured 2005 Le Roc des Mates with 65% Syrah completed by Grenache and some Mourvèdre, which has had time to soften and evolve in bottle. The rich and powerful 100% Mourvèdre – 2007 Le sang du Calvaire – was also impressive but needed time to soften. Later a magnum of the 2005 was opened and the additional two years showed how good this cuvée can be with some bottle age.

2007 Le sang du Calvaire, Pic Saint-Loup, Château de Cazeneuve

Typical view of vines dominated by the limestone plateau above.

Trees (including olive) in the bright January sunshine

Pruning done now waiting for spring (above and below)

Good that our organisers recognise the high quality of the journalists on this trip...

Millésime Bio 2012: dinner@plaisirs des mets

Plaisirs des mets

Bar of the restaurant

Montpellier

Millésime Bio, the annual organic wine starts on Monday (23rd) and runs through to Wednesday but the press trip associated with the fair started last night in the Plaisirs des mets, a small restaurant in the old part of Montpellier. The press group is mainly from Germany, Denmark, Scandinavia and Iceland with a couple of late additions – Howard Hewitt from the US and myself. Apparently we managed to squeeze on as there weren't enough Scandinavians who wanted to leave the chilly north for a few days of respite sun in Montpellier.

At dinner we were joined by producers: Marie Teisserenc (Famille Fabre), Jean Paul Cabanis (Costières-de-Nîmes) and Virgile Joly.

Jean Paul Cabanis

Domaine Cabanis: Pays du Gard 2010 Clairette

We started with a simple, refreshing vin de pays 2010 Clairette from Jean Paul Cabanis, which was just right to kick off the evening. Then two further whites in ascending order of richness: the well balanced 2009 Saturne (100% Grenache Blanc) from Domaine Virgile Joly and the rich and full but not cloying 2009 Viognier from Famille Fabre. This Viognier came from vines selected in Condrieu. This was a rare treat as production is very small – just three barriques.

2009 Saturne, Coteaux du Languedoc, Domaine Virgile Joly

2009 Viognier, famille fabre

A succession of attractive south reds followed. These were based mainly around Carignan, Grenache and Syrah, although Jean Paul Cabanis' Costières de Nîmes had a majority of Mourvèdre which ripens well in these vineyards which are close to the sea. Unfortunately the later reds were served with and after the chocolate dessert which made tasting a challenge! Despite this the still quite youthful 2002 Rouge from Domaine Virgile Joly showed very well and should clearly last for another few years.

A rather grainy photo of Virgile Joly – should have taken the other Canon!

2002 Rouge, Domaine Virgile

Swirling glass: not what was intended but I like the effect – vive la modération!

Les 5 du Vin: Loire presence@Millésime Bio

Stéphanie Caslot (Domaine Pierre Caslot) investigating a still fermenting 2011 Bourgueil

The domaine will be at Millésime Bio 

My weekly Tuesday post on Les 5 du Vin is about Millésime Bio, the annual organic wine fair (23rd-25th January 2012) in Montpellier. The substantial contingent from the Loire at the fair is highlighted.

Millésime Bio participants: Loire domaines, appellations/region and date of certification

Domaine Ampelidae, Poitou, 2007 

Domaine de l’Aumonier, Touraine, 2006

Domaine de Bablut Anjou, 1996

Patrick Baudouin, Anjou, 2005

Domaine Bel-Air, Bourgueil, 2000

Domaine de Belivière, Jasnières, 2008

Château de Bois-Brinçon, Anjou, 2006

Château de la Bonnellière, Chinon, 1999

Bonnet-Huteau, Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine, 2005

Domaine du Bouchot, Pouilly-Fumé, 2006

Vincent Caillé, Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine

Domaine Pierre Chauvin, Anjou, 2008

Domaine de la Chevalière, Bourgueil, 2006

François Chidaine, Montlouis, 1999

Domaine du Clos Roussely, Touraine, 2007

Domaine du Closel, Savennières, 2006

Vignoble Daulny, Sancerre, 1964

Domaine Philippe Delesvaux, Anjou, 2000

Château de la Fessardière, Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine, 1997

Château de Fosse-Sèche, Saumur

Domaine Fouassier, Sancerre, 2008

Château Gaillard, Touraine-Mesland, 1999

Galbrun-Bertrand, Bourgueil, 2004

Domaine Fabrice Gasnier, Chinon, 2008

Philippe Gilbert, Menetou-Salon, 2009

Domaine de la Garrelière, Touraine, 1985

Domaine Vincent Gaudry, Sancerre, 2002

La Grange aux Belles, Anjou, 2011

Domaine de la Grange Tiphaine, Montlouis, 2011

Domaine Guiberteau, Saumur, 2003

Domaine des Huards, Cour-Cheverny, 1999

Domaine Jousset, Montlouis, 2008

Domaine de Juchepie, Coteaux du Layon, 1999

Domaines Landron, Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine, 2002

Les Loges de la Folie, Montlouis, 2006

Loïc Mahe, Savennières, 2008

Frédéric Mabileau, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, 2007

Domaine de Montrieux, Coteaux de Vendômois, 1998

Jonathan Pabiot, Pouilly-Fumé, 2007

Pas Saint Martin, Saumur, 1997

Château de Passavant, Anjou, 1998

Pascal Pibaleau, Touraine Azay-le-Rideau, 2008

Domaine Philippe Pichard, Chinon, 2011

Pithon-Paillé, Anjou, 1994

Château de Plaisance, Chaume, 2007

Domaine des Pothiers, Côte Roannaise, 2008

Domaine des Roches Neuves, Saumur-Champigny, 2005

Domaine Wilfred Rousse, Chinon, 2005

Domaine Saint-Nicolas, Fiefs-Vendéens, 1993

Domaine Sauvète, Touraine, 2001,

La Source du Ruault, Saumur-Champigny, 2007

Domaine Philippe Tessier, Cheverny, 1998

Manoir de la Tête Rouge, Saumur, 1998

Château de la Tour Grise, Saumur, 1998

Domaine Vacheron, Sancerre, 2005

Domaine de Veilloux, Cheverny, 1998

Les Vignerons Bio de la Loire

Château Yvonne, Saumur-Champigny, 1997

+

Biovidis, Amboise

Vini be Good, Savigny-en-Veron

 

19th Millésime Bio 2012: 23rd - 25th January 2012@Montpellier

I've only been to Millésime Bio once – the year it was in Narbonne. I certainly found it a good fair. Everyone is equal – there are no fancy stands each exhibitor has the same sized table. 

Unfortunately the timing of the Salon des Vins de Loire has tended to make it difficult to go again. However, this year with the Salon being a week later I'm hoping I will be able to get to the 2012 edition.  

Press release on the 19th Millésime Bio 2012:

'International organic wine show

23-25 January 2012 At the Parc des Expositions, Montpellier

Started in 1993 by a handful of Languedoc-Roussillon winegrowers, Millésime Bio, an event with no equivalent in France or worldwide, has over the years become an unmissable event in the international organic-wine sector. For this 19th edition, 600 exhibitors from every wine-producing country and region, and about 3,200 visitors, are expected – a success that confirms the growing popularity of organic wines worldwide.

Millésime Bio: a unique concept

In one place, an offering of wines made using organic-farming methods in all countries and regions of production. A forum for exchanging ideas, with conferences and self-service tasting areas.

New for 2012

Restricted to organic-certified wines only (no products from vineyards under conversion).

The 2011 show in brief

560 exhibitors (producers and vintners), +14% year-on-year, and 15 countries represented: the top trio are France, Italy and Spain. The New World strengthened its presence, with several makers from California, Chile and Argentina.

3,200 trade visitors (vs. 2,700 in 2010), 21.5% of them from outside France. Visitors from Germany, Scandinavia and Belgium were still the most numerous (12.6 %, 12.6% and 11%). There was also a strong attendance from North America (11%) and Asia* (11.3%). *China, South Korea, Japan, Taiwan.

A few facts & figures on the French organic-wine market

Production

With 50,268ha under organic production in France in 2010, compared to 39,000ha in 2009, organic vineyards expanded by 28%.

The number of organic wine producers increased from 3,024 in 2009 to 3,945 in 2010, a rise of 30%. Leading the way are three French regions: Languedoc-Roussillon (16,462ha, +30% year-on-year), then Provence-Côte d’Azur (11,209ha, +25%) and Aquitaine (7,715ha, +41%). France is also a strong performer worldwide, occupying third place behind Spain and Italy.

Consumption

From 2009 to 2010, total year-on-year market growth of organic products generally was an estimated 10%, and sales in hyper- and supermarkets increased by 20%. In 2010, 43% of French people said they consumed some type of organic product at least once a month; 23%, at least once a week; and 7%, daily. In 2010, organic-wine sales rose to €322m (+8% year-on-year).

More details: http://www.millesime-bio.com/v2/millesime_bio.asp