2007 – two whites showing very well – Saumur and Chinon

2007 Chinon,  Château de Saint Louand (Baudry-Dutour)

2007 Saumur Château de Villeneuve 

Here are white Loires now at ten years old – both 100% Chenin Blanc, both showing extremely well and surely good for a number of more years. Both have taken on a more golden colour than when they were first bottled – this is particularly true of the 2007 Chinon. They have both gained complexity in bottle with some slight aged oxidative notes, which are not at all problematic as they just add complexity. Both remain very clean, fresh and delight to drink. 

The Saumur from Château de Villeneuve is the 'generic' cuvée and not the prestige Les Cormiers. Château de Saint Louand is a Baudry-Dutour prestige cuvée coming from vines planted on limestone on the heights above and to the west of the centre of Chinon. Vinified and aged in oak I detected some wood notes that added to the complexity rather than detracting. This Chinon Blanc is closed with a superior Lux Plus srewcap.

2007 was a latish vintage after a poor summer but with a good autumn. The 2007s have a real Loire backbone of racy acidity. This vintage is another example that, given the diversity of Loire wines, it is rare to find a vintage that is good/ideal for all styles. 2007 dry whites and sweets are generally superior to the reds. 

I have little doubt that these two wines will still be showing well in another ten years.           

2017 Promising Loire harvest in Bourgueil and Chinon

 A picker at Domaine de la Butte, Bourgueil 

testing the quality of this year's Cabernet Franc

As this week is the big week for picking Cabernet Franc in Western Touraine – Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil – we made a quick visit there today to see how the picking of the Cabernet Franc is going. 

We popped into Lamé Delisle Boucard, Pierre and Catherine Breton, Domaine de Chevalerie and Domaine de la Butte in Bourgueil. Then across to Chinon to see – Charles Joguet, Baudry-Dutour and finally Domaine Bernard Baudry, where not only saw Bernard Baudry but also Chris Kissack (The Wine Doctor) and his wife Kim. 

Overall the vignerons are happy with the way the harvest is going, with the grapes coming in clean with little rot, especially on the limestone coteaux. After a some rain on Monday morning this week has been fine – this afternoon temperatures wer up to 26˚C. The good weather is mainly due to last, depending on which forecaster you follow. Météo-France now has some light rain during the afternoon for Bourgueil but further east in the Cher Valley no rain is forecast until at least Saturday 7th October. 

Although many are picking this week: the Bretons finished yesterday, Bernard Baudry will finish tomorrow, Jacky Blot at Domaine de la Butte will finish Saturday and I hear that Philippe Alliet finished last Friday. In contrast, however, Baudry-Dutour have only just started on their reds. The bulk will be picked next week with the prestige cuvées picked the following week. There seems to be considerable divergence between producers this year over the ideal ripeness. Time will tell....   

 

Domaine de la Butte: two friends 

ready for the lunch pause...

 

La force loading a case of grapes onto the tractor 

for the second sorting table above the winery 

 

In the Baudry-Dutour winery 

 Bernard Baudry happy with the 2017 harvest

 Cabernet Franc arriving at Domaine Bernard Baudry

(above and below)

More photos of today's visits to be added in a separate post tomorrow. 

Recently enjoyed – Pouilly-Fumé 2014, Sancerre 2015 and Chinon 2005

Here are three Loires that we have very recently enjoyed – 2014 La Moynerie Pouilly-Fumé* from Michel Redde et fils, the 2015 Le Manoir* from Vincent Grall and 2005 Les Marronniers Chinon from Baudry-Dutour.  

It was very interesting to compare the 14 Pouilly-Fumé with the 15 Le Manoir. Both had good ripe fruit and attractive mouthfilling texture. However, the 14 Pouilly-Fumé had more zip in the finish with lovely balance. I think this is likely to be largely down to vintage difference with 2014 having more marked acidity, while 2015 has less acidity and a seductive roundness. Both are good vintages and are drinking very well now, so which wine you prefer is down to personal preference. I opt for the 2014 vintage with its higher acidity and freshness but many will, doubtless, prefer the sleek 2015s.

Eleven years on the 2005 Cabernet Francs are now delicious the initially marked tannins have softened. The 2005 Clos des Marronniers, Chinon from Baudry-Dutour is a good example with its very seductive soft fruit and fully integrated tannins. The 2005 remains deep coloured with no sign of brickiness. Proof that Loire reds merit cellaring! 

  

* Both of these wines were samples given me to taste.

Appellation Chinon expansion now official

Château de Petit Thouars
– one of the best known of the producers joining Chinon

Jean-Martin Dutour
(Baudry-Dutour + President of the Chinon producers' syndicat

 

Good news for the eight communes to the west of Appellation Chinon and on the south side of the River Vienne – they are now officially part of the appellation. 2016 will be the first vintage when they can use the Chinon classification.

It was back on 15th March 2012 that the Chinon producers accepted the request of these eight communes: Brizay, Candes-Saint-Martin, Chinais, Couziers, Lerne, Saint-Germain-sur-Vienne, Seuilly and Thizay. 

Most if not all of these eight communes could have been included in the Chinon appellation in 1937 but chose not to accept apparently because of worries that their taxes might have been higher. 

The idiotic reform of AC Touraine that will ban 100% Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc, which are the varieties of choice for producers in these eight communes, pushed them to request them to seek promotion into the Chinon appellation.    

••

Vin : l'AOC chinon voit les choses en plus grand
La Nouvelle République 3.9.2016

'L’élargissement de l’aire d’appellation d’origine contrôlée a été officiellement validée vendredi. Vingt-six communes peuvent désormais produire du chinon.

Huit communes supplémentaires produiront du chinon dès le millésime 2016. La nouvelle a été officialisée vendredi, par le bulletin officiel du ministère de l'Agriculture.

La conclusion de quatre ans de travail et d'attente qui scelle l'entrée de Candes-Saint-Martin, Couziers, Saint-Germain-sur-Vienne, Lerné, Thizay, Cinais, Seuilly et Brizay au sein de l'AOC chinon. Une appellation désormais constituée de vingt-six communes pour près de 6.900 hectares de vignoble.'

Read the rest here:

Back in the Loire – back in the Cher Valley.

Back in the Loire this evening after driving down from Calais by way of Rouen, Le Mans and Tours. In the section from Le Mans to Tours we were treated to wonderful golden light that eventually turned to flame red on the still bare trees just before the sun slipped below the western horizon.   

Once installed in Epeigné-les-Bois we soon headed to Le Lézard Vert where we had a very enjoyable cooked veal tongue for our main course. We drank the 2014 Chinon from Domaine de la Perrière, Baudry-Dutour. This is the easy drinking 'basic' cuvée from Perrière – not complex but enjoyable black fruited wine.   

#2015Loire – Chinon's biggest players prefer to wait

 Bunches of Cabernet Franc near Panzoult (AC Chinon)

Chinon's two biggest players – Baudry-Dutour and Couly-Dutheil – are in no rush to harvest their reds. At Baudry-Dutour their IGT Sauvignon from 11 hectares at Ligré is picked as is some of the Chenin Blanc for the Chinon Blanc and sparkling while Cabernet Franc for the rosé was picked on 21st September. 

"We are not yet ready for the reds," said Jean-Martin Dutour. "We will start on the classic reds from next Monday (4th October) but our top reds from Saint Louans and La Grille won't be started until around 12th October."  

"Yields are a bit higher than last year," Christophe Baudry explained, "probably around 45hl/ha compared to 40hl/ha last year but certainly not the maximum allowed.  

The situation at Couly-Dutheil is very similar. "We have picked some of the Chenin," said Jacques Couly but are waiting until next week to start on the reds and rosés. We expect full maturity around 10th-12th October with yields a little up on last year. 

Across the Vienne at Ligré Jérôme Billard (Domaine de la Noblaie) is waiting for the reds to ripen. "We picked some of the Chenin – those grapes that were fragile and starting to rot – on 21st September and started on the rosé yesterday. 

In contrast Matthieu Baudry (Domaine Bernard Baudry, Cravant-les-Coteaux) is in full harvest mode and expects to finish this week. "We started picking Cabernet Franc on 23rd September, having picked the Chenin on 21st and 22nd. When we started the potential alcohol in the Cabernet Franc was 11.5 to 12 now it is between 12-13. We don't want the grape sugars to get too concentrated. It is important to keep the freshness of the Loire and this North East wind threatens to shrivel (flétri) the grapes.  

Interesting to see the contrast in picking dates both within Chinon and in comparison to vineyards – Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil north of the Loire.   

Jean-Martin Dutour (Baudry-Dutour) 

and President of the Chinon producers

Jacques Couly (Couly-Dutheil)

Arnaud Couly (Couly-Dutheil) 

Jérôme Billard (Domaine de la Noblaie)

Very good 2009 Chinon Blanc from Baudry-Dutour

2009 Cuvée Chenin, Chinon Blanc, Baudry-Dutour

Tonight we drank a very good 2009 Chinon Blanc from Baudry-Dutour. If I remember rightly this cuvée was decidedly lean when it was first released in Spring 2010. In the interim it has fleshed out with attractive texture, rich citrus fruit with a small touch of honey. Brilliant drinking at the moment and no indication that it won't happily age for at least another decade or more.

This Cuvée Chenin is vinified in stainless steel and is bottled in the spring following the vintage. 

Always worth squirrelling away a few bottles to see how they develop. 

The 2014 equivalent is available at 9.5€ a bottle.    

A trio of Loire dates for your 2015 diary

Saturday 21st March 2015: Fête des Vins de Bourgueil à Tours

Saturday 21st March 2015 sees the annual invasion of Tours by the assembled forces of the Bourgueil producers for the Fête des Vins de Bourgueil à Tours.  As usual the producers will have their stands along the middle of the Boulevard Heurteloup close to the Gare de Tours.   

'Venez rencontrer une cinquantaine de vignerons de Bourgueil installés boulevard Heurteloup à Tours pour déguster les vins de Bourgueil.
 

En présence de la Commanderie de la Dive Bouteille de Bourgueil et Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil, et de métiers de bouche qui proposent une restauration sur place, cette dixième édition de la fête des vins de Bourgueil à Tours proposera également des animations pour les enfants autour du goût et de la dégustation.'

 Vincent le Cuisinier sharing some of his secrets

Platter of rillons!

•••

Wednesday 27th May 2015 Domaine Frédéric Bourillon

Presentation de la Nouvelle Cuvée " Coup de Trique "avec Dominique Spiessert

http://spiessertblog.blogspot.co.uk/ 

Presentation Et Vente Primeur De La Cuvee Oppidum 2014

@30bis, rue de Vaufoynard, 37210Rochecorbon, Centre, France

Frédéric Bourillon 

••• 

Christophe Baudry launching Baudry-Dutour's

sparkling rosé from Château de la Grille@Vitiloire 2014

Vitiloire 2015 samedi 30 et dimanche 31 2015 

Annual consumer wine fair featuring producers from the length of the Loire in the centre of Tours.

Lunchtime break@Vitiloire 2014

2014 Loire: Chinon looking promising

Cabernet Franc@Chinon 8.10.2014 

(above and below)

looking promising 

We spent several hours yesterday in the vineyards of Chinon looking at the grapes and dropping in on a number of producers. Although when we left Epeigné it was grey with little or no wind by the time we reached Chinon, the sun had come out and a good drying wind had got up.  

Although much of the afternoon was fine, late afternoon it clouded over and soon torrential rain set in.

 Annick Jourdan (Jourdan-Pichard) sorting 

through their Cabernet Franc

 Francis and Annick Jourdan 

Water is indispensable in wine-making 

Philippe Pichard cleaning picking buckets

 Entrance to the Baudry-Dutour winery@Panzoult

New extension under construction@Baudry-Dutour winery

Hod carriers@Domaine de la Noblaie, Ligré

Still cheerful despite the rain starting

 Cabernet Franc@Domaine de la Noblaie

 New amphore@Domaine de la Noire (Jean-Max Manceau)

Chenin Blanc (Chinon Blanc) fermenting in the amphore

 Domaine de la Noblaie: Cabernet Franc ready 

to be loading into the Pierre de Tuf vat

Jérôme Billard about to raise the bin of Cabernet Franc up to the limestone vat

François Billard  

 Grapes and juice flowing towards vat

The limestone vat

A torrential end to the day

D35@Bourgueil

More text to be added