The frost report – Loire May 2016

 Vineyard by Chenonceaux railway station 

many of the vines have no growth on them looks like mid-winter 

Speaking to producers at Vitiloire on Saturday it was possible to get a little clearer picture of the effects of this year's frosts at the end of April. Although the night of 26th/27th April saw the worst frost there were a succession of frosts from the 17th/18th April through to the end of the month. 

Jean-Pierre Gouvazé of InterLoire told me that 70% of this year's crop remained. This reinforces that the April 2016 frosts are not at the same destructive overall level as 1991, when the Loire made only a third of normal. However, some appellations and their producers have been very seriously hit to the extent they have virtually lost their crop. This year the picture is much more variable than it was in 1991. 

Overall it would seem that Anjou was not badly hit. Victor Lebreton (Domaine de Montgilet (Juigné-sur-Loire) said that his loss was around 10% and that the northern part of Anjou around Brisssac-Quince had not been badly affected. However, parts of the Layon, for example Champs-sur-Layon and Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay, had been more affected.  

In Saumur Philippe Elliau, Domaine de la Fuye in Le Puy Notre Dame, told me that this part of Saumur had not been affected. In Saumur-Champigny the damage is more significant around Varrains, Chacé and Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg than in the communes, like Parnay, along the Loire. 

There was further confirmation that a substantial part of Bourgueil, Chinon and Saint Nicolas-de-Bourgueil were very badly affected, especially the flatter parts like the gravel vineyards of Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas as well as Cravant-les-Coteaux and Panzoult in AC Chinon. Whereas Bertrand Couly (Pierre et Bertrand Couly) told me that with their vines around Chinon they had escaped. 

On the south side of the Vienne Ligré Eric Santier (Domaine Dozon, AC Chinon) told me that there was little damage – 10% or less. 

Vineyards around Parcay- Meslay in Vouvray were also serious affected, although overall Vouvray seems to have been less affected than Montlouis, where the damage is worst in the southern part of the appellation around Saint-Martin-le-Beau.  

In the Cher damage is again irregular with some severe damage on the north side of the valley around Chenonceaux and Civray-en-Touraine – see photo of vineyard close to Chenonceaux at the beginning of this post. 

Variable damage in the vineyards of Saint-Georges-sur-Cher:         

St Georges-sur-Cher: Vineyard, in a lower part of Saint Georges
that looks to have suffered some damage 

St Georges-sur-Cher: vineyard up the plateau well above the village

unaffected by the frosts 

Further east in the Cher Valley Jérôme Sauvète in Monthou was hit, while Joël Delaunay at La Tesnière, Pouillé wasn't affected at all.

Benoît Roumet, director of Les Vins du Centre Loire, confirmed that Coteaux du Giennois, Menetou-Salon and parts of Pouilly-Fumé had been badly hit. Quincy was less so, especially where they had wind machines installed, while Châteaumeillant had not been affected because budbreak is later here. 

Philippe Boucard (Lamé Delisle Boucard) said for those hit badly it will be complicated to buy in grapes unless they have a 'carte de négoce' as a recent decision by the Conseil d'Etat upheld the demand by the négoce that grapes can only be bought by holders of a carte de négoce.

Unfortunately the bad weather news isn't over as there is now the threat of hail with very unstable conditions around as May bows out. Romain Paire, Domaine des Pothiers in the Côte Roannaise was hit by hail on Saturday morning (28th May) as were parts of Chablis and Saint-Bris.          

Well rounded Chablis Grand Cru

 Blanchot Grand Cru Chablis

Yesterday we drove from Sancerre to Dizy, near Epernay and stopped on the track above part of the Grand Cru Chablis vineyards. As usual this year it was cold and damp – more February than April. Not surprising that the buds on the vines were still tight shut.       

 Les Clos and beyond to Chablis (above and below)

Les Clos and beyond towards Fleys

Lower slopes of Blanchot and then beyond (above and below)

 The lonely pruner

Blanchot and beyond (above and below)

Lincoln Siliakus is home

Lincoln Siliakus@2012 Salon des Vins de Loire

Australian-born wine writer, Lincoln Siliakus, is now back at his home in Sablet after being taken seriously ill at the beginning of March. Lincoln is perhaps best known for having ridden in 2009 a vintage Solex, the scooter that liberated at least a generation of French teenagers, from Chablis to Sablet in pursuit of greater understanding of terroir. See here.

Last weekend he was allowed home for the first time, now Lincoln has convinced the medics to allow him home full-time:  

'Hi dear friends and family,

Guess what? This is Lincoln here. I’m back at home. We convinced the folks at the convalescence home that I was in good hands at home, and they let me go. What could be better for recovery than Anne’s loving arms, the calm of home here in the vines, to see the colours changing in the evening, the growing moon, the stars, the croaking of the frogs? And the hammock on the sunny terrace.

What a couple of months it’s been! I’ll tell you more about it soon.

You have all been truly fantastic, with your messages of support and photos. The mattress with your photos pinned to it created a sensation in the Marseille hospital, with nurses and doctors crowding around to see the latest additions.

It’s been a tough time for Anne, who has had to continue working while running backwards and forwards (the trip to Marseille was particularly long) and organising all of the paperwork. Her innate communication skills came to the fore, as you all know! She has a week of holidays next week, so we are going to take things easy together.

All for now. Thanks again from the bottom of my heart for your support and affection. It has made all the difference.'

Not quite Sablet but nearby Rasteau overlooked by the omni-present Mont Ventoux

An evening with Modération

A modération of geese

 As is well known, Modération is now  the most popular name for pets in  France whether for cats, dogs, guineapigs or various tame birds including parrots. This ensures that the French people comply with the Loi Evin, consuming wine 'avec Modération'. It has also meant that few pets are now allowed out in the evening. 

Last Saturday night we had a group of friends over to dinner and we looked at a number of wines – not all the bottles were emptied.  

 Crémant de Loire, Domaine de la Grange

As we don't have a pet we have to use a moderation substitute – in this instance a modération of geese.We started with Bruno Curassier's Domaine de la Grange soft and creamy Crémant de Loire, which is a blend of Chenin & Chardonnay. Then moved onto one of our favourite fizzes – Triple Zéro from Jacky Blot, which did not disappoint.

Triple Zéro, La Taille aux Loups

1996 Vieilles Vignes, Chablis, Domaine Sainte Claire, Jean-Marc Brocard

Not from the Loire but not far away and a lovely bottle of wine – or rather a lovely magnum. Quite opulent evolved nose with some buttery honey with that typical aged character Chablis takes on – mousseron mushroom and still fresh in the finish. Went well with the warm salad of local goats' cheese, mushrooms – Paris and oyster – and lardons.

 Le Vilain P'tit Rouge, AC Touraine, Vincent Ricard

2004 is not a particularly easy vintage for red Loire – yields tended to be high after 2003 when there had been some frost and which was also the year of the heatwave. Le Vilain P'tit Rouge from Vincent Ricard and also in magnum was showing very well with soft, ripe black fruits and none of the unripe aromas – rooty and green pepper – that some 2004s have. Le Vilain worked well with a very good joint of beef – bought from a very good, new butcher near the Plough in East Dulwich, London SE22 – that we had brought over with us and served with individual Yorkshire puddings and roast potatoes. 

2004 La Closerie, Touraine, Clos Roche Blanche

The onion gravy for the beef was made using a bottle of the 2004 Clos Roche Blanche La Closerie – probably better not to tell Catherine and Didier, although it was for a good cause. Like Le Vilain Le Closerie also tasted well – now softening out and properly ripe. 2004 is one of those years when the name of the producer is particularly important.     

Post to be completed