Château de Plaisance (Chaume et Quarts de Chaume) under new ownership

Vanessa Cherruau, Vigneronne coproprietaire

It was good to meet Vanessa Cherruau again. I had met her a number of years ago when she was employed at the ill-fated Château de la Genaiserie (Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné). She left Genaiserie when they ceased to pay her before the domaine collapsed first into administration (2010) and then into liquidation in 2013. 

Last year Vanessa put together a group of investors along with herself to buy the 25-hectare Château de Plaisance from Guy Rochais, whose father Henri had acquired the domaine in 1960. Since 1995 it has been farmed organically and is now biodynamic. 

Plaisance has 25 hectares of vines spread across 44 parcels in the following appellations Anjou Blanc, Savennières, Chaume and Quart de Chaume. The bulk of the vines are in Chaume with 1.5 ha in Quarts de Chaume and three hectares in Savennières around the Moulin de Gué. There are 21 hectares of Chenin, 2.5 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and the same area of Cabernet Franc planted as well as a small amount of Chardonnay. The average of the vines is 40 years old with some vines more than 120 years old. Picking is all by hand. 

Guy Rochais was one of the leaders of the move to make high quality dry white wine in both Chaume and Quarts de Chaume and to campaign for cru status for this dry wine. This move is partly driven by how difficult it is now to sell substantial volumes of sweet wine even from a potentially top quality appellation like Quarts de Chaume. Guy also considered that the terroir of both Chaume and Quarts de Chaume had the potential to make great dry Chenin. For several years Guy has been looking to sell up and retire. 

A duo of Savennières – 2018 and 2019

Vanessa is understandably excited by this new project, which was concluded literally hours before the 2019 harvest started. The documents were finally signed at the notaire (lawyer) at 10pm on 12th September and picking Chardonnay started the following morning at 9am! Furthermore, Vanessa was expecting a baby at any moment.

There will be a continued emphasis on dry Anjou Blanc from the Chaume vineyards. I tasted the 2019 from the Butte de Chaume, which was harvested on 18th September. "Our aim is to make a very precise and clean dry wine using no botytised grapes, so picking earlier than was Guy's practice," Vanessa explained. 

In 2019 Plaisance's vines in Savennières were frosted both in April and early May and recorded an 80% loss of crop. I tasted the 2019 Savennières, which while unfinished is attractively vibrant and with potential. It is clearly a step up from the 2018 Savennières, which is pleasant enough but not special. Clearly by 2018 Guy wanted out and Vanessa explained that most of the domaine's 2018 was sold off to négociants.  

It is good to see another new project in Chaume and Quarts de Chaume joining the recently established Domaine Belargus.       

        

 

Vanessa pouring Plaisance's Quarts de Chaume

Anjou Blanc Crus – returning value and prestige to Anjou Blanc

 Patrick Baudouin

Interesting article on www.terredevins.com about moves to introduce a system of crus for Anjou Blanc for the top end wines made from 100% Chenin Blanc, harvested by hand and with no sugar added.  

The article explains that this process is already underway. On our brief visit to Anjou on Tuesday 9th October we tasted the putative 2017 Anjou Blanc Cru from Chaume made at Domaine de Bergerie, Champ-sur-Layon. 

It now appears that the INAO has moved from opposition to the notion of crus for Anjou Blanc to being prepared to consider the possibilities.

Start of the article on terredevins:

'Anjou Blanc : bientôt des crus 100% Chenin

L'Anjou blanc devrait bientôt avoir ses crus. Le syndicat, présidé par Patrick Baudouin, présentera en novembre à l’Inao son projet de cahier des charges pour une hiérarchisation de l’appellation et de ses blancs secs.

La hiérarchisation de l’Anjou blanc devrait bientôt déboucher sur la création de crus correspondant à des lieux-dits, en lien avec la carte des terroirs de l’Inra. Le cahier des charges sera basé également sur des critères de qualité et de contrôle tels que l’élaboration à 100% chenin, des vendanges manuelles, une revendication parcellaire, une chaptalisation interdite, un élevage plus long…. « Nous voulons regagner en notoriété et en qualité, explique Patrick Baudouin. Il s’agit de redonner ses lettres de noblesse à l’expression mixte du chenin sur nos terroirs qui sont capables de produire à la fois des secs, des demi-secs et des liquoreux bien que nous soyons plus connus aujourd’hui pour les liquoreux »'

Read the rest here

Fine lunch @the elegant Rocpool Reserve, Inverness

Entrance to Rocpool Reserve

Today we met up with two friends that we had met in China to have lunch at the Rocpool Reserve, part of the Albert Roux empire. 

As our friends were delayed by a slow running train from Aberdeen, we went to the bar and ordered a bottle of 2014 Vondeling from South Africa. This is an attractive blend of 50% Chenin Blanc, 24% Chardonnay, 13% Grenache Blanc and 13% Viognier vinified in 500-litre French oak. The 2014 combines good concentration with freshness in the finish. 

We chose a mix of dishes from the set-menu (£32.50 for lunch, £35 for dinner) and from the à la carte. We were impressed throughout by the quality of the dishes. 

  

 Bar area 

(above and below)

 2014 Vondeling from South Africa 

(above and below) 

First courses: 

 Roux's classic souffle 

– wonderfully light and delicate 

 Long, slow cooked pork 

Smoked mackerel 

 

Our red: 

2015 Fleurie, Château de Raousset 

a powerful and rich black fruited Fleurie  

Main courses:

Rabbit ballotine 

Assiette of lamb 

Our sweet wine: 

 2011 Coteaux du Layon 1er Cru Chaume, 

Domaine des Forges 

This 2011 Chaume half bottle from Domaine des Forges (Stéphane et Séverine Branchereau) was a delight with a lovely balance of rich but delicate fruit with good acidity in the finish. Still youthful this Chaume can last for many years to come.  A clear demonstration as to why 2011 is a very good vintage in the Layon. 

Our two previous wines had been served in entirely appropriate Riedel glasses., so it was very surprising that the restaurant produced small copitas for this wine. I asked instead for the Chianti style Riedel glasses that we had had for our white wine and this was immediately done. 

I hope that producing small copitas for the Chaume was an aberration – I'm sure that Albert Roux would not be happy to see a very fine Loire sweet wine served in such small and inappropriate glasses! 

We finished with coffee sitting out on the terrace in the warm Inverness sunshine. 

Rocpool Reserve is certainly recommended for an indulgent mid-week lunch. The wine list has an interesting range of wines from around the world with a fair number at reasonable prices for a restaurant of this class. It is, however, a pity that the only sparkling wine available is Champagne starting from £87 a bottle. What about listing a more affordable Crémant?  

2016 DWWA results – Loire: bests and golds

2016 DWWA and the red coats @Tobacco Dock

In addition to the Platinum Award – best Sauvignon Blanc over £15 – going to the 2015 Sancerre from Villebois, the results for the Loire 2016 edition of DWWA are easily the best since the competition started in 2004. This reflects the quality of the 2014 and 2015 vintages.

The Best: 

Best Loire red over £15: 2014 L'Ancestrale, Chinon, Domaine de Jourdan & Pichard 

Best White Loire under £15: 2014 Les Coudraies, Vouvray demi-sec, Domaine d'Orfeuilles 

Best sweet Loire over £15: 2014 Coteaux du Layon 1er Cru Chaume, Domaine de la Roche Moreau, André Davy 

Golds: 

Saphir Brut, Saumur Mousseux, Bouvet-Ladubay, mid-range sparkling, £8-£14.99

2014 Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru, Château Bellerive,  Super-Premium £30.00-59.99

2014 Bonnezeaux, Château la Varière, Super-Premium £30.00-59.99 

2014 Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie, Domaine Clair Moreau, Mid-Range £8.00 - £14.99

2015 Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Salmon,
Mid-Range £8.00 - £14.99

2015 Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie, Domaine de la Tourmaline, Gadais Père et Fils, Entry Level Up to £7.99,

2015 Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie, Manoir de la Hersandière, Mid-Range £8.00 - £14.99 

2015 Menetou-Salon Blanc, Domaine de l'Ermitage, Géraud de la Farge 

2015 Pouilly-Fumé, J de Villebois, Premium £15.00 - £29.99

2014 Sensi, Saumur-Champigny, La Source de Ruault, Premium £15.00 - £29.99

2014 La Terre des Anges, Sancerre, Laporte, Premium £15.00 - £29.99

   

News: forthcoming Adegga WineMarkets + new quality producer in Quarts de Chaume

adegga WineMarket: Lisboa December 2014

Forthcoming Adegga Winemarkets:

Adegga WineMarket Algarve 2015 - 6 de Junho
EPIC SANA Algarve | Siga o evento no Facebook

Adegga WineMarket Summer 2015 - 4 de Julho
Lisboa | Siga o evento no Facebook
Have booked my flight, so will be in Lisbon for this summer edition. 

Adegga WineMarket Stockholm 2015 - 19 de Setembro
Estocolmo | Siga o evento no Facebook

Adegga WineMarket Berlin 2015 - 3 de Outubro
SANA Berlin | Siga o evento no Facebook

Adegga WineMarket Lisboa 2015 - 5 de Dezembro
Lisboa | Siga o evento no Facebook

•••

 Autumn colours @Domaine Ogereau

Emmanuel Ogereau who is increasing taking 

over the reins from his parents Vincent and Catherine 

Domaine Ogereau acquires vines in Quarts de Chaume and Chaume 

High quality family wine producer, Domaine Ogereau, based in Saint Lambert du Lattay has just acquired a couple of parcels of vines. They have bought 87 ares (100 ares to a hectare) in the Quarts de Chaume, which used to belong to Guillaume Mordacq. 

2015 will be the Ogereaus first vintage from these new vines.

 

 

  

Bref reportage sur 2014 Vignes, Vins et Randos en Anjou

Some of the vineyards of Chaume

(all rando photos by Michel Mergot)

Delighted to have this brief reportage from one of our occasional correspondents – Michel Mergot – on the 2014 edition of Vignes, Vins et Randos. Michel spent the weekend in Anjou – going on the Chaume randonée on the Saturday and the Brissac l'Aubance on the Sunday: 

Michel Mergot

'Samedi 6 septembre, VVR à Chaume et dimanche 7 à Brissac-Aubance.

Superbes randonnées et dégustations.

J'ai ramené quelques bouteilles.'

 

 

A good turnout for Chaume

Chaume: good to see a crop of wild flowers by the vines

Sunday:

 

Château de Brissac  (above and below)

The walkers setting off

Refreshments 

Santé!: Christophe Daviau (Domaine de Bablut) and 
Jean-Yves Lebreton (Domaine des Rochelles)

I'm delighted that Michel will be joining me for part of my Loire ride. He will be riding with me for part of the étape from Beaugency to Bourgueil on Monday 22nd September. 

Guimonière Chaume 2010: Decanter Loire Regional Trophy 2012: best sweet wine

David Greiller with the 2010 Chaume, Guimonière

2010 Coteaux du Layon Chaume, Château de la Guimonière

Château de la Guimonière has long been one of the leading properties on the ridge, overlooking the River Layon, that leads from Beaulieu-sur-Layon to Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné. The vines of Guimonière are in Chaume on the top of the slope above the steeper slopes that make up the Quarts de Chaume.

The château, which dates from the 15^th century, is no longer in the same hands as the vines. It is owned by the Doucet family, who sold the vineyard in 1991 to Gaston Lenôtre, a famous pastry chef, who also bought Châteaux de Fesles (Bonnezeaux) and la Roulerie (Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné). In turn Lenôtre sold in 1996 to Bernard Germain, who then sold them in 2005 to Alain Château, the owner of nearby and long established Château Bellerive in the Quarts de Chaume. Alain Château also owns Château de Varennes in Savennières as well as three properties in Bordeaux including Yon Figeac in Saint-Emilion.

Since 2006 David Greiller has been in charge of all of Alain Château’s Loire properties with Denis Dubourdieu as the consultant oenologist for the whole estate. Greiller had worked previously for LaCheteau until it was acquired by Grands Chais de France.  

Greiller: “Guimonière has 16 hectares of vines with four in Chaume in four blocks. In 2010 we were really on a knife-edge with heavy rain on 10^th October. Fortunately the wind turned to the east and dried everything up. We had a window of eight days. The grapes were very homogeneous: we picked at 22% potential with 100% botrytis. The juice was then vinified and aged in 400-litre barrels.”

This Guimonière shows what a fabulous sweet wine vintage 2010 is in Anjou-Saumur with a thrilling balance of rich fruit and precise acidity. Even better it is only 15€ for 50cl from Bellerive.  

David Greiller with the 2010 Chaume, Guimonière

@Château Bellerive

I asked Greiller what he thought of the Baumards' decision to mount a legal action against the new Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru appellation. He replied that he was disappointed that the Baumards had taken this step. He put it down to a long history of conflict and regretted that the attempts by people like Stéphane Branchereau to broker a compromise had not been taken up by the Baumard family. 

Château de la Guimonière: quite separate from the vineyards now offering a gîte 

(This is a slightly expanded version of the profile that has just been published in the October 2012 edition of Decanter.)