Some recently tasted bottles – Loire and elsewhere

 

2011 Fié Gris, Eric Chevalier 

A quick round up of some recent bottles tasted, drunk and enjoyed mainly but not exclusively from the Loire.  

2011 Fié Gris, Eric Chevalier, Domaine de l'Aujardière 

I'll happily admit to having a fondness for Fié Gris, otherwise known as Sauvignon Rose or Sauvignon Gris and, in particular, for the Fié Gris from Eric Chevalier. The 2011 certainly didn't disappoint as my notes suggest:

'Shape of bottle is much more Alsace or Austrian than Loire, so in a way is the wine. Softly textured, lightly spicy rich fruit. Has none of the aggressive assertiveness sometimes shown by its near relation Sauvignon Blanc. Soft agrume in finish. Attractive stylish wine.'

 

 2008 Sancerre Rouge, François Crochet (above and below – back label)

Delicious and delicate red fruits with a lovely fresh finish, this is a fine example of Pinot Noir from Sancerre. This is François Crochet's domaine cuvée with the emphasis on the fruit and is I think typical of 2008 that touch of austerity in the finish that is unlikley to be found in 2009.    

2011 Sancerre Blanc, Domaine La Croix Canal, Tinel-Blondelet  

Stocked by Jascots in the UK, this Sancerre has an attractively opulent texture, good length and in common with many 2011s light acidity.  

 

2011 Tradition, Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine, Les Grands Presbytères

Nicely zippy Muscadet from the Gadais family with a real sur lie prickle in the finish. 

 

 2009 Rasteau, Domaine de Pisan (above and below)

As you would expect from the Southern Rhône this Rasteau has powerful black fruits with a slightly baked character – quite heady stuff! The back label is more poetic than informative.  

 

2012 Mes Vignes de Saint Paul, Jean-Louis Denois

A couple of wines from Jean-Louis Denois from vines in the Fenouillet. Jean-Louis established his reputation with Domaine de l'Aigle, part of which he sold to Antonin Rodet, who then subsequently sold to Gérard Bertrand.  

The white is soft, very clean and fresh with honeysuckle fruit and fair length, while the red is juicy and easy drinking with bright red fruits.

2012 Loire: Muscadet – small crop but potentially good

2012: a typical small bunch giving little but concentrated juice  

Vincent Caillé (Domaine de Faye d'Homme) with the deeply coloured Melon de Bourgogne juice

The Pays Nantais is another part of the Loire, which has a decidedly small crop with yields varying between a tiny 7/8 hectolitres per hectare to a maximum of 50 hl/ha. This upper limit would appear to be rare, so far of the people we have seen it is mainly between 15-30 hl/ha. However. the small harvest is looking good with the grapes of good quality, no sign of rot and potential alcohol levels of between 12% and 12.5% with some heading up to 13% – remarkably high for Melon de Bourgogne. The acidity is around 5 g/l making the juice well balanced, although the malic acids are high in places. 

From the beginning of August through to 20th September it has been very dry. However, the pattern has now changed with the weather coming from the Atlantic and there has been some rain since Friday. This will increase yields a little giving the grapes more juice, so easier to press and probably reducing acidity.      

Examples of Melon de Bourgogne in Muscadet Sèvre et Maine (above and below)

Small aerated bunches

A trailer load@Joseph Landron – not destemming this year going straight into the press 

Pickers@Jo Landron (above and below)

plus hod carriers 

Jo's moustache is considerably more luxuriant than the crop of grapes 

 Le Chef de Culture@Grand Mouton 

Marie-Luce and Jean-François Métaireau 

Grapes@Grand Mouton

Picking machine@Grand Mouton 

Combination of machine and hand picking here

Picker@Grand Mouton with threatening sky

Christophe and Michel Gadais in their vines@Saint-Fiacre

The new vertical press@Vincent Caillé will see little use this year!

 ...you need to be a dreamer

2010 Vieilles Vignes, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Les Grands Presbytères

2010 Vieilles Vignes, Muscadet S&M, Les Grands Presbytères, Nelly Marzelleau

This is another Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sent to me by Christophe Gadais of Gadais Père et Fils, although it comes from a different domaine and is made by Nelly Marzelleau. The 2010 has quite a saline character with good weight of fruit and texture but with more noticeable acidity than the 2011s recently tried. This is entirely in line with the differences between the two vintages.The Vieilles Vignes would be a good match with a plâteau fruits de mer.  

Christophe Gadais' 2011 Muscadet and Didier Chaffardon's L'Incrédule 2009

 2011 Tradition, Domaine Les Grands Presbytères, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie

I recently received some samples from Christophe Gadais of Gadais Père et Fils in Saint Fiacre sur Maine. Christophe now has 47 hecatres in the Muscadet  Sèvre et Maine appellation. Before taking over the family domaine from his father Michel, Christophe was in charge of Laporte in Sancerre, part of Henri Bourgeois. I will be working my way through them over the next few days. Yesterday I looked at a couple of 2011s: Tradition, Domaine Les Grands Presbytères and the Domaine de la Tourmaline. 

2011 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Domaine de la Tourmaline 

Both wines are sur lie. The 2011 Tradition is light, crisp and fresh making a good apéritif or to accompany some oysters. In contrast the Tourmaline has more weigh, complexity and interest. It would, I think, work well with moules à crème or with crab.   

 

 

2009 L'Incrédule, Vin de France, Didier Chaffardon 

The last of a batch of samples from Les Caves de Pyrène, Didier Chaffardon's 2009 L'Incrédule was a very pleasant surprise. Chaffardon is based in Saint Jean de Mauvrets and has three hectares of vines – half Chenin Blanc and half Cabernet Franc. Initially his domaine had 10 hectares but he has reduced this to just three. I have tasted Chaffardon's Chenins on several occasions at the Renaissance tastings in Angers and have never been particularly impressed.

Happily his Cabernet Franc was an eye opener L'Incrédule 2009 has attractive rich, very ripe black fruits making it very easy to drink with rabbit slowly casseroled in a wine, mustard and cream sauce.