Les premiers coups de sécateurs pour 2013 Crémant d'Epeigné-les-Bois!

 Chardonnay destined for Crémant de Loire (Cave Coopérative de Francueil)

James Marchais 

James Marchais and his team of pickers were out early in the vines this morning to start picking Chardonnay for Crémant de Loire, which will be made by the Cave Coopérative in Francueil. The Crémant regulations stipulate that the grapes are picked by hand into small cases.

The vendange here has started in good sunny conditions. The grapes generally look healthy, although there are signs here and there of a little bit of rot. This won't be a problem as long as it stays dry but if the weather turns wet and humid there could well be problems with spreading rot.

As already reported picking is underway in Muscadet with the first grapes picked on Monday. See photos of 2013 Melon de Bourgogne from Domaine Guy Bossard here. The Luneaus (Domaine Luneau-Papin), Guy and Frédéric's near neighbours have started this morning.  

  

More photos from picking in the Marchais' vineyard at Chossay, Epeigné-les-Bois:  

 Micheline Marchais 

 An 'itinerant' picker

 James at work

 Denis too

 Guy Henault: Born in Epeigné 82 years ago and still going strong!

Serge@work

Isabelle aussi

 

L'equipe au boulot 

 Mid-morning coffee break

Château de l'Aulée: Chorale Soirée Insolite 26th July

This Thursday Château de l'Aulée are holding an evening with songs from the Chorale des Bateliers de la Chapelle aux Naux (batellier is someone who pilots boats). The evening costs 13€ person. Details here on Facebook. Marielle and Arnaud Henrion make very good sparkling wines, especially their Crémant de Loire, at Aulée. The wines are also excellent value.  

Château de l'Aulée, Azay-le-Rideau

Dinner with Michel Smith: 2 out of the 5

 

Brut Zéro from Château de l'Aulée

The night before the start of Les 5 du Vin's stay in Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil last weekend we had dinner with Michel Smith – a good opportunity to limber up for the days to come. 

We started with the lemony and very good value Brut Zéro, Crémant de Loire (7.50€) from Château de l'Aulée in Azay-le-Rideau. With the salad of lettuce, lardons, mushrooms and goats' cheese we had the 2000 Le MD, Sancerre from Henri Bourgeois, which is currently showing well with some quite rich, evolved flavours and good freshness in the finish. For those who preferred a red there was Michel Smith's own delightfully easy drinking 2011 Puch from the Côtes Catalanes made from pure Carignan.           

2000 Le MD, Sancerre, Henri Bourgeois 

2011 Puch, VDP Côtes Catalanes – Michel Smith and friends  

With the free-range chicken, pot roasted with garlic and lemon, we explored the 1997 Côt, AC Touraine from Le Clos Roche Blanche – still wonderfully youthful with the seductive black fruits that has always been a hallmark of the 1997 vintage. We also took a look at the fine 2003 Anjou Villages Brissac from Christophe Daviau's Domaine de Bablut. It has the richness of very ripe fruit from this heatwave year but has freshness too and shows no signs of tiring.     

1997 Côt, AC Touraine, Le Clos Roche Blanche

2003 Anjou-Villages Brissac, Domaine de Bablut 

1988 Coteaux du Layon Saint-Lambert, Domaine Ogereau

1988 has always been in the shadow of 1989 and 1990 that followed and its merits have often be overlooked. This 1988 Layon from Domaine Ogereau has lovely balance – the fruit isn't super-concentrated but there is great harmony between the citric and apricot fruit and the acidity. It reminds me of the marvellous balance that 2002 has and it went wonderfully well with the small selection of cheese.

1990 Moelleux, Cuvée Céline, Pascal Delaleu, Vouvray 

As you would expect this 1990 Delaleu Vouvray was richer than the 1988 and still very youthful. It proved to be a good match with baked peaches in Muscat and also to sip after dinner – an appropriate way to finish our soirée de la modération.   

Langlois Chateau ads: no longer cutting edge!

Adverts from the past – 1934 and 1931 respectively.
Would be unthinkable to use the ad below today

From the Langlois-Chateau cellars at Saint-Hilaire-Saint-Florent