2017 Anjou Rouge Domaine Ogereau – very drinkable

 

A delightfully drinkable, soft 2017 Anjou Rouge (100% Cabernet Franc) from Domaine Ogereau – one to enjoy now with its fresh, youthful black fruits rather than keep to see how it develops. Better to age the 2017 Anjou Villages, when it is released and which on this evidence should be very promising. 

If I was the Ogereaus I would bottle this in a screwcap as it is ideal to take on a picnic, so that there is no problem if you forget the corkscrew.

Off on an adventure: Day 5 – Emmanuel Ogereau

 Emmanuel Ogereau, Domaine Ogereau, Anjou

As I suspect there will be limited time to post on Jim's Loire while we are away– there are posts prepared in advance that will feature pics of Loire producers and may be from elsewhere plus some recently enjoyed bottles.  

2017 Salon des Vin de Loire + La Levée – some producers present 6th February 2017

Philippe Delesvaux (Anjou)– previously young Turk
now elder statesman

Still producing excellent wine 

 Peter Hahn, Clos de la Meslerie, Vouvray
Peter's Vouvrays vary dramatically in style from vintage to vintage

Tessa Laroche, Domaine Roche aux Moines  

Tessa has substantially improved this estate's wines.

Vincent Ogereau (Domaine Ogereau, Anjou) 

– happy to let son Emmanuel make changes

More to add in morning but internet very slow this evening.

2016 Loire: Emmanuel Ogereau gives an update on their Anjou harvest

Emmanuel Ogereau

Emmanuel Ogereau (Domaine Ogereau, Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay): "We have picked the Chenin for our Anjou Sec. The quality is very good but yields are very low. We lost 50% through the April frosts in our Chenin blocks. Furthermore, in the grapes that we do have, there is very little juice due to the prolonged drought since early July. Maybe we are getting 20 hl/ha. But the juice is very well balanced and precise. 

"We will be doing the Premier Tri for our Coteaux de Layon tomorrow. We have some botrytis with potential degrees at 17/18%.

"Overall we expect our global yield to be between 10-15hl/ha. 

"We have much better news of our friends, the Sérols in the Côte Roannaise, who report an exceptional vintage having escaped the frost. The same applies to the Domaine Bérioles in Saint-Pourçain."

** 

A snippet:

Couly-Dutheil (Chinon) started picking on Monday 10th October. Arnaud Couly estimates that their harvest will be 55% down due to the complicated conditions of the 2016 growing season. 

   

Soirée de la modération pour 6 – 8th June 2016

2002 Triple Zéro, La Taille aux Loups, Jacky Blot

On Thursday night we enjoyed a soirée de la modération with André Ribeirinho (Adegga), Beatriz Silva and two other friends. We warmed up with a bottle of 2002 Triple Zéro, which Jacky Blot had kindly given us following a very good  tasting with him at La Taille aux Loups in Husseau. The 2002 was still very fresh but with additional complexity from the bottle age.  

2008 Remus Plus, Montlouis, Domaine de la Taillé aux Loups

During the tasting with Jacky we had tried a Remus Plus in half bottle that was considerably more evolved than this very precise full sized one, which showed a touch of oak. It worked well with our fresh asparagus. The 2008 will clearly last a long time gaining further complexity in bottle. 

1995 Le Grand Clos, Saumur Champigny, 

Château de Villeneuve

The 1995 Grand Clos was one of the real stars of the evening – no sign of brickiness in the colour, complex, finely textured, beautifully balanced black fruits, structure and acidity with the simple roast chicken acting as foil. 

1989 Anjou Villages, Domaine Ogereau

For the other red with the main course we went back to 1989. Although full of ripe, succulent black fruit, the 1989 Ogereau suffered a little coming after Le Grand Clos as it showed less complexity on the evening. However, trying a small amount that remained the following morning it had softened and developed showing the rich, very ripe fruit that is a characteristic of 1989. Clearly I should have opened it earlier.   

  

2005 Le MD de Bourgeois, Sancerre, Henri Bourgeois

Le MD from Henri Bourgeois is always a solid banker and the 2005 from a sunny vintage, which we served with the cheese, was no exception. As always it was a particularly good match the goat's cheese – a Petit Lochois. Although the 2005 was a warm year the finish of this MD remains fresh and clearly has the potential to continue to age well for a number more years.

1989 Le Marigny Selection Grains Nobles, Vouvray, 

Domaine des Aubuisières

Just lovely! This Le Marigny showed why 1989 is such a great vintage with rich honeyed, apricot flavours, wonderful texture and the capacity to age for further decades.  

1963 Gould Campbell

To make André and Beatriz feel at home we concluded with this richly concentrated 1963. Initially it showed slightly spiky alcohol but this soon calmed down leaving a fine and complex Port.  

1970 Croft 

We had tried this 1970 early on Thursday morning as André and Beatriz's morning flight from Lisbon on Wednesday had been cancelled and the next flight to Nantes didn't get in until late evening, so it was just after 2am that they reached Epeigné. However still time to enjoy this 1970 Croft before retiring. Less rich than the 1960 this had very fine cherry fruit – a bottle with a lot of finesse. 

La Table de la Bergerie: brilliant meal!

Excellent dinner at La Table de la Bergerie last Saturday after a very good tasting of the Three Musketeers – Domaine de la Bergerie, Domaine Ogereau and Château Pierre-Bise. At table: Marie-Annick Guégniard (Bergerie), Nigel Wilkinson (RSJ Restaurant, London), Yves Guégniard (Bergerie), Vincent Ogereau (Domaine Ogereau), Chjris Kissack (The Wijne Doctor), René Papin (Pierre-Bise), Tom King (RSJ Restaurant), Catherine Ogereau (Domaine Ogereau) + Jim's shirt and camera strap. 

Domaine Ogereau, Anjou – profile

Domaine Ogereau, Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay, Anjou

Vincent, Catherine and Emmanuel Ogereau

Vincent and Catherine Ogereau

 

Emmanuel Ogereau during the 2015 vintage – October 

 

Here at Domaine Ogereau, as in a number of other Loire domaines, the changing of the generations is underway with Emmanuel Ogereau increasingly taking over from his parents – Vincent and Catherine. Emmanuel officially became an associate on 20th April 2015. Emmanuel is the 5th generation in this family of vignerons. The Ogereaus have owned this domaine since 1890s. 

Vincent and Catherine took over responsibility for the domaine in 1989 – the year when they made an excellent 1989 Coteaux du Layon St Lambert Cuvée Prestige and followed this success with an award winning 1990 Coteaux du Layon St Lambert Cuvée Prestige.      

Vincent is thoroughly modern in his approach to quality wine-making. His winery is impeccably clean with high quality throughout his Chais. Vincent is a great believer in Chenin Blanc. His Savennières is wonderful. His bright hued, dry Rosé de Loire has an enjoyable red fruit character with zest and style.

Vincent’s reds are some of the best in the appellation. His “straight” Anjou Rouge is nowadays made in a slightly lighter style for earlier drinking, whilst his 'Villages' wines are sterner stuff and need a few years cellaring to show their finest attributes. The Ogereaus top red is a single vineyard – Côte de la Houssaye. This is planted with Cabernet Sauvignon and only released in good vintages when the Cabernet Sauvignon ripens properly.

There are two dry whites: an Anjou Blanc En Chenin made, as the name implies, from 100% Chenin Blanc and a Savennières Clos le Grand Beaupréau. This is from the joint venture vineyard with the Papins (Pierre Bisé) and the Guégniards (Domaine de la Bergerie). 

They also make very elegant and refined Coteaux du Layons – a range of three. First off a straight Coteaux du Layon Saint-Lambert and a top wine the Clos des Bonnes Blanches from a well-sited single vineyard that overlooks the Layon. Fermented in 500-litre barrels and the aged for 18 months this is only made in good vintages. This is one of the top sweet wines from the Layon.   

Then there is a recent introduction – Harmonie des Bonnes Blanches. This is lighter and less rich than Clos des Bonnes Blanches. It is also vinified in 500-litre oak barrels and aged for 15 months.   

2015 saw two exciting additions to their range of wines: the acquisition of 43 ares in Coteaux du Layon Chaume and 87 ares in the Quarts de Chaume. 

Before returning to Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay Emmanuel had considerable experience working away from the Loire. He spent just over two years at Les Vignerons de Buzet from July 2010 to July 2012. Then he had a short spell at the Cave de Tain l'Hermitage from September 2012 – November 2012. At the beginning of 2013 Emmanuel headed to New Zealand spending six months (January to June) at Carrick Wines in Central Otago. He also had a work experience at Domaine Serene in Oregon during the autumn of 2009.   

Unlike his parents Emmanuel is at home on social media with Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin accounts. However, both Vincent and Emmanuel are fine musicians. The Ogereau tasting room has a photo of Vincent playing with his father. 

     

 

This profile is one of a series I am gradually writing for RSJ News – the blog for the RSJ Restaurant in London's Waterloo. The other two profiles completed, so far, are Domaine Luneau-Papin and Château Pierre-Bise.  

 

   

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.

 

 

  

Trio of early 2015 bottles: Loire 2 Bergerac 1

2005 Côte de la Houssaye, Anjou Villages, Domaine Ogereau

Emmanuel Ogereau – the younger generation prepares to take over

There are some regular wine or beer drinkers who decide that January should be an wine or alcohol-free month. I have never been of that persuasion – no wine to see you through the dark days of January! Complete madness! I prefer to stick to modération – comme toujours! With that in mind here are a trio of bottles enjoyed at the start of 2015. 

First up the rich and powerful 2005 Côte de la Houssaye, Anjou Villages from Domaine Ogereau. Made from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon on a very good site so that in most years 2005 Côte de la Houssaye, Anjou Villages, Domaine Ogereau especially in warm vintages such as 2005, it ripens properly. However, in difficult vintages, such as 2012, Côte de la Houssaye is not released. Cabernet Sauvignon really only works in Anjou if it is planted in a warm and well exposed site. The 2005 is rich and powerful – still youthful but may with further time develop greater complexity.         

2011 Secret des Vignes, AC Saumur, Ackerman

This was the 2nd of three samples I received of the Secret des Vignes range from Ackerman. Made from 100% Chenin Blanc this is richly textured with floral and ripe fruit and wood notes and a long finish – a fine Saumur Blanc with a potential to age. 

2011 Merlot Malbec, Bergerac, Château Tour des Gendres 

Luc de Conti @MillesiméBio 2014

The 2011 Merlot Malbec, Bergerac, Château Tour des Gendres is another powerful still youthful red. Although the black fruits and tannic structure are in balance, this ideally still needs at least another two or three years to show its best. Expect to see Luc at the rapidly approaching 2015 MillesiméBio. 

 

2014 Loire vintage – round up of the last few days (Part 2 – Anjou)

Early morning view from Moulin de Beaupréau

2nd passage grapes in Clos le Grand Beaupréau (Savennières):  

Domaine de la Bergerie 

Last Thursday we stayed overnight in the comfortable and welcoming Moulin de Beaupréau in Savennières, whose attractions include an indoor pool and a sauna. The Moulin overlooks the vines of Clos le Grand Beaupréau, whose vines are shared by Château de Pierre-Bise, Domaine de la Bergerie and Domaine Ogereau. By coincidence the Papins and Guégniards were picking there on the Friday morning, so we started our quick swing through Anjou here. The Ogereaus had already finished.

Anne Guégniard told us that this was their last sweep through the Clos and that after the recent rains they needed to be selective in their picking. They had made their first tri in the Clos last week and had finished their other Savennières vineyard – La Croix Picot a week last Wednesday. So far yields for their whites were OK, while the Cabernet was 'un peu juste'. 

In contrast the Papins were carrying out a tri in their vines and planned to come back later for a final picking.  

Most of the Anjou producers we saw had finished or nearly finished their dry whites but were waiting for this week to tackle their Cabernets. 

Like Touraine Anjou had had rain last week, although the weather station at Beaucouzé (Angers) recorded considerably less rather than the station at Tours – 51.3mm compared to 67.3mm.

 

   

Anne Guégniard (Domaine de la Bergerie) checking a bunch

Christophe Papin hard@work

(above and below)

 So, too, Joëlle Papin

René Papin

Two new amphores@Damien Laureau

 Design@Pithon-Paillé, Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay

Emmanuel Ogerau – the new 'boss'@Domaine Ogereau

with some 2014 Savennières juice

Eddy & Milene Oosterlinck-Bracke

Domaine de Juchepie

Domaine de Juchepie: the obligatory pause for a harvest lunch

starting with an apéro 

More text and photos to follow

 

 

Loire 2012: Savennières: Ogereau@Moulin de Beaupréau

 Safely picked 

Last Tuesday we spent a couple of hours or so in Savennières and caught up with Catherine Ogereau and her team pf pickers in the Moulin de Beaupreau. We had been briefly through Savennières about ten days before when the grapes looked perfect, although not yet fully ripe. It was clear that with the recent unsettled weather signs of rot were beginning to appear. We were fortunate to catch Catherine before the weather really turned wet later on in the afternoon. 

Catherine (above and below)

A picker

Golden Chenin Blanc

Cutting (above and below)

 Emptying pail into larger container to be picked up by tractor (below)

 End of the row – time for a pause