to those killed in the Paris attacks (13th November 2015)
Serendipitously
I was in Tours this weekend for the Rencontres de François Rabelais as I was one of the
speakers at a table ronde on oenotourism (wine tourism) so was able to go along
to this Salon des vignerons bio tourangeaux - bioTyfoule (beautiful).
Interestingly
the need to publicise events and to make more use of social media were among
the topics raised at our round table. I only found out about bioTyfoule last
Wednesday through an email from Château de Minière. Although I did post the
information on Jim's Loire, it would have been far better to have the
information much earlier as one of my aims with the blog is to help to
publicise events like this.
I
was able to spend about four hours at the Salon, so was able to taste most of
the wines there. The vignerons were, in theory, limited to showing four wines,
which most respected while there were a few who bought a few more wines.
Azay-le-Rideau, Bourgueil, Chinon and Montlouis were strongly represented.
It
is clear that there are many attractive wines from 2014 with round, seductive
reds. It is also impressive that there are some successful reds even in the
very far from easy 2013 vintage, even though they are overshadowed by the
2014s.
It was good to get up to date with the changes at the former Les Loges de la Folie in Montlouis. I understand that Valery Mordelet left the domaine at the beginning of 2014. Hervé Grenier, who was looking for an organic domaine in Montlouis, bought the property during 2014, which is his first vintage. The domaine is now called Vallée Moray with six hectares of Chenin and four of assorted reds, including some Pinot Noir, planted on ground classified as Montlouis and close to Les Bournais. Ironically Hervé says that this vineyard would be very good for Chenin.
It was good to get up to date with the changes at the former Les Loges de la Folie in Montlouis. I understand that Valery Mordelet left the domaine at the beginning of 2014. Hervé Grenier, who was looking for an organic domaine in Montlouis, bought the property during 2014, which is his first vintage. The domaine is now called Vallée Moray with six hectares of Chenin and four of assorted reds, including some Pinot Noir, planted on ground classified as Montlouis and close to Les Bournais. Ironically Hervé says that this vineyard would be very good for Chenin.
Vincent Bergeron
Fortunately there is continuity as Jean-Daniel Kloeckle, one of the previous owners, is now employed by Hervé. Little or no wine was made in 2012 and 2013. Also involved is Vincent Bergeron. I was impressed by their 2014 L'Aubépine (Montlouis sec) and the clean and lemony Bulles Palladium. Later I tried two reds - a very good, concentrated Gamay - 2014 Arcadienne vin de France as well as a Pinot Noir - 2014 Les Figurines.
Other producers who impressed on the day
Whites:
Julien Pinon
François Piñon - represented by his son Julien, especially
2014 Silex Noir, and their new single vineyard - Les Déronnières. Grapes from
this vineyard have long gone into Silex Noir but the Pinons have wanted to
bottle it separately. Frost intervened in 2012 and hail in 2013.
Domaine de la Garrelière – François and Pascaline Plouzeau (Touraine) esp 2011 Marquis de C – a Chenin/Sauvignon
blend and the fizz Millard d'Etoiles, which is a blend of 50% Chenin and 50%
Cabernet Franc.
Ludovic Chanson (Montlouis)
Ludo disarmingly admitted that his yields in 2015 had been
- down in the 20s as he hadn't been as active in his vineyard as he should have
been. I liked particularly the 2014 Les Cabotines - precise, honey and quince.
Benoît Mérias (Montlouis) I
enjoyed both 2013 Les Quarts - saline, quite austere but precise - and 2013
Maisonnettes (also saline but with a little more structure and concentration –
6grams of residual sugar).
Lise et Bertrand Jousset (Montlouis)
2014 Clos aux Renards has attractive texture, honeyed weight and good length.
Lise et Bertrand Jousset (Montlouis)
2014 Clos aux Renards has attractive texture, honeyed weight and good length.
Château de la Roche en Loire (Azay-le-Rideau) - Louis Jean and Florence
Sylvos.
Their 2014 Azay-le-Rideau Blanc Frédérique is softly and delicately honeyed with good length. Louis Jean is admirably farsighted:
he is convinced that his 2020 vintage will be excellent.....and available to
taste soon!!
Nicolas Paget (Azay le Rideau) http://www.domainepaget.fr I tasted an
impressive range with Nicolas including some very interesting reds – to be
covered in the next post. The two whites (Azay-le-Rideau) were 2014 Opus Azay –
weight, texture and a touch of honey from 40 year-old vines planted on flint –
and
Jean-Max Manceau’s 2014 Noir et blanc Chinon Blanc with
good weight, concentration and currently a little touch of wood. This cuvée is
vinified and aged in 400-litre barrels. Jean-Max stresses how different is his
white cuvée, which is vinified in an oeuf.
Sandra and Stéphane Mesliand - Domaine Mesliard
(Touraine-Amboise)
2014 Les Culs de Boeufs at Limerary (northside of the
Loire) a single vineyard on the premières côtes facing south overlooking the
Loire.
Finally from Domaine Montoray (Claude Aupetitgendre) in
Lussault-sur-Loire their 2014 L’Oiseau Blanc Montlouis, which was picked about
a week later than their entry-level Montlouis – Libreval – and consequently has
more weight than the former while remaining delicate.
A post on the reds will follow.
