Emerging from social confinement...

Aynard de Clermont-Tonnerre, the new general secretary of AREV  

After weeks of no social interaction with friends during France's strict lockdown, we welcomed our first two guests to have passed our front gate since early March last Thursday for an apéro à distance sociale.

Fortunately it was a lovely warm evening and we sat outside in the garden, while maintaining a social distance with no handshakes or embraces, of course.  Our two guests were Aynard and Isabelle de Clermont-Tonnerre of Clos du Porteau in nearby Saint-Georges-sur-Cher.

It turned out to be a double celebration – not just for a restrained lifting of social confinement but also an unexpected celebration of Aynard's important new job as general secretary of AREV: the Assemblée des régions européennes viticoles. Aynard took up the initial post as Deputy General Secretary on 1st April. On Monday (1st June) he will take over as General Secretary when the current holder – Alain d'Anselme – retires. 

Aynard is naturally delighted and excited by his new job, which in normal times would be a challenge but it will be made all the more challenging by COVID-19. There will be a a full interview with Aynard soon.

I had decided that for our apéro evening would be restricted to white wine and would feature a trio of wines from Jacky Blot – all from Montlouis.

Triple Zéro, Montlouis, La Taille aux Loups, Jacky Blot

This bottle had considerable bottle age as the cork remained in its tight mushroom form without splaying out. Along with many Loires, well made sparkling wines – Triple Zéro is a pétillant – have the potential to age well if you can resist opening them when they are young. Thursday's Triple Zéro had retained its purity and freshness along with a developed honeyed complexity. A perfect start for our double celebration.

 

2012 Rémus Plus, Montlouis, Domaine de la Taille aux Loups 

2005 Rémus, Montlouis, Domaine de la Taille aux Loups 

We followed the Triple Zéro with a duo of Rémus – the 2005 was a straight Rémus, while the 2012 was a Rémus Plus: a more severe selection than Rémus and from vines aged between 80 and 100 years old. This was also a contrast of vintages. 2005 had a long hot dry summer with fine weather continuing into the autumn. In contrast 2012 was a more difficult year, although bud-break was early, the vines were badly hit by an April frost on the night 16th-17th April. There was heavy and continuous rain from early October.

The 2005 was noticeably richer than 2012 and naturally more evolved but still with good freshness in the finish, while the 2012 was tighter, very clean and precise with an attractive austerity in the long finish with a clear potential to evolve and age for a long time yet. The majority preferred the 2005, while I had a slight preference for the 2012. Both fine wines with differences that reflect the different ages and climatic differences of these two vintages.

Pomerol annulation by the Conseil d'Etat - pertinent for Jacky Blot and François Chidaine?

François Chidaine and Jacky Blot 
with their 'Vin de France Vouvrays'

It is very interesting to see the Conseil d'Etat's decision to annul the obligation in the Pomerol appellation décret to only allow producers to vinify and mature Pomerol wines within the demarcated zone of the Pomerol appellation. The Conseil decided that Pomerol had not justified excluding those Pomerol producers who have vines within the appellation but vinify in a neighbouring commune. The Conseil ruled that it was wrong to disadvantage producers who do not have winemaking facilities within the small appellation of Pomerol.

The ruling by the Conseil d'Etat: 
Taken from the site (Chroniques Vineuses) of Hervé Lalau, one of members of our cooperative blog – Les 5 du Vin. 

Pour le Conseil, "le cahier des charges de l'AOC " Pomerol ", qui ne comporte aucun élément de nature à justifier la nécessité de localiser les opérations de vinification, d'élaboration et d'élevage à l'intérieur de l'aire géographique de production, se borne à exiger, dans son chapitre IX intitulé " Transformation, élaboration, élevage, conditionnement et stockage ", que la vinification s'effectue " conformément aux usages locaux, loyaux et constants " et ne mentionne, dans ses développements consacrés au " lien à l'origine ", que les facteurs naturels et techniques de conduite de la vigne". 

De plus, "les requérants ont pu, pendant des décennies, réaliser leurs opérations de vinification, d'élaboration et d'élevage en dehors de l'aire géographique de production de l'AOC " Pomerol " tout en bénéficiant de cette appellation. Par ailleurs, il ne ressort ni des pièces du dossier ni de l'argumentation développée par le ministre de l'agriculture, de l'agro-alimentaire et de la forêt, l'Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité et le Syndicat agricole et viticole de Pomerol que la localisation de chais comme ceux des requérants, à proximité immédiate de la zone géographique de production, et les opérations de transport de raisin qu'elle implique soient de nature à porter atteinte à la qualité et aux caractéristiques propres aux vins de l'AOC " Pomerol ".

Toujours selon le Conseil d'Etat, "Compte tenu de l'ensemble de ces circonstances, en tant qu'il homologue une modification du cahier des charges de l'AOC " Pomerol " qui ne prévoit la délimitation d'aucune zone de proximité immédiate et exclut donc du bénéfice de cette appellation tous les producteurs qui ne procèdent pas aux opérations de vinification, d'élaboration et d'élevage à l'intérieur de l'aire géographique de production, le décret attaqué est entaché d'une erreur d'appréciation.

Dès lors et sans qu'il soit besoin d'examiner les autres moyens de leur requête, la SCEA Château Siaurac et autres sont fondés à demander l'annulation du décret attaqué en tant qu'il homologue une modification du cahier des charges de l'AOC " Pomerol " s'abstenant de procéder à la délimitation d'une zone de proximité immédiate au titre de cette appellation".

'C'est la troisième fois en 6 ans que le Conseil d'Etat annule cette modification du cahier des charges, qui a déjà connu plusieurs moutures.'

Does this ruling create a precedent in the case of Jacky Blot and François Chidaine being banned by the INAO from making Vouvray in the neighbouring commune of Montlouis. I am not aware of any proper justification for the ban in the Vouvray décret. Indeed when I spoke to Philippe Brisebarre he was keen to stress that he would really like to find a solution but that despite the best efforts of the INAO lawyers in Paris no solution could be found because the Loire is a barrier.....

 Boundary of the commune of Vouvray

(above and below)

Boundary of commune of Montlouis

The southern boundary of Vernou, 

the commune adjacent to Vouvray,

showing land boundaries with Montlouis

These four maps indicate very clearly that in several places that there are land boundaries between Montlouis and those of Vouvray and Vernou, so Philippe Brisebarre was incorrect to say in 2015 that the Loire was a barrier between Vouvray and Montlouis. The Loire is not an administrative barrier to either Vernou or Vouvray as the boundaries of both communes straddle the Loire.

Brisebarre offered no justification, apart from replying on the Loire being a 'barrier', for the banning the vinification of Vouvray in Montlouis. He did explain that the only exception to vinifying within the boundaries of the Vouvray appellation is the commune of Nazelles-Négron just to the north of Amboise.  

I remain astonished that the doubtless well-paid lawyers employed by the INAO were not aware that the communes of both Vouvray and Vernou actually straddle the Loire and physically touch the boundary of the commune of Montlouis.   

I am surprised that Blot and Chidaine have not taken this ban to the Conseil d'Etat, as I think it highly likely that the Conseil would rule in their favour. It may be, of course, that as both Jacky and François are able to easily sell all the 'Vouvray' they make under the Vin de France label it isn't worth the time and expense of going to the Conseil. 

Given the Pomerol ruling by the Conseil d'Etat perhaps the INAO would just throw in the towel and not contest any challenge to the ban on vinifying Vouvray in the commune of Montlouis?

However, the ban is also a good story that sets their 'Vouvrays' apart. At the recent Charles Sydney Wines Ltd tasting in London I was asked at least twice why Jacky Blot's wine was Vin de France and not Vouvray.

Furthermore Jacky and François may also feel that appellation Vouvray is so diminished by their absence that Vin de France is now more prestigious option than appellation Vouvray ….

(Back in 2015 I posted a detailed look at this dispute on Les 5 du Vin. See here. 

#2015Loire – Vin de France de Jacky Blot dans le terroir de Vouvray

Jacky Blot, Domaine de la Taille aux Loups 

(photo: CRM) 

Is this good enough for Vin de France or 

should it be declassified to appellation? 
(photo: CRM) 

 

Yesterday morning we were across in Noizay to see Jacky Blot (Domaine de la Taille aux Loups) do a selective picking of the Clos de la Bretonnière. The Clos is on the Premières Côtes and classified within the Appellation but because of the insanity of the 2009 Vouvray decrét this will have to be, for the moment, sold as Vin de France since it makes no economic sense for Jacky to build a winery in AC Vouvray.

For details of this absurd and petty situation click here. A continuation of the long-standing conflict between Vouvray and Montlouis! 

About two months ago Jacky sent a letter detailing the background to this dispute to the director of the INAO. I understand that Jacky hasn't even had an acknowledgement. Perhaps the director is stumped for something to say!!

It seems highly likely that this interdiction to vinifying Vouvray in the neighbouring commune of Vouvray will be resolved either way by Jacky Blot and François Chidaine challenging the 2009 decrét before the Conseil d'Etat. Given the law and the unlimited permission the INAO granted to Jacky Blot in 1999 to vinify his Vouvray in the commune of Montlouis it is difficult to imagine how François and Jacky could lose. 

The top 'Vouvray' from Domaine de la Taille aux Loups is 2014 Le Clos de Venise – sorry Venise, Vin de France! It retails from the domaine at 24€ TTC. Looking at wine-searcher there are very few 2014 Vouvrays that sell at this price or above. Echoes of Vino da Tavola Super Tuscans from the 1970s and 1980s!          

 Table de tri for Vin de France 

Not good enough for Vin de France....

Trio of Loires recently enjoyed

 2003 Moelleux Vouvray Domaine de la Taille aux Loups 

Rich honeyed concentration from the heatwave year, this sweet Vouvray from Domaine aux Taille aux Loups worked well as an apéro – just a glass or so – but also with pheasant cooked in cream and apple and finished with a little Calvados and some more cream. Long finish but not especially complex, although certainly would have aged for decades if I hadn't pulled the cork.  

 2013 Pierre de la Grange Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur lie, Domaine Pierre Luneau Papin

Attractive, fresh, lemony, saline young Muscadet from Domaine Pierre Luneau Papin. This spends seven months on its lees before bottling. We enjoyed this with simply fried halibut steaks. It also worked well as a contrast with a starter of scallops and black pudding also a good, refreshing apéro. I'm sure would have been perfect with shellfish including oysters.     

 Secret des Vignes 2012 Saumur Champigny, Ackerman 

Secret des Vignes 2012 Saumur Champigny (11.90€) is the first of three samples of the Secret des Vignes sent to me from Ackerman. 2012 is not the easiest Loire vintage and while this shows some of the characteristic acidity of 2012 it has impressive concentration of black fruits. Still youthful though drinkable now it would benefit by being left for another year or two. The back label suggests this Champigny could age for 5-10 years, which given its concentration (for the year) is a fair estimate. Also in this series is a Saumur Blanc and a Coteaux du Saumur, which I will be trying over the next few days. The 2012 Saumur Champigny was a promising start.       

2014 Loire – vintage also underway in Vouvray + 2011 Foreau Sec

 Chenin Blanc@the Clos de Venise

Yesterday we had a quick look@Vouvray, in particular in Jacky Blot's (Domaine de la Taille aux Loups) two parcels on the north side of the Loire – Le Clos de Venise (Noizay) and Le Clos de la Bretonnière. With wonderful fine weather at the moment, which has lasted for much of September and now into October, the vignerons are optimistic at last after two difficult years, although yields are tending to be low – Jacky says he will be lucky to see 30 hl/ha this year. On the other hand he thinks 2014 could well be potentially the best sec he has made in Vouvray and Montlouis. Comparisons with the 2002 and 2008 vintages are being made.

With a less favourable forecast for early next week, Jacky is keen to get as much as possible of the top parcels picked this week, so one picking team in Vouvray, the other in Montlouis – tackling Clos Mosny and Clos Michet. 

Clos de Venise: 

 Phew! Hot work for the first day of October!

 Clos de Venise – sorting (above and below)

Very little waste in 2014 – grapes rejected in Clos de Venise

– big contrast to last year

•••

 Picking machine@work in vineyards near Noizay

 

 Vernou-sur-Brenne

Grapes@Vernou

 

Vernou: picking machine returning to vines after its lunch

 Grand houses along the Premier Côte@Vouvray

(Above and below)

Clos de la Bretonnière

 Organising pickers

 Jacky Blot@the sorting table

 Grapes in the upper and older part of the Clos de la Bretonnière 

are being left to see if sweet wine can be made this year

 

 Hod-carrier

 Sun-bathing vintage..

Another hod carrier

On the way back to Epeigné-les-Bois we dropped in La Grange Tiphaine where we saw Coralie Delecheneau, who reported that Damien was over at Saint-Martin-le-Beau (AC Montlouis) picking for their sparkling cuvées.

Philippe Foreau: 2011 Vouvray Sec 

Domaine de Clos Naudin

While in Vouvray we drove up the Rue de la Croix Buisée to see if anything was going on at Philippe Foreau's Clos Naudin. As it was lunchtime there was not unnaturally little activity but we did get a glimpse of his pickers all seated round a table enjoying a sitdown lunch. So it seemed appropriate yesterday evening to open in celebration of the 2014 vintage a bottle of his 2011 Vouvray Sec. Still very young, of course, but with an attractive citric and slightly baked apple character with just a touch of sweetness to balance the acidity.