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.

2017 Loire in Anjou – Anne, Marie & Yves Guegniard, Emmanuel, Catherine and Vincent Ogereau

Yesterday we headed across westwards to Anjou to check on progress with the 2017 harvest. We were well aware that the 2017 harvest is virtually over. We dropped in the see the Guegniard family – Anne, Marie, Marie-Annick and Yves (Domaine de la Bergerie) – and also caught up with Jean-Michel Monnier, their wine consultant who happened to be visiting at the same time.

They have virtually finished the harvest – there just remain a couple of tris in Chaume and Quarts de Chaume. Picking started pretty early on 4th September. Fortunately they have been less hit by frost in 2017 than they were last year. However, in the Moulin de Beaupreau (Savennières), which they share with the Ogereaus and Papins, was badly hit by frost where they lost two thirds. The Ogereaus lost even more – virtually 100%. Luckily the Guiegniard family's La Croix Pichot, a parcel further east in the Savennières appellation was not hit by the frost. The Guegniards' La Croix Pichot is excellent and offers very good value at just under 14 euros from the estate. 

Unusually in 2017 the Cabernet here on schist was picked earlier than the Cabernet on limestone in Saumur – normally it is the other way round. 

On 4th October they did their first tri in the Quarts de Chaume, which came in at 21˚ potential, while Chaume was at 20˚. This year for the first time they have made an Anjou Sec from golden grapes in Chaume. The aim is to eventually create a Anjou Villages 1er Cru from a range of recognised sectors each with their own name. The intention is to give the top dry whites from the Anjou Blanc appellation great cachet than they currently have. Producers in Chaume and Quarts de Chaume are apparently the furthest advanced. However, I suspect that it will be some considerable time before this new designation will be accepted by the INAO and come to fruition.  

       Anne, Jean-Michel, Marie, Yves and CRM 

 Jean-Michel Monnier takes a sample from their 'egg', 

which is made from sandstone 

 Marie Guegniard

Domaine Ogereau, Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay:

Emmanuel Ogereau with their Vent de Spilite, 

which they hope will be an eventual Anjou Blanc Cru 

The Ogereaus have also nearly finished picking – just a last tri in the Quarts de Chaume – Les Martinières – and a parcel of Layon to finish. 

They started early – 1st September. By 30th September they had harvested their Cabernet Sauvignon parcel on the Côte de la Houssaye, which is remarkably early. Because of severe frost damage there will sadly be no Savennières this year. What few grapes they did pick have been combined with a small amount of dry wine harvested in their Quarts de Chaume parcel making just a barrel.

The first Quart de Chaume tri was on 25th September with grapes reaching a potential of 19.5%. For the second tri the potential was 22%.    

As at the Domaine de la Bergerie we tasted some nascent 2017 Chenin Blanc and again the juice was very clean with good length.  

 

Harvest virtually over the Ogereaus can relax:

Vincent, Emmanuel and Catherine 

April 2017 Loire frost – update from Patrick Vadé (Saumur Champigny and Saumur) plus Emmanuel Ogereau (Anjou)

Patrick Vadé

Patrick Vadé: Domaine Saint Vincent Saumur-Champigny (commune of Saumur)
"The damage is worse than last year. There were two episodes of frost. The first particularly on the morning of Thursday 20th April and then the following week for three successive early mornings: 27th, 28th and 29th.

The frost on the 20th hit the higher parts of the Saumur-Champigny appellation, which usually escapes the frost. For instance I've lost around 15% from my lower slopes. The frosts in the second week – 27th, 28th and 29th – hit the lower parts of the appellation that are prone to frost – St Cyr, Chacé etc. Some producers have lost virtually 100%. 

Talking to the Cave Robert et Marcel (the Cave Co-operative of St Cyr) they have lost 20% of their 1800 hectares.    

The frost of Saturday 29th was a surprise as the forecast was for + 2 but then for a brief period early in the morning the temperature dropped to minus 2 with a white frost. It all happened very quickly."

Because of the favourable forecast most producers were tucked up in bed so not in a position to attempt to alleviate this final April frost. 

Emmanuel Ogereau

Emmanuel Ogereau (Domaine Ogereau, Anjou)

Emmanuel Ogereau (Domaine Ogereau): “Savennières was wiped out on 27^th – only 10% of the crop remains and there is also severe damage in other parts of Anjou, especially around Rochefort-sur-Loire and Chaudefonds-sur-Layon. There was another frost in Savennières the following night but that had little effect as the damage had already been done the night before.

In Saint-Lambert we have lost between 30%-49% with our Chenin being particularly badly hit. Parts of the Coteaux d'Aubance have been seriously affected especially vineyards close to the river.”

  
    

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 Vins de Loire – Sunday 5th February

 Pierre-Marie Luneau, Domaine Luneau-Papin, 

Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine

Chris 'Dr Loire' Kissack 

tasting Luneau's Muscadet 

Bertrand Minchin, Menetou-Salon and Valençay

Bertrand was particularly badly hit by frost in Menetou in 2016

making virtually no wine.

Was impressed by Bertrand's 2015 Fumet and 2015 Honorine 

– two Menetous from very different terroirs

 

Pierre-Henry Pellé, Domaine Pellé
Menetou-Salon and Sancerre

Anne Pellé, Domaine Pellé
Menetou-Salon and Sancerre

The Pellés were badly hit by 2016 frosts in Menetou-Salon

 Xavier Weisskopf – maker of very precise and fine Montlouis

Hardly surprising that both Carine and Stéphane Sérol 

(Domaine Sérol) are smiling – 2016 was a 

very good vintage in the Côte Roannaise 

Jean Teissedre, Domaine des Berioles

Saint-Pourçain (above and below). Jean is a talented 

young producer. I particularly 

liked the 2016 Tressalier  

Emmanuel Ogereau creating a silent 

and impressive revolution at Domaine Ogereau, 

Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay (Anjou)

Pascal Cailleau, Domaine de Sauveroy, also in Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay

When I first started coming to Anjou 

and the Salon des Vins de Loire Pascal 

had just taken over the family domaine. 

Pascal continues to be enthusiastic and making good wine 

 

 

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. 

   

Loire suffers serious and widespread frost damage on 27th April

La nature est parfois difficile avec ceux qui pour autant l'aime encore.
Exemple confirmée à La Charpenterie.

Photo by 

Sabrina Cyprien Caslot-Bourdin

Near La Chapelle-sur-Loire 

(Photo taken from a post by Sabrina Cyprien Caslot-Bourdin.

I hope my use of her very sad photo will be acceptable.) 

This is a further round up of news of the serious frost during the night of Tuesday 26th and Wednesday 27th April. A shorter version was published in decanter.com on Friday. 

Parts of the Loire were very severely hit by frost during the night of Tuesday 26^th and Wednesday 27^th.  Temperatures in a few places fell as low as – 6˚C.

As in April 1991 a lethal combination of damp ground from recent rain, clear overnight skies, very low temperatures in the latter part of the night followed by bright early morning sunshine has virtually destroyed the 2016 vintage in some sectors of the Loire.

Although it is too early to know the full extent of the damage some parts of the Loire have been very badly hit. The worst hit areas appear to be Bourgueil, Montlouis, Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil, Azay le Rideau and Touraine Noble. The important communes of Cravant-les-Coteaux and Panzoult in AOP Chinon are reported also badly affected. 

 

Couly Dutheil, whose vines are mostly in the more western part of the Chinon appellation, reports that 20 hectares of their 90 are affected. In Ligré Jérôme Billard (Domaine de la Noblaie) finds that 20% of his vines have been affected by the frost. Mainly those less good parcels parcels that Jérôme reserves for his rosé. Here the damage is as high as 60%, while in his best parcels of Cabernet Franc for his reds only 10% of the vines appear to have been hit.   

Guillaume Lapaque, director of FAV37*, told Decanter: “Noble Joué has lost 94% of this harvest, 70% in Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil and 50% in Chinon. Overall Appellation Touraine has been much less affected.”

Sabine Corsin, Syndicat de Montlouis reported a 90% loss in Saint-Martin-le-Beau with 50% loss in the appellation’s other two communes. Losses in Vouvray are reported to be less overall and more variable. 

Jacky Blot (Domaine de la Taille aux Loups – Montlouis, Vouvray) expects to make 25% of normal if all goes well from here. In contrast the outlook is more optimistic for his Domaine de la Butte (Bourgueil). Here the loss is 20% essentially Pied de la Butte on the flatter ground. The rest of the vines on the steep slope are intact.      

In Saumur-Champigny the communes of Chacé, Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg and Varrains have been badly hit. Closer to the Loire damage is much less. “We have lost 10%,” said Florence Chevallier (Château de Villeneuve).  

“We have been very badly hit in our vineyards which are close to the River Layon,” said Emmanuel Ogereau (Domaine Ogereau, Anjou). However, we have no damage in Savennières where our vines are on high ground.”

The picture in the Pays Nantais appears to be very variable. Domaine Luneau-Papin (Muscadet) has suffered damage in some parcels, while others haven’t been touched.

“A third of my vines have been badly hit with up to 100% loss in some parcels, one third slightly affected and one third not touched at all,” said Vincent Caillé, Domaine Faye d’Homme (Muscadet). However, fans of Vincent and Christelle Guibert's Terre d'Gneiss will be relieved that this boutique parcel was spared. 

In the Central Loire Vineyards Benoît Roumet, the director of Les Vins du Centre, reports that Menetou-Salon, Pouilly-Fumé, Quincy and Reuilly have all been hit to a greater of lesser degree. Sancerre, in contrast, has largely escaped. However, Roumet cautions that things will be clearer next week. 

Although this April frost may not be as extensive as that of 1991, wine stocks would have been much higher after the very good and generous 1990 vintage. Now stocks are low after four small to below average vintages. On top of that you have to factor in the current annual loss from esca, which was not a factor back in 1991. Esca is not only one of the reasons why yields are lower than expected but there is also the constant cost of replacing dead vines. 

Negotiations with government and banks to help to see badly hit producers through this crisis will start next week. 

Photo from Pierre & Bertrand Couly

Three Musketeers' tasting and dinner: Emmanuel Ogereau

A week last Saturday we – Nigel Wilkinson and Tom King of RSJ Restaurant, Chris Kissack and myself – had an excellent tasting with three Anjou domaines. Domaine de la Bergerie, Domaine Ogereau and Château Pierre-Bise make up the trio of domaines we have dubbed the Three Musketeers.  

There has been a two-year gap since the last Musketeers tasting. During this interval the younger generation have moved increasingly to the fore. The format for the event remains the same – presentation and tasting of the latest wines from all three domaines following by dinner at La Table de la Bergerie.      

Emmanuel Ogereau, Domaine Ogereau

Emmanuel with a cask sample of their first vintage 

of Quarts de Chaume (2015) 

The generational change was immediately underlined with Emmanuel Ogereau presenting the wines of Domaine Ogereau (23 hectares) rather than Vincent, his father. Vincent and Catherine Ogereau did, however, claim the right to dinner over Emmanuel!

It was impressive to see Emmanuel do an assured presentation in English – before returning to the family domaine at Saint Lambert-du-Lattay he worked in New Zealand and Oregon. 

Highlights from the tasting of the Ogereaus' latest wines included: 

2014 Anjou en Chenin  

From vines planted on grey schist in Saint Lambert du Lattay and picked in several tris selecting golden Chenin. Wild ferment in 500-litre oak casks. Good weight and texture, honeyed with attractive acidity in the finish. Aging potential.   

2013 Clos Grand Beaupréau, Savennières

From two parcels. Mid-yellow colour, textured, some honey, clean, precise, good length and balance.  

2014 Clos Grand Beaupréau, Savennières  

Richer and fuller than the 2013 with good weight, texture and citric character.  Lovely wine. 

2014 Vent de Spilite, 
From eight rows of old Chenin vines. Just one barrel – richly textured, attractive length and bright acidity in the finish.

2014 L'Enthousiasme Savennières
From a vein of sandstone, richly textured, honey and citric notes.  

Reds
2013 Anjou Rouge   

85% Cabernet Franc, 15% Grolleau. Juicy still youthful, slight greeness but good for this difficult year. 

2014 Anjou Rouge
Blend the same as in 2013 but naturally richer and fuller with attractive red fruits and some potential to age, although really made to drink young. 

2013 Côte de la Houssaye, Anjou Villages 

100% Cabernet Sauvignon from an especially warm site. This cuvée is only released in good vintages. Given the difficulty of the 2013 vintage this has surprisingly soft blackcurrant fruit. The Ogereaus only released a small amount of the 2013 Houssaye.    

2014 Côte de la Houssaye, Anjou Villages 

100% Cabernet Sauvignon. Ripely textured black fruits, mouthfilling, big structure with ripe tannins, nicely balanced although needs more time.

Sweet wines
Conditions in 2014 made it impossible to make very concentrated sweet wines in this vintage. The 2014 Coteaux du Layon Saint-Lambert is delicately sweet and nicely balanced with fresh acidity making it a more versatile wine, if less impressive than the very concentrated cuvées. There is certainly a trend towards this style of sweet wine in Anjou. 

2014 Harmonie de Bonnes Blanches, Coteaux du Layon Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay 
Lovely 100% botrytis, rich but delicate freshness from the acidity. The Ogereaus look for concentration but also pick early to keep freshness.  

2010 Clos des Bonnes Blanches, Coteaux du Layon Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay
Just lovely balance of sweet fruit and acidity from a great sweet wine vintage.    

No Clos des Bonnes Blanches was made in 2015 as the Ogereaus wanted to concentrate on their first vintage in their parcel of Quarts de Chaume. We tasted their very promising and exciting 2015 Quarts de Chaume, which is still fermenting.  

 

To come: René Papin (Château Pierre-Bise)  

René Papin, Château Pierre-Bise

Yves Guegniard (Domaine de la Bergerie)

 

Dinner at La Table de la Bergerie 

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.