2015 Château de l'Aulnaye, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Château Thébaud

2015 Château de l'Aulnaye, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, 

Château Thébaud, Famille Lieubeau 

This very fine rich and concentrated Muscadet spends three years on its lees. It is the style of cru communaux, although Château Thébaud has yet to be formally recognised the French government rather to the understandable frustration of those eligible to benefit from the new appellation.

This style of Muscadet is far removed from the fresh citric version that goes so well with shellfish. We drank the 2015 Château de l'Aulnaye with salmon with butter and lemon in a parcel – a fine match. This Muscadet also worked well with some mature Montgomery cheddar. 

The Lieubeaus are important growers in Château Thébaud.  

  

2017 Muscadet – report on the vintage

Picking @Domaines Joseph Landron

We spent Monday and Tuesday of this week in the Pays Nantais looking at the 2017 vintage. It is well known that the Pays Nantais was badly frosted in late April. The effects of the frost are, however, very variable. Some lucky producers like Jéremie Huchet in Château-Thebaud only lost some 10%-15% of his crop. He did, however, lose 40% from frost last year. At the other end Fred Niger has lost 98% of his 2017 crop – making only three hl/ha. 

Much of the crop has now been picked – Jéremie Huchet finished on Friday 8th September having started on 28th August. Jo Landon was finishing either on Tuesday or Wednesday. By Monday (11th) Lieubeau were three quarters through their harvest – down 40% due to frost – having started on 31st August.   

There should be some very good Muscadet made this year, especially from vineyards not seriously frosted and from fruit picked early on as there was heavy rain on Sunday 3rd September. Following that downpour there is some rot appearing.

In vineyards heavily frosted the quality is more difficult as there is considerable variation in ripeness between the first generation grapes that resisted the frost and the second generation that came through after the frost.           

2009 M de la Fruitière, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine, Lieubeau

2009 M de la Fruitère, Muscadet Sèvre et Maine

Lieubeau

More high quality from the Pays Nantais – this 2009 M de la Fruitière from the Lieubeau family in Château Thébaud. The 2009 M spent 18 months on its lees. It is now an attractively light gold colour and richly textured – far from a young fresh Muscadet that is classically ideal with fruits de mer. 

In contrast I enjoyed the 2009 with grilled chicken and I'm sure it would have been equally good with grilled fish but also fish that was served with a beurre blanc, for instance.

 François Lieubeau

Vincent Lieubeau

Charles Sydney Wines: photos from today's tasting

 Chris Hardy, one of the directors of Charles Sydney Wines Ltd

 Chris Hardy surprised to receive 

the company credit card from Philippa Sydney

 Christophe Surget, Couly-Dutheil, Chinon

 Arnaud Couly, Couly-Dutheil, Chinon

(above and below)

 François Lieubeau, Famille Lieubeau

Muscadet Sèvre et Maine 

 Vincent Lieubeau, Famille Lieubeau

 Jérôme Choblet, Domaine des Herbauges

Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu 

Alphone Mellot jnr, Alphonse Mellot

 Sancerre

(above and below)

Rebekah representing Vignobles Mourat

Comments on the wines to come in separate post.