Château de Plaisance (Chaume et Quarts de Chaume) under new ownership

Vanessa Cherruau, Vigneronne coproprietaire

It was good to meet Vanessa Cherruau again. I had met her a number of years ago when she was employed at the ill-fated Château de la Genaiserie (Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné). She left Genaiserie when they ceased to pay her before the domaine collapsed first into administration (2010) and then into liquidation in 2013. 

Last year Vanessa put together a group of investors along with herself to buy the 25-hectare Château de Plaisance from Guy Rochais, whose father Henri had acquired the domaine in 1960. Since 1995 it has been farmed organically and is now biodynamic. 

Plaisance has 25 hectares of vines spread across 44 parcels in the following appellations Anjou Blanc, Savennières, Chaume and Quart de Chaume. The bulk of the vines are in Chaume with 1.5 ha in Quarts de Chaume and three hectares in Savennières around the Moulin de Gué. There are 21 hectares of Chenin, 2.5 hectares of Cabernet Sauvignon and the same area of Cabernet Franc planted as well as a small amount of Chardonnay. The average of the vines is 40 years old with some vines more than 120 years old. Picking is all by hand. 

Guy Rochais was one of the leaders of the move to make high quality dry white wine in both Chaume and Quarts de Chaume and to campaign for cru status for this dry wine. This move is partly driven by how difficult it is now to sell substantial volumes of sweet wine even from a potentially top quality appellation like Quarts de Chaume. Guy also considered that the terroir of both Chaume and Quarts de Chaume had the potential to make great dry Chenin. For several years Guy has been looking to sell up and retire. 

A duo of Savennières – 2018 and 2019

Vanessa is understandably excited by this new project, which was concluded literally hours before the 2019 harvest started. The documents were finally signed at the notaire (lawyer) at 10pm on 12th September and picking Chardonnay started the following morning at 9am! Furthermore, Vanessa was expecting a baby at any moment.

There will be a continued emphasis on dry Anjou Blanc from the Chaume vineyards. I tasted the 2019 from the Butte de Chaume, which was harvested on 18th September. "Our aim is to make a very precise and clean dry wine using no botytised grapes, so picking earlier than was Guy's practice," Vanessa explained. 

In 2019 Plaisance's vines in Savennières were frosted both in April and early May and recorded an 80% loss of crop. I tasted the 2019 Savennières, which while unfinished is attractively vibrant and with potential. It is clearly a step up from the 2018 Savennières, which is pleasant enough but not special. Clearly by 2018 Guy wanted out and Vanessa explained that most of the domaine's 2018 was sold off to négociants.  

It is good to see another new project in Chaume and Quarts de Chaume joining the recently established Domaine Belargus.       

        

 

Vanessa pouring Plaisance's Quarts de Chaume

Millésime Bio: around the fair Tuesday and Wednesday.

Bruno Ciofi et Laura Seibel: Domaine de la Pinte in Arbois

Fab design@Vincent Caillé

Arnaud Bourgeois enjoying Millésime Bio!

Staying with Sancerre: Jean-Laurent Vacheron (Domaine Vacheron)

(above and below)

 

Fine shirt – so he probably makes good wine!

Romain Guiberteau: Domaine Guiberteau (Saumur)

Marie-Laurence Saladin (Domaine Saladin, Ardèche)

Laurent Charrier (Le Pas Saint Martin, Saumur and Anjou)

More details to follow in separate post

The new commercial director@ Le Pas Saint Martin! 

Guy Rochais, Château de Plaisance, Chaume, 
Quarts de Chaume and Savennières  

Guy is looking to pilot through a new AC from dry white from Chaume – naturally pure Chenin and to be called Les Coulées de Chaume, after the two stream that descend from Chaume into the Layon. Apparently the two Syndicats – Chaume and Quarts de Chaume – are in agreement. Whether their dossier, once it is complete, will find favour with the regional committee of the INAO we will have to see. 

Olivier (La Source de Ruault, Saumur-Champigny)

 

Guillaume de Conti, Tour de Gendres, Bergerac
 (above and below)

 

Millésime Bio: sweet Loires rare in 2012

2011 Quarts de Chaume, Grand Cru, Château de Plaisance

None made here in 2012 but the fine and beautifully balanced 2011 makes up for this.

 Guy Rochais, Château de Plaisance, with his 2011 Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru

(Unfortunately I misjudged the depth of field required to get clear view of label 

so took a close up of the bottle as well)

Had a good day at Millésime Bio yesterday and managed to see quite a number of the Loire producers present at the Salon. Unfortunately as I have to head back to London today I will have to try and catch up with as many of the rest as I can this coming weekend in Angers.

Naturally conversations often turned to discusssing what a pig of year 2012 was weatherwise, although there are some good wines from the vintage, so it shouldn't be written off. Volumes in many places are low to very low. It is clear that very little sweet wine was made in 2012 or should have been made. A number of producers including Patrick Baudouin, Philippe Delesvaux, Pierre Chauvin and Eddy Oosterlinck said that they hadn't made any due to the October downpour. 

Philippe Delesvaux: "The sugar content actually went backwards. I had grapes that were at 13% natural when the rains started that had dropped to 9% when the rain eventually stopped." Understandably Philippe decided it was impossible to try to leave the grapes in the hope it might eventually be possible to make any sweet wine in 2012.

A few basic Coteaux du Layon cuvées have been made but will be surprising if anyone has managed to make anything more prestigious where the appellation requires a higher level of natural sugar. Even making a generic Layon may well have required the assistance of additional bagged up sunshine! With the recent Quarts de Chaume décret requiring a minimum of 18% potential it will be amazing if anyone managed make any in 2012.

Fortunately there are some very fine sweet wines from the 2010 and 2011 vintages to enjoy.