Sancerre – shameful vandalism attributed to IGP nonsense

 

'Rififi dans le Sancerre: arrachage sauvage de plus de 5.000 pieds de vigne

Publié le 19/07/16 par Le Figaro Vin

Un viticulteur du Sancerrois a porté plainte ce week-end contre l'arrachage sauvage de 5.600 pieds de sauvignon sur une parcelle à Saint-Satur (Cher).'

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On Saturday morning a vigneron based in Bué discovered that his recently planted parcel apparently at La Cabarette, Saint-Satur had been vandalised with 5600 vines uprooted – an estimated damage of 12,000€. The vigneron is said by Decanter to be Jean-Jacques Auchere. 

The shameful vandalism has been widely attributed to the tensions and controversy over the right to plant Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir close to appellations. These tensions are particularly strong in Sancerre.

In the FranceBleu article Gilles Guillerault, president of the Sancerre producers, is quoted as saying: 'ce geste d'exaspération ne l'étonne pas .... il se déclare désolé mais c'était prévisible puisque les négotiations avec l'état n'avancent pas pour resteindre la liste des cépages en IGP en Centre Loire'.

Frankly I'm not surprised that négotiations haven't produced the result that the Sancerre producers want. I can see no good reason why it shouldn't be possible to plant both Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc for IGP wines in Centre Loire. Instead their objections are foolishly protectionist and send out very negative signals regarding how fragile they see Sancerre's reputation.

One of the reasons advanced for a ban on planting Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir destined for IGP in the Centre Loire is that it would be easy to blend IGP with appellation wine in a winery where both types of wine are made. This ignores that some of the leading respected producer négociant companies, such as Henri Bourgeois and Joseph Mellot, already make both AC and IGP wines in the same winery. The Henri Bourgeois Le Petit Bourgeois and Joseph Mellot Destinea are both IGP ranges, featuring both Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, made in their facilities in Sancerre. 

At their winery in Chavignol I have frequently tasted Petit Bourgeois, Sancerre, and Pouilly-Fumé from stainless vats all in the same area. Are the protesters really suggesting that Henri Bourgeois and Joseph Mellot blend their IGP wines into their Sancerre or that they are even tempted to do so?!

Jean-Christophe Bourgeois sources Petit Bourgeois from around Touraine. What would be the difference if it was sourced from IGP vines close to Sancerre? Why the objection?

If it were possible to sell IGP Sancerre, then I could understand the complaints but any IGP wines made from vines planted close to Sancerre etc. have to be labelled IGP Val de Loire. 

A number of Central Vineyard appellations, such as Menetou-Salon, Reuilly and Sancerre who make pure 100% Pinot Noir, already enjoy protection provided by the INAO, who will not allow pure Pinot Noir in appellations like Coteaux du Giennois, Châteaumeillant, Saint-Pourçain and the Côtes d'Auvergne. Pinots from these appellations have to include Gamay.

Hopefully whoever vandalised these vines will be told to stop as this sort of vicious action is very damaging to Sancerre's reputation. 

     

    

 

 

    

Launch of Dames de Coeur de Loire

 Catherine Corbeau-Mellot 

(Joseph Mellot).

leading contact for

l’Association des Dames du Cœur de Loire 

Press release on launch:

'Dans la lignée du Cercle National des Femmes du Vin qui existe depuis 2009 dans 9 régions viticoles, l’association Les Dames du Cœur de Loire vient d’etre créée en Centre-Loire. 

Elle regroupe une trentaine de femmes des 7 vignobles de la région (Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé, Menetou-Salon, Quincy, Reuilly, Coteaux du Giennois et Châteaumeillant) qui exercent différentes fonctions dans la filière : vigneronne, œnologue, enseignante, technicienne de laboratoire, assistante commerciale...

L’Association Les Dames du Cœur de Loire a pour but :

• -  De rassembler les vignobles du Centre Loire au travers d’une association de femmes impliquées professionnellement dans la production et la commercialisation du vin
  
• 
  -  De transmettre la culture de la vigne et du vin par l’éducation, l’information et par la pédagogie de la consommation
  
• 
  -  Favoriser les échanges et la transmission du savoir faire
  
• 
  -  Constituer un réseau entre les vignobles du Centre-Loire permettant l’entraide et la solidarité morale, technique, juridique et commerciale
• 
  -  Promouvoir et sauvegarder le patrimoine environnemental, paysager, architectural et culturel des vignobles du Centre Loire
  
• 
  -  Créer des évènements pour atteindre les objectifs de l’Association
  
  La première action :
  Fort du constat des difficultés de recrutement de personnes qualifiées pour travailler dans les vignes et à la cave dans la région et du manque d’information vers les publics de jeunes élèves au moment de leur orientation et dans une période de chômage important, la filière peut former et recruter dans la région et ainsi proposer un avenir professionnel aux jeunes.
  
  L’Association souhaite faire la promotion des métiers de la Vigne et du Vin et démontrer que ce sont des professions d’avenir accessibles à toutes et à tous et a donc décidé de créer des outils permettant une meilleure connaissance des formations régionales et de redonner une image valorisante des métiers.
  
  Les efforts sont concentrés pour mieux faire connaître leur activité par l’éducation, l’information et la pédagogie afin de transmettre la culture de la Vigne et du Vin et défendre les traditions des vignobles du Centre Loire.
  
  Association DAMES DE COEUR DE LOIRE - 9, route de Chavignol – 18300 SANCERRE Tél. : 02 48 78 51 07 - Email :damesdecoeurdeloire@gmail.com'
  

Sampling Joseph Mellot wines from the Loire Central Vineyards

2013 Pouilly-Fumé, Domaine des Mariniers  

I was recently sent six samples from producer and négociant Joseph Mellot in Sancerre. Five of the six were closed with a screwcap, while the most expensive – the 2010 La Chatelaine, Sancerre – has a cork. This strikes me as the wrong way round. Why continue to use fallible cork on expensive bottles of wine where wine faults hit your pocket harder than they do with cheap wine? 

2013 Menetou-Salon, Les Thureaux, Joseph Mellot

My favourite of the six  

Tasting the Joseph Mellot samples confirms that these wines have improved considerably of late. All have been well-made and good examples of their appellations.  Leaving aside the older and wood fermented 2010 La Châtelaine, the most successful was the quite weighty 2013 Menetou-Salon Les Thureaux   – floral, ripe gooseberry, soft texture with nicely balanced acidity. The 2013 Sancerre La Chatellenie from vines on flinty soils was similar in style but with a little less weight, while the 2012 Coteaux du Giennois La Gaupière was vibrantly citric. In contrast the 2013 Pouilly-Fumé Domaine des Mariniers was correct without being exciting – perhaps with a little more time in bottle? Equally the Destinéa 2013 Sauvignon Blanc IGP was rather bland and two-dimensional but with marked acidity in the finish.

 2010 La Grande Châtelaine, Sancerre, Joseph Mellot 

The most expensive wine tasted but closed with a cork

Finally the prestige cuvée 2010 La Grande Châtelaine from clay limestone soils and fermented in wood using locally sourced oak from Allogny, a commune just to the north of Bourges. This was certainly the most complex of the wines with attractive weight and texture and a nicely judged touch of oak.

2012 La Gaupière, Coteaux du Giennois, Joseph Mellot

 2013 La Chatellenie, Sancerre, Joseph Mellot

 2013 Destinéa, Sauvignon Blanc, IGP Val de Loire, Joseph Mellot

A few harvest photos: 2010 and 2012 around Sancerre

View of Château de Tracy from slopes to east of Sancerre (2012)

A few fairly random photos from a short sorting out session: 

 Dessiccated grapes (2012)

 Joseph Mellot winery to east of town of Sancerre (2012)

 Vincent Pinard with his team of pickers

Slopes to south east of Sancerre (2012) 

Early autumn colours@Bué (2010)

New installation near Chavignol but not sure – identification please?

A couple of Chenins and a Sancerre@winerack

Off to the wine rack tasting this morning, where among the 80 or so wines shown, there were two Chenin Blancs and a Sancerre.

2007 Montarlet, Sancerre, Joseph Mellot (£16.49 single bottle price)
Grassy and gooseberry aromas and flavours, some weight and style and crisp, citric finish. Montarlet is a blend of wine from silex vineyards at Sancerre (60%) and caillottes (limestone – 40%) from nearby Ménétréol-sous-Sancerre.

Looking down from the flinty vineyards of Sancerre (La Belle Dame) towards those of Ménétréol

Sancerre to Ménétréol: similar view to above but lower down and slightly to the left

2008 Ken Forrester Handmade Chenin Blanc, South Africa (£6.99)
Good value, characterful citric South African Chenin with a touch of apricot and fair length. Not sure what Ken Forrester means by ‘Handmade’ – did he waggle his hand in the fermenting must to check the temperature? Hopefully Ken will be over for the London International Trade Fair next week so I can check then.


2005 Anjou, Chenin Sec, Château de la Guimonière, Vignobles Alain Château (£8.99)
Perhaps the most interesting of the three wines – certainly the most challenging with its beeswax and slightly oxidative style. This Anjou has honeyed length and it will be good to see how it evolves over the next few years. Fair value.

La Guimonière (Rochefort-sur-Loire) has had several changes of ownership over the last couple of decades. The late Gaston Lenôtre bought the property in 1991. It was then sold to Bernard Germain in 1996, who sold it on along with Yon Figeac (Saint-Emilion) in 2005 to Alain Château, who already owned Château de Bellerive in the Quarts de Chaume. Interesting to see that plain Anjou is preferred to Anjou Blanc on the label – presumably they believe correctly that 'Anjou Blanc' would undermine it.