Château d'Aulée: Pique-Nique chez le Vigneron Indépendant

Intense, Appellation Touraine (80% Chenin, 20% Chardonnay)

 Some of the assembled picnickers 

Marielle Henrion, the owner, running a quiz

Château d'Aulée

Today we were@Château d'Aulée for a Pique-Nique chez le Vigneron Indépendant, one of many picnics taking place over this holiday weekend. We were here two years ago and there was a bigger crowd this time – it has obviously become of popular event. Also some of the picnics are more ambitious – there was a large group (some from Paris) who grilled a côte de boeuf.

We drank the agreeably fruity Touraine sparkler – Intense – and then moved onto the soft, easy drinking 2012 Chinon from sandy soils.

Picnic over we bought fresh supplies of the Brut Zéro, Crémant de Loire (7.50€ a bottle) plus some of the Chinon (Le Château Rouge – 5.50€ a bottle).

 Undercover as the weather is a little uncertain this weekend

Fortunately mainly hot and sunny as the 

flowering is now getting underway

 Upholding the hallowed tradition: 

the blokes looked after the barbecue 

 Trying to encourage enough heat to cook the côte de boeuf

Properly rare beef

 2012 Le Château, Chinon

 

   

Photos from the Sydneys' Loire tasting

Charlotte Dagueneau, Domaine Didier Dagueneau

Charlotte and brother Benjamin are carrying on Didier's legacy 

François Lieubeau, Lieubeau Vignerons 

Marielle Henrion, Château de l'Aulée

Maker of very good Crémant

Bertrand Minchin, La Tour Saint Martin (Menetou-Salon and Valençay)

(Above and below)

 Could Bertrand be considering changing the estate name to Domaine Ray-Ban?! 

 Some notes on the wines to follow.

Château de l'Aulée: Chorale Soirée Insolite 26th July

This Thursday Château de l'Aulée are holding an evening with songs from the Chorale des Bateliers de la Chapelle aux Naux (batellier is someone who pilots boats). The evening costs 13€ person. Details here on Facebook. Marielle and Arnaud Henrion make very good sparkling wines, especially their Crémant de Loire, at Aulée. The wines are also excellent value.  

Château de l'Aulée, Azay-le-Rideau

Photos from the Sydneys' Loire benchmark tasting: 18.01.2012

Jean-Philippe Blot: Domaine de la Taille aux Loups and Domaine de la Butte (Montlouis, Vouvray and Bourgueil)

Charles and Philippa's 'benchmark' Loire tasting held yesterday in the vaults of the Royal Society of Arts – just off London's Strand largely featured the wines, although there were a few producers over as well. It was noticeable that the younger generation were to the fore with Jean-Philippe Blot, Emmanuelle Mellot, René Papin and Anne-Charlotte Genet all representing their respective domaines.

René Papin (Château Pierre-Bise, Anjou) with 2010 Clos de Beaupréau

Emmanuelle Mellot (Domaine Alphonse Mellot, Sancerre and Coteaux Charitois)

Anne-Charlotte Genet (Domaine Charles Joguet, Chinon) serving Chris Kissack (The Wine Doctor)

Also present were Marielle Henrion, François Lieubeau and Olivier Mouraud.

Marielle Henrion (Château de l'Aulée, Touraine and Crémant de Loire)

François Lieubeau (Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine) who joined the family business in 2010

Olivier Mouraud (Bougrier)

This tasting underlined that 2011 is a vintage where careful selection will be essential, most obviously in Muscadet on yesterday's evidence but also for Sauvignon Blanc both in Touraine and in the Central Loire vineyards. In contrast the overall quality of the 2011 Chenin Blancs shown were higher and more consistent probably showing how Chenin benefitted from being a late ripener in 2011 so catching the fine weather at the middle and end of September. A note of caution, however: it is still very early to judge as few 2011 wines are in bottle, so the finished article may well show differently.

Château de l'Aulée's fine Touraine Brut 'Intense' was my bargain of the tasting. A blend of 80% Chenin and 20% Chardonnay this Touraine sparkler spends 18 months sur latte and retails at the property for a mere 4.95 €.

Chris Hardy, buyer for Majestic Wines