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.”

  
    

#2015Loire: Saumur Champigny – 30th September 2015 (part one)

Picking in Le Grand Clos, Château Villeneuve, Souzay-Champigny

(above and below) 

Jean-Pierre Chevallier, Château de Villeneuve  

Busy supervising both the vineyard and the chai

– keen to finish before the potential alcohol goes too high 

– already at 13.5%

Picker with church of Souzay-Champigny behind

Autumn advances

•••

Before touring the Saumur-Champigny vineyards

we needed lunch@Le Pot de Lapin in Saumur

•••  

Our first visit of the afternoon was to Patrick Vadé at the Domaine St Vincent. Patrick is currently the president of the Saumur-Champigny Syndicat. Patrick: "The Ban des Vendanges was on Monday. We have done the Premier Tri for the Chenin (Saumur Blanc) as well as for our Crémant and we have started on the Cabernet Franc today. The potential degree of alcohol is between 12.5-13. We are seeing a little bit of grape shrivelling. With this fine weather – the sun and the drying wind – the vignerons are taking their time to start. We pick the Cabernet by machine except for the Vieilles Vignes.

After a quick visit to Château de Villeneuve (see above) I dropped into to see Philippe Porché at Domaine de Rocheville. Philippe was happy with the way the harvest was progressing, although this vintage – his 11th – was unusual in that normally the Chenin and Cabernet Franc have different picking dates. This time it is a question of switching between the varieties. We didn't the Crémant last Thursday, the rosé on Friday and started on the Saumur-Champigny on Monday – degrees are between 12.5˚ and 13˚. Tomorrow (Thursday 1st October) will be a white day and on Friday back to the reds."

Next stop Domaine Filliatreau where I saw both Fred and Paul (Fred's father). Fred: "We started on the white on Monday (12.7˚ potential) and moved onto the reds on Tuesday – 12˚-12.5˚  

Domaine de Rocheville, the winery at Parnay 

(above and below)

Chenin Blanc@Rocheville

Chenin Blanc@Rocheville (CRM)

 

Fermentation vat for visitors @Château de Chaintré

••

Harvesting in the Domaine des Ellettes

Jean-Jacques Derouard

(above and below)

 

 

A shorter second post on visits (30th September) to Saumur-Champigny producers to follow.

Excellent lunch encore@Le Pot de Lapin

(23rd December 2008)

Fortunately we had booked because Le Pot was full. We kicked off with a coupe de Crémant de Loire Brut from Domaine des Varinelles, owned by the Daheuiller family and one Crémant de Loire Rosé from Domaine de la Petite Roche in Tremont, which is well to the south of Saumur. We were particularly impressed by the rosé.

The four of us enjoyed four good first courses: compote de lapin, onion soup, feuillette de champignons and oeufs en cocotte, the house speciality. With this we made a start on our rich and pruny 2005 Les Adrialys, Saumur-Champigny, Domaine Saint-Vincent from Patrick Vadé. As well as making good reds, Patrick’s Saumur Blanc is often impressive. The problem at Le Pot is that there is such a choice of interesting wines on the wine list that selection is not easy.



Patrick’s rich wine went particularly well with the deliciously tender biche aux girottes that two of took as well as the fine ris de veau à la crème that the other two took.

Profiteroles au chocolat followed by coffee completed an excellent meal. Le Pot de Lapin is great – just make sure you book, especially at lunchtime.