2013 in the Loire: assorted grapes in Touraine 23rd September

 Vines@Epeigné-les-Bois

Assorted photos taken on 23rd September around Epeigné-les-Bois and Pouillé (mainly).   

 Typical 2013 with signs of some rot

Near La Tesnière on borders of Pouillé and Mareuil

1976 Cabernet, Domaine Jacques Delaunay: was it really corked?

1976 Cabernet, Appellation Touraine Contrôlée, Domaine des Sablons, Jacques Delaunay

On Monday evening I finally opened the bottle of 1976 Touraine Cabernet from Jacques Delaunay, who used to own the Domaine des Sablons in Pouillé in the Cher Valley. Jacques has long retired and sold his domaine, which was then resold to Christine Lemonnier and Frédéric Bonneau in February 2010. The domaine is now called Manoir de la Vignière.

I decided to open the 1976, which I think Jacques kindly gave us while he was still running the domaine, in the name of research for a forthcoming article for Decanter on the ageability of Loire Cabernet Francs. Unfortunately the cork broke trying to pull it, so the wine had to be decanted into another bottle. Smelling the cork I had a doubt over whether the cork might have done its worst. However, the wine tasted OK – a little earthy, with definite age but a recognisable Cabernet Franc perfume and good depth of bricky red.

As well as the 1976 I'd also opened a 1999 Vieilles Vignes Saumur-Champigny from Château de Villeneuve, which we started on first with a main course of slowly roasted belly of pork. The 1999 was remarkably soft – all opulent black fruits. By the time I served the 1976 its earthiness had developed and there was a growing thought that it was corked. Furthermore the taint/earthiness was getting worse. The majority opinion was that it was corked. I still hoped that instead it was a mix of age and earthiness, especially as there was still some sweet, evolved fruit there. 

You invest a lot in a bottle of old wine that you keep for a long time and are reluctant to accept that TCA has spoilt your pleasure. Eventually I accepted it must be cork and the wine was uncermoniously put aside unstoppered ready to be poured down the drain. 

In the event the condemned 1976 got overlooked until last evening when I tried it again before throwing it out. The earthiness was still there but less marked as was the fruit, although a little faded but given its treatment still remarkably sweet and ripe. Instead of pouring it away, I will finish it off tonight. 

The question remains was it corked or was it just its earthiness and age that deceived us? I suspect we deceived ourselves! Instead the wine showed that despite its maltreatment it hung in there.         

  

2012 Loire: searching for Sauvignon Blanc in Pouillé

 Noëlla Morantin making an early and powerful bid for the 2012 Grand Prix de l'Elegance 

This afternoon we headed down to Pouillé to see how the vendange was coming along. We soon came across Noëlla Morantin, Laurent Saillard and their small team of pickers in a parcel of vines bought from Junko Ara last year. As elsewhere yields are tiny this year with significant problems of mildew compounding the other afflictions that this year has thrown at the vignerons. Today Noëlla was expecting to harvest three hectares by hand as there are so few grapes – normally with her team they manage one hectare a day. Because of the small crop, alcohol levels are tending to be high – between 13% and 13.5% for the Sauvignon.

Ironically, after all the rain between April and July, it is now desperately dry and  the vignerons really could do with the little rain just to swell the grapes, give them some juice and reduce the acidity, which is still high. According to Thierry Delaunay the level is between 5.5 and 6.5. He expects to start picking next week. 

The weather station at Tours has recorded just 11mm of rain since the beginning of August: 8.8mm in August and 2.2mm in September to Thursday 20th. It has finally rained today, so these figures will have to be updated. The forecast over the next week is much less settled than it has been recently. Although the grapes could do with a little rain, they won't want a prolonged deluge!   

A typically small bunch 

Dried brown gapes – signs of mildew damage (above and below) + also the start of some noble rot (below)

 Mildew damage 

A more generous bunch (above and below)

The search for grapes is on...

Laurent finds some ... (above and below)

The 'Obama 12' T shirt is on order!

Half an afternoon's work for Laurent!

A field of poppies between Pouillé and Mareuil-sur-Cher

 

To date 2012's climate in the Loire hasn't been easy for the vines but it appears to have been right for poppies as this trio of photos shows taken near the Clos Roche Blanche in Mareuil.  

Pouillé and Thésée: a few photos

From vines above the village of Pouillé across to Thésée

Pruning a vineyard in Pouillé

Goods train, the Cher and Thesée

Vineyards, Thesée, the Cher and its valley

Across the Cher Valley to Pouillé – vines are only on the hillsides not on the valley floor

Pascal Potaire wins Le Prix de l'Élégance

24 September 2009

Immaculately dressed Pascal Potaire (Panana hat) in his vines

Jim's Loire is delighted to announce that Pascal Potaire is the runaway winner of the much coveted Le Prix de l'Élégance awarded to the most nattily attired vendangeur in the Cher Valley. Pascal is pictured here yesterday dressed in spotless cream T–shirt and white Panana hat picking in his vineyard at La Tesnière, Pouillé. He and his team were picking Gamay destined for his popular Pet Nat Rosé. The parcel had unfortunately been hit by hail and the crop further reduced by hungry deer and Pascal is carefully trimming a bunch of grapes.

Laurent Saillard: another competitor, opted for the ripped jeans look

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Like Beatrice and Michel Augé (Les Maisons Brulées), a fellow producer of natural wines, Pascal uses a horse to collect the small boxes they use for picking. Small boxes are used so as to keep the grapes as intact as possible. At the end of the picking session the loaded grapes will be taken to be pressed at the winery of Mikael Bouges, Pascal's neighbour in Faverolles-sur-Cher.

The full boxes are loaded onto a simple sledge

Loading onto a larger trailer

Madame opted for a straw hat

See report of Mikael Bouges and Pascal Potaire here.

More photos and reports to come – off to Reuilly and Quincy today.