Central and Upper Loire shine@Un Brin Folk (Angers) on 2nd February

Brin Folk carte des vins with a 

strong showing of natural wines 

Spent an enjoyable evening at Un Brin Folk in Angers at a soirée organised for the press on the eve of the Salon des Vins de Loire. Wines from lesser known appellations in the Central and Upper Loire featured strongly – at least they did at our end of the room. Yet more evidence that there are now some very good things being made in areas of the Loire. Unfortunately well-spread out involving plenty of travelling!

Here are a selection of of the wines we tried: 

 

2012 Les Beaux Jours, Coteaux de Giennois, Emile Balland 

An excllent white to start the evening!

2012 Terre de Caillotte – Clément et Florian Berthier   

 2012 Terre de Silex: Clément et Florian Berthier    

 

 100% Pinot Noir – very good Coteaux de Giennois Rouge (Vignobles Jean-Marie Berthier)

Evidence that AC insistence on Gamay/Pinot Noir belnd is dog's breakfast

2012 Châteaumeillant Rosé, Domaine Lecomte

The domaine has 7 ha in Quicy and 3 in Châteaumeillant  

Enjoyed a series of good 2012s from Domaine Robert Sérol 

(Côte Roannaise) – 2013s are potentially excllent too 

 2012 Trésaille

 Jean Teissèdre (Domaine des Bérioles)

New rising star of Saint-Pourçain

 2012 Auvenat

+ fine Pinot Noir from Jean Teissèdre

More excitement in Roannaise and Forez

2011 Viognier la vigne d'Aldebertus vin de pays d'Urfe Ch & D Mondon et L. Demeure

Rather than starting with the reds from Forez and the Roannaise once again it is the quality of the whites that has really surprised me. Which is not to say that the reds are poor, it is just that the whites are particularly impressive and, for me, newsworthy.

Let's start with two Viogniers (IGP Urfé) from a couple of producers in Boisset Saint-Priest in the Forez and around 15k south of Montbrison 

2011 Viognier la vigne d'Aldebertus vin de pays d'Urfe Ch & D Mondon et L.Demeure

Mid-yellow in colour with luscious ripe fruit – delicate apricot. Very attractive Viognier. Well balanced and impressive – a lovely drink.

2011 Viognier Stéphane Real, Aldebertus, IGP Urfe

First vintage from these vines and a whopping 16% alc! Certainly rich, powerful - floral and apricot. Doesn't have hot flush but after a few sips you are aware that you are drinking something decidedly strong. Not sure what to do with this – a small apéro. Certainly the Viognier from Mondon-Demeure easier to drink and better balanced. However, impressive as a first attempt at Viognier from this small 5 hectare estate, which dates from 1998.  

2011 Pinot Gris, Hors Pistes, IGP Urfé, Domaine des Pothiers 

2011 Pinot Gris, Hors Pistes, Domaine des Pothiers

Good wine, if slightly two dimensional, with some rich weight and texture. Lightly spicy fruit but in the Pinot Gris style rather than Pinot Grigio. Makes an attractive apéro. Pothiers is a family domaine handed down over the centuries from generation to generation. It is now run by Georges, Denise and Romain Paire with some 10 hectares of vines.

The reds:      

2011 Domaine des Pothiers Côte Roannaise Clos de Puy, organic, Villemontais

Lovely spicy blackberry and blackcurrant. Good concentration. Deliciously easy-drinking mid-weight Gamay. Just shows how good this grape can be. Don't analyse - just drink!

2010 Boutheran Côte Roannaise Thierry Bonneton

Initially quite soft and attractive red fruits but quite marked acidity present when drunk by itself. However, this acidity is well hidden with food. 5.50€ TTC from the domaine.

2011 éponyme, Côte Roannaise, Vincent Giraudon

Mid plum, mid-depth, attractively soft spice and typical Gamay slightly sooty which can be typical of Gamay. Some acidity just enough to encourage you to take another mouthful. Certainly not as aggressive as a few of these 2011s have been. Black fruited. Domaine's website is unnecessarily complicated. 

2010 Côtes de Forez Cuvée des Vieux Ceps, Domaine duPoyet

Different vintage (2010) but more rustic and earthy in style, although some attractive fruit, mid-weight. Interesting to see the increasing number of individual domaines in Forez. This one has nine hectares of vines – the vast majority Gamay but with a tiny amount of Chardonnay bottled under IGP Urfé.

2011 Vieilles Vignes, Domaine Robert Sérol

Bright vibrant, red fruits with good refreshing acidity - not at all green. More delicious drinking from this fine domaine. Stood up well to food at the Lahore Kebab House – an excellent traditional Pakistani restaurant on Umberton Street/Commercial Road in East London. Not sure, however, that this is what Stéphane Sérol had in mind when he made this. Perhaps it's the acidity that helps it match the spice and pepper?  

2011 Les Loges, Côtes du Forez, Les Vignerons Foreziens

 

2011 Les Loges, Côtes du Forez, Les Vignerons Foreziens

From the Cave Coopérative with vibrant red fruits, light to mid-weight, some acidity but not as marked as some. Easy drinking from 45 hl/ha with a production of 13,300 bottles.

Les Loges is named after les loges de vignes that were built out of stone on the side of the steep hillsides. They had two floors – the upper level was living quarters, while the lower was used to store tools and carts, etc.

 

2009 Opera Fleur de Vigne, Stéphane Guillot

Impressively rich – of course 2009 was an exceptional vintage here just as it was in nearby Beaujolais. Lovely rich fruit, excellent concentration. Vivacious black fruits with enough acidity to encourage another sip or so. Excellent! Unfortunately Guillot was badly hit by hail in early August 2012.

Côtes de Forez and Côte Roannaise: some exciting discoveries

Roussanne de Madone Vignes sur Volcan

On Tuesday I tasted my first ever Loire Roussanne – it was impressively good. A completely new discovery for me. I knew that there is some vin de pays Viognier planted around Roanne. There is even a small secret plot somewhere in the Layon – others also perhaps – but I hadn't realised that there is some Roussanne planted in the Côtes de Forez. As Gamay is the only variety permitted in the Côtes de Forez appellation (red and rosé), this Roussanne is an IGP: Pays d'Urfé. 

2011 Roussanne de Madone Vignes sur Volcan, Gilles Bonnefoy, Champdieu.

From organically grown grapes, this is an impressively rich Roussanne apricot, touch of honey, good length and power.

The vines were planted in 2001 on the steep, south-facing slope of the Purchon volcano. Yield in 2011 was 35 hl/ha. According to Gilles Bonnefoy the only way that Roussanne can be ripened in Forez is if it is planted on south-facing slopes preferably of volcanic original, which is very good at capturing and retaining heat. Apparently Roussanne, which is one of the latest varieties to ripen, is very susceptible to oidium and grey rot.

I shouldn't be that surprised that some Roussanne and Viognier are grown in these parts. Roanne is on a level with the Beaujolais, while parts of the Cotes de Forez are to the south of Lyon and about on a level with Vienne.   

  

It is always humbling but also exciting to discover significant gaps in what is going on in the Loire. In late September I was sent some samples from Forez and the Roannaise. I'm now working my way through them and am particularly excited by wines I'm tasting from the Côtes de Forez. Which is not to say that I'm not tasting interesting things from the Roannaise but this is less of a surprise as I was last there in 2009. I haven't been to the Forez for at least 15 years. I'm now convinced, however, that I have to put this right in 2013.

Other wines tasted: 

Côtes de Forez 2011 Memoire de Madone Gamay sur Volcan VV Gilles Bonnefoy, Champdieu

Light bodied, soft and supple. Spicy, black fruits nose, pleasant. Improves after the bottle has been opened a while and with food. But less exciting than his Roussanne. 

2011 Clos de Chozieux, JL et Y Gaumon, Leigneux

Medium bodied, quite deep coloured with power and character. Some very attractive black fruits and to date certainly one of most interesting of the selection of samples of Forez and Roannaise that I have tried. Worked well with arroz de pato. Indeed this is the best Cotes de Forez that I have tried - a big but rather meaningless claim as my experience of the Forez wines is extremely limited!

 2011 Boutheran, Côte Roannaise, Philippe et Jean-Marie Vial  

2011 Boutheran Côte Roannaise Philippe and Jean-Marie Vial 5.50€ TTC

Boutheran is one of the leading sites of the Côte Roannaise. This is pleasantly soft with easy red fruits -red currant - but with quite marked acidity. Rather 2D - would prefer a little more concentration.

 2011 Le Volcanique, Côtes de Forez, Verdier-Logel  

2011 Le Volcanique, Côtes de Forez, Odile Verdier and Jacky Logel     

Odile Verdier and Jacky Logel are one of the very few producers I have visited in the Côtes de Forez, albeit that this was at least 15 years ago. The now 17 hectare estate is certified organic. Sadly I was disappointed with their 2011, which was spoilt by quite marked, green acidity. Must try again as I remember i had enjoyed their wines when I visited all those years ago.     

   

2011 Tradition, Côte Roannaise, Domaine de la Paroisse, Jean-Claude Chaucesse, Renaison

The domaine has been in the family since 1610 and now has 7 hectares of vines above the village of Renaison. It is now run by Jean-Claude (13 generation) and Laetitia Chaucesse. The tradition is attractively easy drinking with red fruits and some spice. The acidity is a little marked but less so than the Forez of Verdier-Logel.  

Renaison 

   

 2011 (L') Incorruptible, Côte Roannaise 

2011 (L') Incorruptible, Côte Roannaise, Domaine Robert Sérol, Renaison, 8.00 € TTC.

The Domaine Robert Sérol with its 24 hectares is probably the best known estate in the Côte Roannaise. This is due, in part, to its long association with the Troisgros family, who run a well-reputed restaurant in nearby Roanne. They also make very good, attractive wines. The estate is now run by Stéphane and Carine Sérol.      

The 2011 (L') Incorruptible Just utterly delicious, juicy lively, black fruited Gamay with just enough acidity to encourage you to take another mouthful. Dangerous easy to drink.

August 2009: Carine and Stéphane Sérol with a bottle of (L') Incorruptible – probably the 2008?

Salon la Loire aux Trois Vignobles: 11th-13th November Saint Galmier

Domaine Robert Sérol will be one of the producers@the November Salon

La Fédération Départementale des Viticulteurs de la Loire est plus généralement désignée par le nom du salon annuel "La Loire aux Trois Vignobles". La Fédération est forte de 5 AOC (la Côte Roannaise, les Côtes du Forez, le Chateau Grillet, le Condrieu, le Saint Joseph) et des vins de pays (Vin de Pays d'Urfé, Vin de Pays des Collines Rhodaniennes).

Salon la Loire aux Trois Vignobles les 11, 12 et 13 Novembre à l'Hippodrome de Saint Galmier (near Saint-Etienne).

Two Gamays from 2009

La Boudinèrie, 2009 Gamay, AC Touraine, Noëlla Morantin

There are some things that are quite inexplicable. Take Noëlla Morantin's wines, which she makes at La Tesnière, Pouillé from vineyards that she bought off the Clos Roche Blanche. She is no distance from Epeigné-les-Bois but I have never managed to go and taste her wines even though it was my intention. It has taken getting a sample of her delicious 2009 Gamay from Les Caves de Pyréne to finally get round to tasting Noëlla's wine. La Boudinèrie is quite deep coloured with plenty of black fruit aromas with some attractive earthy and spicy notes. Softly textured this has spicy complexity as well as concentrated ripe fruit. Can be enjoyed on its own but it also worked well with cold chicken served with a potato gratin and cauliflower cooked with hot paprika and ginger.

Imported by Les Caves de Pyréne Noëlla's 2009 Gamay will retail around £11.99. Not cheap I would be happier to see it around £9.99. On the other hand it does come from low yielding, organically farmed vines and it does have the potential to keep a few years.

2009 Les Vieilles Vignes, Côte Roannaise, Domaine Robert Sérol

The second Gamay comes from much further up the Loire from the Côte Roannaise, some 70 kilometres east of the Beaujolais, so little surprise that the vines here are mostly Gamay. The Sérol has attractively sweet fruit with red plums and cherries to the fore. Easy drinking it is ideal as a red to drink by itself, although it lacks the complexity and the additional weight of Noëlla's Touraine.

The Robert Sérol is available from the Wine Society at £7.95.

A few recent bottles

2002 Chinon Blanc, Christophe Baudry

Time for a round up of recent bottles starting with this very attractive 2002 Chinon Blanc from Christophe Baudry, which must have been made prior to the tie up with Domaine de la Roncée and the founding of Baudry-Dutour. Nicely evolved with honey and tufa (the aromas of a dry, clean limestone cellar), this has the typical balance of the 2002 vintage. Enjoyed it as an apéro over several nights and if anything it got better and fuller with time. 

2007 Les Millerands, Côte Roannaise, Domaine Robert Sérol

Two reds from Domaine Robert Sérol that I visited last August. The 2008 Cuvée Troigros (name of the famous 3-star Michelin restaurant in nearby Roanne) is a typical easy drinking Gamay, which can be drunk on its own or with a light lunch. Rather mistakenly I tried with a magret de canard and as I should have realised it was too light for the duck. Les Millerands, even though it was a 2007, would have been better as it has more structure but we had opened that a couple of nights previously with cold chicken – a good match.

2008 Cuvée Troigros, Domaine Robert Sérol

 

2008 Touraine Sauvignon, Antoine Simoneau

Antoine Simoneau is a family estate in Saint-Georges-sur-Cher. This 2008 has a few grams of residual sugar that rounds the wine out making attractive and easy to drink with ripe grassy and goseberry scents.The domaines whites tend to be more successful than the reds. Unfortuntaely there is a reliance on the use of weedkillers, which in some vineyards with a slight slope causes some erosion. It would be good to see a reduction in their use.    

 

2003 Anjou Villages, Domaine de Bablut, Christophe Daviau 

Domaine de Bablut in Brissac-Quincé is biodynamic and this rich and powerful 2003 is very typical of this heatwave vintage. Lot of concentrated black fruits giving the impression of coming from somewhere well to the south of the Loire. Still very much on good form and looks to be good for a number more years.

Friends reunited!

Karine and Stéphane Sérol

I was delighted to receive this message yesterday from Chris Piper of Christopher Piper Wines based in Devon.

'Thanks to your review of your visit to the Sérols at Renaison, Stéphane and I have been in touch with each other and he sent us samples of all his wines for my buying team to look at when I got back from my harvest in Beaujolais. We were very impressed with many of the wines but agree with you that there are far too many not to be confused! In the end we have decided to import the 2008 Les Vieilles Vignes which we felt was full of terroir minerality, typicity and freshness. Great crunchy fruit rounded it off.

So thanks to your blog, two old (or one old and another a wee bit younger) wine making friends have got together again and done some business!

A huge thank you and I must say, I thoroughly enjoy reading your output.'

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Stéphane had made wine with Chris in the mid-1990s but they had lost touch as Chris explained when I reported on my visit to the Sérols:

'Stéphane Sérol worked three harvests for me as stagière in the winery at Château des Tours (Brouilly) when I was making its wines in the mid-1990's.He was a bright individual and very proud of what his father had achieved. What are the Sérol wines like today - I'd love to know...?'

(Jim's Loire had no direct involvement in this reunion.)