2008 L'Authentique, Simon Hawkins, Domaine du Fontenay

11 December 2009

Simon gave me this bottle to try when we stayed at their excellent chambres d'hôtes (Domaine du Fontenay) in the Côte Roannaise in August with the instruction not to taste this cuvée until the end this year at the earliest as it had just been bottled and needed time. The label explains the name – L'authentique – 'On the 12th May 1855, the Archbishop of Lyon came to bless the domaine's private chapel. This wine reflects the full bodied style produced at that time. Traditionally made with no added sugar or tannin. Bottled unfiltered.'

Inside the chapel

Made from 100% Gamay (the only grape allowed for Côte Roannaise) this is still a youthful purple, medium weight with vivid raspberry fruit and quite vibrant acidity in the finish. Enjoyable now but may well soften and mellow a little over the next year or so.

View from the decking of the chambres d'hôtes across La Loire towards Roanne

See report of visit to Domaine du Fontenay here.

Simon Hawkins/Domaine du Fontenay report complete

Simon in the first vineyard to ever be planted with the assistance of GPS

The report on Simon Hawkins' Domaine du Fontenay (Côte Roannaise) is now complete - click here.

••

Recent updates on Richard Kelley's site

At the source of the Loire – Just like the Nile and even the Thames, the true source of the Loire is widely contested.
http://www.richardkelley.co.uk/sourceoftheloire_index.htm

Côtes d’Auvergne – ‘Ici finit la France . Ici commence l’Auvergne’
http://www.richardkelley.co.uk/cotedauvergne_index.htm

Côte Roannaise – The unofficial 11th Cru of Beaujolais….?
http://www.richardkelley.co.uk/cote_roannaise_index.htm

Châteaumeillant – ‘One doesn’t buy the wines of Châteaumeillant unless one is a local, passionate about the wine and courageous’ - Cuisine et Vins de France http://www.richardkelley.co.uk/chateaumeillant_index.htm

Orléans and Orléans Cléry – Two of France’s newest and most controversial appellations.
http://www.richardkelley.co.uk/orleans_index.htm

Domaine Huet, Vouvray – An extraordinary Report on the domaine, including an appraisal of the vintages from 1919 to 2008
http://www.richardkelley.co.uk/vouvray_huet_index.htm

Simon Hawkins and the Domaine du Fontenay (Côte Roannaise)

12 August 2009

I first met Simon and tasted his wines at the annual Salon des Vins in Angers sometime in the middle 1990s. Then, a year or so later, made a brief visit to the domaine in Villemontais when I was starting some research for a Loire book project that never came off. So it was good to return to see how things have developed and to spend three nights in their excellent chambres d'hôtes.

After my visit to Robert Sérol, Simon and I went off to have a look at some of his vineyards, starting with the vines at Saint-Sulpice, which are planted on a granite bedrock and are apparently the only ones in the Côte Roannaise AC that are in sight of the Loire. Saint-Sulpice is the birthplace of vine-growing in the region with the first vines in the Côte Roannaise being planted here in 966AD.

Fontenay's vines@Saint-Sulpice with a glimpse of the Loire

Simon went to university in 1978 on a language course that entailed spending two years in the UK and two years in France at Reims. Simon first came to the Côte Roannaise ara in the 1980s, as the export manager for DMC, at the time the world's largest coloured weaver. It specialised in the Vichy design. Roanne was chosen for the factory because of the soft water from the granite hills, which ensured that the colours were true. Simon's time with DMC included two years living in the States. In time all the travelling doubtless palled and the idea of growing grapes and making wine became more enticing. Simon: "Decanter was my bedtime reading and I found wine-making fascinating. It was 1987/88 when we took over Domaine du Fontenay. We now have 11-12 hectares of vines."

Simon in Saint-Sulpice vineyard

The vineyard at Saint-Sulpice shows Simon's wish to diversify away from Gamay. The parcel at the top of the vineyard is Gamay but two of the lower blocks are planted with Viognier and Chardonnay. This year will be the first vintage for the Chardonnay, while the first Viognier were picked last year at the end of October. Simon got the Viognier cuttings from Yves Cuilleron, one of the leading producers in Condrieu.

"I like to get the Viognier as ripe as possible – 13%-13.5% potential. I expect this year we will pick the Viognier in late September. Because of the proximity to the Loire, there are often early morning mists here and we get noble rot here in the autumn. I like the extra complexity it gives the Viognier. This is accentuated by the lake produced by the Villerest dam."

13 August 2009: layer of mist over the Loire as seen from the Domaine du Fontenay

During our stay in mid-August there was mist down in the valley on a couple of mornings, so you could easily imagine that there would be frequent mists in the autumn – ideal conditions for noble rot. The Villerest dam was completed in 1984.

Simon: "There were a lot of protests against the dam. It was sold on the idea that a dam would attract a lot of tourists for water sports, etc. That hasn't really happened. The real reason for building the dam was to ensure that there would be water for nuclear power stations like Chinon. In France what the nuclear industry wants – it gets.

"We have a dry micro-climate here in a rain shadow caused by the hills with an average rainfall of between 600-700 mm a year. The vines here are high trained – giving plenty of leaf surface. My average yield is 45-50 hl/ha, although the quantity of leaf cover would support up to 80 hl/ha."

We then head off to see the vineyard that Simon says "almost made us celebrities!". Apparently it was the first vineyard in the world to be planted with the aid of a GPS system, which provoked media coverage in various parts of the world.

Back at Simon's winery we taste the 2008 Viognier from barrel – it seems promising although it is still in the middle of its malo. Next onto the bottled wines. Starting with the rosé Quoi de Neuf? Simon is keen to keep alcohol levels low and hasn't chaptalised (add sugar) any of his wines since 2001. This rosé is just 9% alc – it is decidedly crisp, lemony and refreshing or bracing depending upon your point of view. Definitely a hot summer's day rosé – served on a cold winter's day in a Northern location, Quoi de Neuf? would just be too lean and austere.

2008 Rosé Nu

The Rosé Nu 2008 is more appealing – still crisp but with greater depth of flavour, red fruits, and mouthfeel. Still definitely a summertime rosé (as Eddie would have said). The third rosé was the sec-tendre 2008 Cuvée Tenderesse with 15g of residual sugar. Very pale colour, like a vin gris, with attractive red fruits and grenadine flavours. One for people who like a sweeter style rosé.

As we moved onto the reds Simon talked about the mobile bottling companies and having to fend off their offers of adding a little extra to the wine. In particular gum arabic is apparently a favourite – not only does it round off green tannins but it also gives the wine greater weight and mouthfeel. Helps to make the case for putting all the ingredients on a wine label. Simon explained that he now uses Bordeaux bottles as it gives more scope for the labels, although probably raises some local eyebrows. The youthful 2008 Gamay 'Sine Nomine' is attractively spicy with pure red and black fruit flavours as well as a herbal, edgy character in the finish. I preferred the 2008 Vigne de Saint-Sulpice with its more generous black fruit flavours, spice and purity of fruit.

2008 Gamay 'Sine Nomine', Côte Roannaise

We finished with two from 2007 – "about the worst harvest I can remember" according to Simon – 2007 L'Authentique (typically Gamay but somewhat green and rustic) and La Reserve du Chanoine (some barrel spice, quite soft mid-palate but with touches of herbal, greenness in the finish).

2007 La Reserve du Chanoine

Later I taste the sparkling Le 7, named after the famous old Route National 7 that used to be one of the traditional roads from Paris to the Mediterranean. A pétillant naturelle and sec-tendre/demi-sec in style with strawberry fruit but a lightness as well. Certainly a commercial fizz particularly for those who want a softer, sweeter style of sparkler.

Domaine du Fontenay's wines have good purity of fruit, the reds tend towards a herbal style probably due to Simon's desire to avoid high alcohol. The diverse range shows his willingness to think outside the traditional 'box', doubtless made easier because he is an outsider.

Upper Loire wanderings: day 5: Robert Sérol and Domaine du Fontenay

12 August 2009

Another full day in the Côte Roannaise with a walk in the morning and a visit in the afternoon to Domaine Robert Sérol (Renaison) and then a look at the Domaine du Fontenay's vines with Simon Hawkins followed by a tasting.

Up in the hills between Cherier and La Croix Trevingt

Randonnée: Circuit from La Croix Trevingt to Gué de la Chaux and back. This time we started far higher up, although it was still a good stiff climb in parts up to the Gué de la Chaux and at around 11km rather longer than the previous day's walk. All in a landscape that is a world away from the vineyards of the Côte Roannaise only a few kilometres away.

Closed hotel@La Croix Trevingt: a small, rather drab mountain hamlet that has seen better days

Lots of these red berries during the walk plus some delicious wild raspberries

Direction sign in the woods

Domaine Robert Sérol, Renaison

Sign at the entrance to the domaine

With 21 hectares of Gamay, Robert Sérol is one of the largest producers in the small Côte Roannaise appellation with its total of around 220 hectares of vines. Planted on granite soils, this is a considerable increase on 1990 when there were only some 60 hectares in production. Like most of the wine regions of France the current area under vine is only a small vestige of the production just prior to the arrival of phylloxera in the late 19th century. In 1788 there were 4800 ha in the Haute-Loire départment with 7349 ha in 1880-1889 decade marking the high point but never anything like as significant as the neighbouring Puy-de-Dôme départment – 34,293 ha planted in the same decade.*

The Côte Roannaise vineyards are mainly planted on the lower foothills of the Monts de la Madeleine that rise up steeply from the Loire Valley. Prior to promotion from VDQS status to AC in 1994, this was called the Côtes Roannaises as there were vines to the east of Roanne. The appellation is now confined to 14 communes to the west of Roanne from La Pacaudière in the north to Bully in the south. However, the main vineyards lie either side of the North-South D8 road centred on the small market town of Renaison. Gamay is the only permitted variety for the appellation. Renaison is only just over 70 kilometres by road from Quincie-en-Beaujolais in the heart of the Beaujolais and probably around 60 km in a direct line.

Unusually for the Upper Loire the Côte Roannaise has no cooperative unlike the Côtes de Forez and Saint-Pourçain where the coops are the dominant force. In the Côtes d'Auvergne the Cave Saint-Verny is a significant player.

The Sérol vines by the house and the winery

The Sérol domaine, which has vines in the communes of Renaison, Saint-Haon and Saint-André, is now run by Stéphane and Carine but it was Robert Sérol, Stéphane's father, who really established the domaine. Although the Sérol family have been involved in viticulture and wine since 1700, it was Robert who in 1970 first bottled their wine. At that time they had two hectares of vines. Doubtless Robert's association with Pierre Troisgros, the famous chef of Roanne's three star Michelin Troisgros restaurant, helped and has made this domaine probably the best known of the appellation. There is a special cuvée – Cuvée Troisgros – that is selected for the restaurant from the oldest vines as well as a small parcel of old vines (1.89 ha) that is now in conversion to organic viticulture. The oldest vines here are 90 years old. Next to these vines Stéphane has recently planted some Viognier that will give their first crop this year. Like Simon Hawkins (Domaine du Fontenay) the Sérols feel the need for some diversification: they have also recently launched three rosés including a sparkling méthode ancestrale.

Carine and Stéphane Sérol with a bottle of their Incorruptible

With the exception of the Troisgros parcel, the vineyard culture follows la lutte raisonnée (Terra Vitis). They use a mix of grassing over and contact weedkiller but no insecticides and Bordeaux mixture (copper sulphate) to control fungal diseases like mildew. Everything is is hand harvested and in their well-equipped winery there is a mix of cement and stainless steel vats. About 90% of their reds are made using semi-carbonic fermentation. Generally cultured yeasts are used but the Sérols have a new wine called Incorruptible, which is fermented using indigenous yeasts.

Ripening Gamay (above and below)

We started the tasting with the supple, soft and peary 2008 Cabochard Rosé, which is 50% direct pressing and 50% saignée (bleeding a red wine vat). We had already drunk a half bottle of this at a restaurant on Monday night and been impressed. This is an attractive rosé and for 4.10€ retail at the domaine is certainly good value. Next the easy drinking 2008 Les Originelles, bottled in batches between December and April following the harvest, this is the classic Côte Roannaise style, similar to straight Beaujolais. A vin de soif with cherry, blackcurrant flavours to be drunk and enjoyed young. Then onto the more weighty 2008 Les Vieilles Vignes 4.80€ (vines more than 30 years old). Next the blackberry, soft, ripe and long Troisgros Cuvée from vines of 60 years or more.

We moved onto 2008 Les Blondins, which is the vineyard they have in association with Peirre Troisgros and is in organic conversion – due to get its label in 2010. We tried two bottles. The first, although it had concentration, was rather dumb. The second was better but still this 2008 needs another six to 12 months in bottle to really show its paces. 2007 Les Millerands, 70% destemmed with 11 months in vat, has structure, black fruits and good length. Probably needs a little more time in bottle – otherwise I'd stick it into a carafe.

My preferred wine – the concentrated 2008 Incorruptible – followed. Although it has good, rich, powerful blackberry fruit, it is well-balanced and long. We finished with 2008 Les Douelles, which spends nine months in barrels from Burgundy that have seen four lots of Rully Blanc through them. Only six barrels of this wine is made and it can only be bought at the domaine. Only bottled yesterday there is sweet fruit here along with wood spice but it needs a little time to settle down in bottle.

Today's vigneron is always on call...........

From the tasting you can see why Robert Sérol is one of the leading producers in the Côte Roannaise. However, although the seven different cuvées of red may well make commercial sense, I'm not convinced that in terms of tasting this number of different cuvées are really warranted.

Some vintage car enthusiasts arriving to buy wine

Advance warning: 20th December 2009: Portes Ouvertes

Domaine Robert Sérol,
Les Estainaudes, 42370 Renaison
Tel: 04.77.64.44.04 Email: contact@domaine-serol.com
Site: http://www.domaine-serol.com/

Domaine du Fontenay

Simon Hawkins in his vineyard at Saint-Sulpice

* Figures taken from Marcel Lachiver Vins, vignes et vignerons.

Report on Domaine de Fontenay will now appear here

(Report on day 4 is now complete.)

Upper Loire wanderings: day 3 (part 2): Villemontais

10 August 2009

Domaine de Fontenay: view from the balcony towards Roanne

We arrived at the Domaine du Fontenay in Villemontais mid-afternoon. The domaine is run by Simon and Isabelle Hawkins. Their wine estate was established in 1987/88. Then in 2002 they converted an old house into chambres d’hôtes with a sensational view over the Loire Valley towards Roanne. Simon originally comes from Hampshire, while Isabelle is from Champagne.

Shortly after we arrived Simon got back from a short day trip to the Beaujolais, where he had bought some winery equipment from a Beaujolais producer, who was no longer making wine instead now sending his grapes to the co-operative.

"You can see that the equipment needs a good clean," said Simon. The conveyor was particularly dirty with grime and grease. "The Beaujolais producer used to sell to the négoce and during the good years they kept buying. But as you can see the wines would not have been very clean and now as it is crisis time for the Beaujolais, the négoce stopped calling. So the producer stopped making wine and instead now takes the grapes to the co-operative. Sadly you can see a number of abandoned or grubbed up vineyards in the Beaujolais, which is a shame because it is a very beautiful wine region."

Equipment from the Beaujolais producer

That evening we ate at the Auberge de la Barrage above the small market down of Renaison. The dining room was rather gloomy and the service was very slow – we waiting a good 15 minutes to be given menus and there were only four tables occupied in the room. For an aperitif we enjoyed the attractive red fruited 2008 Cabochard Côtes Roannaise Rosé from Robert Sérol. We followed this by the 2008 Bouterrean Côtes Roannaise Rouge from Lionel Montroussier. This was available in 50cl as well as 75cl – this seems to be quite a popular option in the region. Unfortunately the Bouterrean was rather edgy and green – perhaps the grapes needed a bit more time on the vine.