2016 RAW – a few quick glimpses

 

Vincent Caillé and Christelle Guibert
Vine Revival in the Pays Nantais

The 2015 terre de gneiss, Muscadet en cuve bêton ovoide is particularly good with concentration and lovely purity and precision 

Thomas Carsin, Domaine de l'Elu

2013 ephata, Anjou Blanc
Very impressive, pure Chenin Blanc,
which spends 8 months in amphore and 8 in cuve
2012 was first vintage 

 

2014 Millésime Bio: photos from Day 2 (28th January 2014)

fred Niger Van Herck calculating how many more amphores 

he can buy... 'probably squeeze one into Guy's bathroom...

Photos of some Loire producers from Day 2 of Millésime Bio (28th January):

Breton-born fred Niger Van Herck (just call him fred it's easier) is rapidly turning into a super-vedette bringing colour and dynamism to the Pays Nantais. It was  impressive the number of vistors who were almost constantly clustered around the stand he shared with Laura Semeria (Cheverny/Cour-Cheverny). Increasingly heavily into amphores of various sizes for both fermentation and maturation.      

fred doing his Aristide Bruant impression

 Grégoire du Bouexic and Thomas Carsin: 

Clos de l'Elu, Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné

 Jean-Pierre Guedon, Domaine les Hautes Noëlles, 

Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu 

From the Pays Nantais and a successful businessman Jean-Pierre Guedon bought the 25-hectare Domaine les Hautes Noëlles in Saint-Léger-les-Vignes from Serge Batard in 2010. He had sold his transport business in 2008 and as he had always been a keen wine lover, he decided to buy the domaine when it became available, especially as it is the closest vineyard to his house in Pornic some 30 kilometres away.   

Matthieu Vallée, Château Yvonne in Parnay, Saumur/Saumur-Champigny 

2011 Le Gory, Saumur Blanc showing particularly well

Cutting edge lift

While in Montpellier I stayed in the Hotel Oceania, right in the centre of Montpellier. As you can see they have recently installed a new lift. The hotel is slightly faded but comfortable. I had a good big room with plenty of space to work.

Domaine de Clos de l'Èlu: three fine 2010s

Charlotte Carsin: Domaine de Clos de l'Elu 

I met Charlotte Carsin of the Domaine de Clos de l'Elu at the Salon des Vins Loire at the beginning of February. As she wasn't exhibiting she kindly agreed to send me some samples when I was next in Touraine as I had never tasted the wines of this new domaine of 30 hectares. Established in January 2008 in Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné, the domaine has 30 parcels of vines stretching from Chaume westwards to Ardenay.   

Three bottles from the 2010 vintage duly arrived: L'Aiglerie – an Anjou Rouge, Bastingage – an Anjou Blanc and a Coteaux du Layon. I was particularly impressed by Bastingage – a 100% Chenin partially vinified in wood and partly in vat and then bottled in July – and the Coteaux du Layon. Both wines have a lovely balance. 

2010 Bastingage, Anjou Blanc

Bastingage (10€ at the domaine) has attractive floral and honeyed aromas, good texture with a little touch of oak that aids complexity without being dominant and is likely to disappear with a little more bottle age. Yet more evidence that Anjou Blanc can be very good. 

2010 Coteaux du Layon, Domaine de Clos de l'Èlu 

The 2010 Coteaux du Layon (12€ at the domaine) is delicious: not a heavyweight or super sweet but a really well-balanced sweet wine with apricot and citric fruit and a very clean, fresh finish. It makes a lovely aperitif and is good with cheese, especially hard and blue cheeses. It would probably work well with a poulet à la crème or a rich pork dish. I wouldn't, however, try to serve it with desserts as they would be likely to accentuate the acidity and hide the fruit. This Coteaux du Layon is vinified in vat, while their Chaume, which I didn't taste, is vinified in wood and sells for 22 € for a 50cl bottle.     

   

2010  L'Aiglerie, Anjou Rouge 

The 100% Cabernet Franc L'Aiglerie (10€) has good juicy, black fruits and soft, light tannins. An easy drinking red, L'Aiglerie is good and well made but just less 'stand out' than the two whites. 

On this evidence Domaine de Clos de l'Èlu is very promising and is another domaine that I need to visit.