2014 Loire vintage: two Vincents in the Cher Valley

 Vincent Ricard, Thésée (AC Touraine)

After leaving the Clos Roche Blanche we dropped in on two Vincents – Vincent Ricard @Thesée and Vincent Roussely, Clos Roussely@Angé. Although both were very happy with the quality of 2014 – "the most beautiful grapes I can remember" Vincent Ricard, both men are disappointed with the low yields again this year – the third year in succession. 

Vincent Roussely is at 28 hl/ha for his Sauvignon Blanc, which represents 70% of his production. Vincent Ricard, in his second year of conversion to organic viticulture has 38-40 hl/ha but really needed 45-50 hl/ha in order to supply his clients. Instead 2014 is another short year. Vincent Ricard has finished his whites and just has 3.5 ha of reds to pick.

"I had to spray 14 times this year – we didn't stop until 21st August." says Ricard. When I decided to change to organic viticulture I was determined to show that it was possible to have both reasonable yields – 45-50 hl/ha – and to be properly organic. Over the past two years I have invested €200,000 in machinery to help make this possible.      

 Vincent drawing a sample of 2014 Les 3 Chênes

 Vincent Roussely in his winery in Angé – having moved 

his press out of his cellar and across the road now has more space to work

 2014 machine picked Sauvignon Blanc

 Cubes of frozen carbon dioxide to protect the grapes 

as a susbtitute for sulphur dioxide

 Some CO2 tablets on the trailer of fruit waiting to be processed

CO2 protection

 La Petite Reine 

 Grapes left for future 2014 Libertine 

– the sweet Roussely Sauvignon Blanc cuvée

Vines, Angé church and other side of misty Cher Valley

Xavier Fortin – tasting 22nd July@La Cave du Petit Pressigny

Message from Xavier Fortin 

Bonjour à toutes et tous,

Pour agrémenter les vacances d’été, j’ai pensé vous faire déguster les blancs secs et très aromatiques de chez Vincent RICARD. De plus j’ai enfin trouvé un vigneron du Beaujolais qui fait des vins légers, gourmands où le fruit domine les tanins souvent trop extraits.

J’aurais donc le plaisir de vous recevoir le lundi 22 juillet 2013 à partir de 16h00.

TOURAINE BLANC – LE PETIOT

100 % sauvignon – Très aromatique mais avec une bouche généreuse. Accompagnera à merveille vos salades, poissons grillés et crustacés.

Prix de la bouteille : 6.80 €

TOURAINE LES TROIS CHENES 2012

100 % sauvignon –Elu Touraine blanc de l’année par les revues spécialisées, il est puissant tout en gardant un admirable croquant. A boire de suite avec des poissons en sauce ou à conserver en cave quelques années..

Prix de la bouteille 9 €

PETILLANT NATUREL

100% sauvignon, un pétillant sans sucre ajouté. Une fois encore le fruit est mis en valeur. A server frappé à l’apéritif avec du pain grillé et du saumon fumé. Prix de la bouteille 9 €

VIN DE France 2012

Pour ce vin, je ne vous en dis pas plus … Faites moi confiance, venez le goûter …. C’est très bon !!! 

Prix de la bouteille 10 €

BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGE ROUGE 2011

100 % gamay, le coup dr rouge de l’été, très peu d’alcool et une belle fraicheur. Idéale pour vos grillages et charcuterie.

Prix de la bouteille : 8 €

BEAUJOLAIS VILLAGE ROUGE 2010

100 % gamay. Un peu plus riche que le 2011 mais toujours très gourmand. Il sera très intéressant de voir l’évolution de ce vin gourmand qui n’est pas censé vieillir … Pour la dégustation, je vous conseillerais les mêmes mets que pour le 2011–

Prix de la bouteille 8 €

BEAUJOLAIS ROSE

100% gamay, d’un rosé très pale, ce vin accompagnera à merveille toutes vos salades, charcuterie et terrine de poisson durant tout l’été. 

Prix de la bouteille 8 €

Au plaisir de vous voir à cette dégustation.

La cave où aura lieu la dégustation sera fléchée à partir de la boucherie du Petit Pressigny elle se trouve à environ 200 mètres du restaurant. Si toutefois vous êtes dans l’impossibilité de venir gouter lors de notre dégustation vous pouvez me faire parvenir votre commande accompagnée de votre chèque à l’ordre de VINCENT RICARD ou pour vos commandes de Beaujolais à l’ordre du DOMAINE DU CRET DE BINE à me faire parvenir à l’adresse suivante : 

Xavier Fortin « Plein ciel » 6, Chemin des Coteaux -

37350 Le Petit Pressigny

Les Vendredis du Caveau - Vendredi 30 mars 2012 – Cendrio + Vincent Ricard

Vincent Ricard  – AC Touraine

Les Vendredis du Caveau - Vendredi 30 mars 2012 à Beaulieu sur Layon (Anjou)

Dégustation décontractée de vins et découverte d'un artiste en live dans un cadre magique.

Vins et musique c'est le répertoire des Vendredis du Caveau. Vendredi 30 mars 2012, c'est Cendrio qui sera à l'affiche du Caveau pour présenter son dernier album, Ma Route.

Cendrio est angevin, auteur compositeur et interprète de ses chansons drôles et graves à la fois. Il nous livre guitare au poignet, ses sentiments vécus ou imaginaires sur le monde qui l'entoure. Les histoires de Cendrio s’entrechoquent, rebondissent entres elles et finissent par se poser là où on ne les attend pas. 

Les mots de Cendrio s'incrustent dans la chair et laissent l'emprunte d'une personnalité authentique et d'une oeuvre sincère et généreuse. Côté papilles, l'équipe des Vendredis du Caveau vous réserve une belle sélection de vins de tous les horizons et de toutes les couleurs. Les vins présentés au Caveau sont des vins à partager, des vins simples qui ont envie d'être bus, là tout de suite, sans tergiverser.

Des vins francs du collier mais des vins qui ont une histoire, qui ont été élaborés avec une envie, une démarche par des vignerons passionnés. C'est ça l'envie des Vendredis du Caveau, simplement partager un verre de vin. (Avec modération, il va sans dire, c'est le crédo de la maison !).

On pourra déguster entre autres, les très bons vins de chez Vincent Ricard à Thésée (41).

Vendredi 30 mars 2012

Entrée libre et gratuite pour tous.

De 20h à 23h.

Sélection de vins à déguster + Cendrio en live !

Le Caveau, 3 rue Saint Vincent 49750 Beaulieu sur Layon.

www.lesvendredisducaveau.fr

2002 L'Effrontée, Touraine, Vincent Ricard

2002 L'Effrontée, AC Touraine, Ricard Père et Fils (Vincent Ricard)

It is always somewhat of a lottery (perhaps challenge more like) being given a glass blind and asked to guess what it is. So it was as my nephew, Richard, offered me a glass last night after a visit to the Sleeping Beauty panto@The Assembly Hall Theatre in Tunbridge Wells. Golden coloured – it was evident as the glass approached that the mystery wine was obviously sweet or quite oxidised. From first taste – definitely sweet and, although very attractive, with much apparent acidity. So where was it from?

The lack of apparent acidity moves me away – foolishly as it turned out – from the Loire. A Pinot Gris from Alsace I offer without much conviction and wasn't really surprised to learn that this guess was wrong but we establish that it is definitely from France. Flavours of unctuous ripe peach and some apricot confit – might it possibly be a late harvest Chardonnay?

Time for an ambiguous question – phrased so it can be read both ways – "It's not from the Loire, is it?"

Vincent Ricard circa 2003

It's from the Loire. Well it certainly isn't Chenin Blanc not enough acidity, so it has to be a late harvest Sauvignon Blanc. It might, of course, have been a Malvoisie but am fairly confident that Richard hasn't got any of the pretty rare Loire Malvoisies. I hazard a guess that it is a late harvest Sancerre forgetting that a number of years ago I had taken him to see Vincent Ricard in Thésée and one of the wines he had bought that day was the 2002 L'Effrontée – a late harvest Sauvignon Blanc vinified in wood. A lovely example - and a fascinating curiosity from Touraine.

Sleeping Beauty@Tunbridge Wells – fortunately all turned out OK in the end!

2010 Le Petiot, AC Touraine Sauvignon, Vincent Ricard

I received a sample of Vincent Ricard's 2010 Le Petiot Touraine Sauvignon (£8.99 from Patrick Rosin of Smart Wines). The 2010 is fresh, lemony with lightly grassy aromas. Vincent's 2010 is very much in the style of this vintage – more 'classically' Loire fresh with lower alcohol but more marked acidity than the rich, opulent 2009s. 

Update: 7.4.2011 Having opened this several days ago and kept it stoppered in the fridge it has lost some of its aroma but gained additional weight, so reasonable to assume that over the next few months that the 2010 Le Petiot will put on extra weight in bottle. 

Smart Wines, Berroc End, Buttersteep Rise; Postcode: SL5 8AX; City/Town: Ascot (Berkshire); Main phone: 01344-621437.

Champagne Tarlant report finished/ Vincent Ricard@Xavier Fortin: 15th November

Benoît Tarlant@the premises of Charles Taylor Wines: 2.11.10

My report on Benoît Tarlant and his Champagnes is now finally finished. See here.

***

Xavier Fortin: star sommelier@La Promenade

Xavier Fortin, the long-established and excellent sommelier at La Promenade, has now set up his own wine business called La Cave du Petit-Pressigny in the eponymous village. On Monday 15th November Xavier will be holding his first tasting starring Vincent Ricard of Domaine Ricard in Thésée.

Message from Xavier:
'Vous avez peut-être trouvé le temps long mais j’ai choisi d’attendre la fin des Vendanges pour notre première dégustation (Lundi 15 Novembre 2010 de 17h à20h30).

Le vigneron qui vous sera présenté est un jeune viticulteur du Loire et Cher qui après avoir travaillé dans de grand domaine a su mettre son savoir au service du vignoble familial. Le domaine Ricard s’étend sur une vingtaine d’hectares où le Sauvignon est roi. Les vins de Vincent sont droits et d’un grand équilibre, le travail des sols donne toujours une minéralité qui fait d’un bon vin un vin d’exception.

Les différentes cuvées vous seront proposées aux prix du Domaine.

Le Petiot : C’est un sauvignon sur le fruit à boire dans sa jeunesse. 6.50 Euros.

Les trois Chênes : Est également un sauvignon pur mais sur un terroir beaucoup plus riche qui vous étonnera par sa puissance et sa finesse.8.80 Euros.

La cuvée Armand : Vendange tardive de sauvignon qui malgré son sucre résiduel a su garder une bonne fraicheur.9.50 Euros.

La cuvée le vin sans Ricard : Est un pétillant naturel (sans aucun sucre ajouté)

À base également de sauvignon qui vous surprendra par son fruit et sa bulle très fine.9 Euros.

Le vilain petit Rouge : est un assemblage de cabernet franc et de cot à qui un élevage de 18 mois en fut de chêne, a apporté finesse et fruité.8.50 Euros.

La cave où aura lieu la dégustation sera fléchée à partir de la boucherie du Petit Pressigny ; elle se trouve à environ 200 mètres du restaurant.

Si toutefois vous êtes dans l’impossibilité de venir gouter lors de notre dégustation vous avez la possibilité de me faire parvenir votre commande accompagnée de votre chèque à l’ordre de Mr Vincent Ricard à mon adresse ci-dessous :

Xavier Fortin

'Plein Ciel'

6, Chemin Des Coteaux

37350 Le Petit Pressigny

France

Tel : 02 47 94 93 16/ Portable : 09 54 69 09 92

Amicalement,

Xavier Fortin'

Vincent Ricard in his tasting room@Thésée

2010 Vendange in the Cher – full speed ahead!

 

Sauvignon  Blanc@Jacky Preys

Empyting a picking machine@Jean-François Merieau

This week has seen most Touraine producers start picking with some, like Vincent Ricard, accelerating following the heavy rain Thursday night/ early Friday morning.

This afternoon we had a quick drive round to see a number of producers – just dropping in to see how the harvest was progressing.

Joël Delaunay on his picking machine (La Tesnière, Pouillé)

Jean-Christophe Mandard (Mareuil) measuring the potential alcohol in his Sauvignon Blanc juice

 

Jacky  Preys (Meusnes) watching Sauvignon Blanc grapes being unloaded

Wineries not to be missed?

 

River Indre in Loches passing the George Sand hotel and restaurant

 A message received yesterday:

'Dear Jim,

I just stumbled across your blog about loire valley wines. My family and I will be traveling to Loire soon. Specifically, we are staying near Loches for a week. We love our wine but are by no means experts. I was wondering if you might give me some suggestions of wineries not to be missed. With so many options I am a bit overwhelmed. Any info you could pass on would be of great help however, please do not feel obligated to respond. I know you must get lots of questions like this. Thank you so much.'

**

Loches is a little way out from the Loire's main wine producing areas. For instance both Vouvray and Chinon are about an hour's drive away with Montlouis slightly closer at around 50 minutes. Closer are the two main producers of Touraine Noble Joué – Jean-Jacques Sard and Rousseau Frères in Esvres about half an hour away from Loches in the direction of Tours. Noble Joué is a little known but long established rosé made from three Pinots – Noir, Meunier and Gris. Of the two Rousseau is the larger concern with nearly 20 hectares of vines offering a range of other wines as well as Noble Joué. 

Also around 30 minutes away from Loches are the producers in the Cher Valley. People to visit would include Jean-François Mériau (Vignobles des Bois Vaudons) in Saint-Julien-de-Chédon and Vincent Ricard in Thésée.  

Going further afield then Jacky Blot's Domaine de la Taille aux Loups in Husseau (Montlouis) where you can buy his Vouvray and Bourgueil as well as Montlouis is certainly recommended as is the François Chidaine's La Cave Insolite in Montlouis. 

Across the river in Vouvray my choices include Domaine Huet, Champalou, Foreau, Bernard Fouquet (Domaine des Aubuisières) and Alexandre Monmousseau's Château Gaudrelle, whose tasting room and winery in now at the western end of Rochecorbon. 

If you decide to go to Chinon my choices would include Baudry-Dutour (tasting room in Cravant-les-Coteaux), Charles Joguet (Sazilly), Domaine de Noblaie (Jérôme Billard in Ligré) and Château de Coulaine (Etienne and Pascale Bonnaventure in Beaumont-en-Véron).

There are many other possibilities and much depends upon how far you want to drive and how many places you wish to visit. Mentioning them all would make for a very long post! 

Two post-vintage visits in Cher Valley: Vincent Ricard and JF Merieau

Jean-François (Jeff) Merieau with his deep coloured 2009 Côt (see below)

Dropped into see Vincent Ricard (Domaine Ricard, Thésée-la-Romaine) and Jean-François Merieau (Vignobles des Bois Vaudons, Saint-Julien-de-Chédon). Both have now finish their 2009 harvest – Vincent on Friday (having started on 12th September) and Jean-François this morning finishing off some seven rows of Cabernet Franc that remained. Both are equally happy with the quality and the quantity that this year has brought. Fortunately both escaped the hail that devastated parts of the Cher, especially parts of Angé and Monthou.

View of the Domaine Ricard winery

I tasted 2009 fermenting wines at both properties and once again the weight and purity of the 2009s is impressive, although will have to wait and see how the finished wines are. "2009 is a year when you can have both quantity and quality. My average this year is around 57/58hl/ha – Le Petiot at 60 hl/ha, while 42hl/ha for Les Trois Chênes." This suggests similarities with 1990 when the quality was excellent even with high yields, although Vincent would not remember 1990 as I guess he was still at schoool then.

"The 'gros bêtes' came in at over 14% potential. I've got 5000 litres of Gamay at 15.5%, so I'm goiung to make a moelleux rosé – 11.5%-12% alcohol and the rest as residual sugar."

Vincent has recently acquired a new 3.6 ha vineyard called Le Bouc overlooking the centre of Thésée. It was planted with "Gamay pourri" and other poor quality clones, which Vincent has ripped out and replaced with Sauvignon Blanc, for which he gets assistance from the EU towards restructuring the vineyard. They pay for the plants, the wires and the posts. Vincent now has 23 ha.

Vineyard posts

We also tasted some 2008 Sauvignon Blancs. Both 2008 Le Petiot (6.40€ at the cellar) and Les Trois Chênes (8.50€) are showing really well now, having taken on considerably more weight since I last tasted them in April. Just shows that some of these Sauvignons from the Cher valley are drunk too young and really need a year or so to be at their best. '? 2008' was bottled just before the start of the harvest. There is a lot of concentration there but it's quite lean and austere at the moment – just needs more time in bottle. The vines for '? 2008' are over 75 years old and were the first Sauvignon Blanc to be planted in the Cher Valley.

Jean-François with his 2009 Côt

Jean-François Merieau, Vignobles des Bois Vaudons
I started by tasting through the current range. The following wines showed best: the creamy Pétillant Blanc Brut, which is good value at 6.30€, the light and delicate 2007 Le Bois Jacou, Touraine Gamay (5€), and the powerful and concentrated 2005 Les Grands Champs Touraine Cabernet Franc (6€) – all smoky black fruits and needing more time. Apparently a US importer dismissed the idea of importing this 2005 Grands Champs saying 'it was too old'!

The tasting concluded with two Boa wines that have extended wood aging. Boa le Rouge (13.50€) is a 2006 Gamay. It has attractively soft Gamay fruit but the wood is quite dominant and drying in the finish. Not convinced that the wood brings much to the party – perhaps it just needs to be used more sparingly. Instead of Boa le rouge I'd rather have two bottles of the 2005 Cabernet and the change. Guele du boa (2006 Côt – 14.10€) is more successful – Côt has more power and structure to support the wood and this has good smoky, concentrated black fruits. Even so the wood is still dominant and this needs more time.

Then we went down to the winery and tasted the impressive 2009s in progress. I was very interested to learn from Jean-François that in the past the vignerons used to plant a few vines of Alicante Bouchet to give colour to their reds. Alicante Bouchet is a teinturier (a red fleshed variety). It is a Mediterranean variety, so it was a surprise that it ripened sufficiently in these cooler climes.

Hand destemming Cabernet Franc

While I was at the winery two workers, including the son of Xavier Frissant who is on a stage with Jean-François, were busy destemming the last of the Cabernet Franc by hand.

Vincent Ricard and Thierry Puzelat on McDuff

Vincent Ricard in his new tasting room: April 2009

Two good postings on the McDuff Food & Wine Trail blog:

Vincent Ricard

Label designs in Vincent's new tasting room

Thierry Puzelat

Sauvignon Blanc tasting@RSJ 11th May 2009

The main focus of this tasting held at the RSJ Restaurant, London SE1 (tel: 020-7928 4554) was on Sauvignon Blanc away from the classics of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé.

2007 Sauvignon Blanc, VDP du Val de Loire, Domaine de Bablut

Aperitif: 2007 Sauvignon Blanc VDP Val du Loire, Domaine de Bablut, Christophe Daviau

There was a welcome glass of Christophe Daviau’s Sauvignon Blanc. Coming from the western part of the Loire in Anjou this tends to be richer, rounder with an accent on tropical fruit – certainly less citric and mineral than the examples from Touraine and the Central Vineyards.

As we were a small group this evening we all sat around one large table in the basement of the RSJ. This was certainly a format that worked well on the evening with people feeling that they were able to contribute more easily to the discussion than when we have larger numbers. It may well be that this is an alternative format that we can offer from time to time, although the price may have to be a little higher to cover costs.

We started with three wines served blind. Not with the intention to challenge people to identify the wines but to answer one question – which of the three wines do you prefer.

2007 Les Pierris, Sancerre, Roger Champault et Fils

The three wines served blind:

2007 Les Pierris, Sancerre, Roger Champault et fils
The Sancerre had attractive weight and richness with the wine benefiting from a year in bottle.

2008 Sauvignon Blanc, AC Touraine, Domaine Sauvète
This was quite aggressively catty aromatically – some tasters also smelt elderflower – with a lean and lemony palate.

2008 Le Petiot, AC Touraine Sauvignon, Vincent Ricard
A little more concentration and weight than the previous wine with grapefruit flavours.

Of the three wines there was a preference by one vote for Le Petiot followed by the Sancerre and only one supporter of the Sauvète. All of the 2008s in the tasting are likely to take on more weight over the next three to six months. Most of them have only been in bottle for a short time.

•••

Then we served the next three with the first course.

2008 Clos Roussely, AC Touraine Sauvignon, Vincent Roussely
This turned out to be the favourite Sauvignon Blanc of the evening with good richness balanced by a clean, grapefruit finish. This further confirms that Vincent is making some very good wines.

2008 Touraine Sauvignon No2, Clos Roche Blanche
Although well-balanced this has softer acidity than the other Sauvignons having gone through a malolactic fermentation.

2007 Quincy, Domaine des Ballandors
Once again we could see the benefit of a year in bottle giving the wine additional weight and texture with a refreshing citric finish.

First course: Goats cheese, asparagus and red onion tartlet

The voting showed the Clos Roussely as the clear favourite, followed at a distance by the Quincy and then the Clos Roche Blanche. However, there was a general feeling that these three wines found it difficult against the sweetness of the red onion.

•••

We paired two Sauvignon with the main course.

2007 Oneiros Domaine Sauvète and 2008 Trois Chênes, Vinccent Ricard

2007 Oneiros, Touraine Sauvignon, Domaine Sauvète
Oneiros is a step up in the Sauvète range from the straight Touraine Sauvignon. It has attractive gooseberry flavours and some richness.

2008 Les Trois Chênes, AC Touraine Sauvignon, Vincent Ricard
Recently bottled this needs time to open up, although concentration is apparent along with a mineral finish.

Main course: roast organic salmon, samphire, pink fir potato, roast courgettes and beurre blanc.

In the voting Les Trois Chênes was the clear favourite with several fence sitters in this round.

2008 Canaille, Gamay, AC Touraine, Vincent Roussely

Also tried with dinner 2008 Canaille, Touraine Gamay, Vincent Roussely. One of our frequent tasters remarked that a light red would be good with the salmon. By luck we had a bottle of Vincent’s Gamay that we had opened earlier to taste, so we were able to put this suggestion to the test. Indeed Vincent’s juicy, brightly red fruited and spicy Gamay went well with the salmon.

Dessert; iced ginger parfait, poached pear, chocolate sauce and almonds

Conclusions?: That you don't have to stick with the established classics from the Central Loire and that there are some very good producers in Cher Valley with Vincent Roussely and Vincent Ricard being particulalry commended. Like Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, these wines often benefit from some time in bottle to gain more weight. The VDP Sauvignon from Domaine de Bablut was also popular.

Vincent Ricard (Touraine) and Jonathan Pabiot (Pouilly-Fumé)

28 January 2009

Last evening I had a couple of Sauvignon Blancs to try: the 2008 Le Petiot, AC Touraine Sauvignon from Domaine Ricard and the 2007 Pouilly-Fumé from Jonathan Pabiot.

I have been tasting Vincent’s wines for five or six years, I guess, and rate him as one of the best producers of Sauvignon Blanc in the Cher Valley. Of Vincent’s 17 hectares of vines, 12.5 ha are Sauvignon Blanc. Le Petiot is the ‘entry level’ SB and makes up the bulk of his production. Vincent makes several other Sauvignons of increasing richness up to late harvest when the conditions permit.



On the other hand Jonathan Pabiot is a new name to me. Jonathan, that is, not Pabiot, which is a popular surname in Pouilly – there are 12 Pabiots listed in Les Pages Blanches (French telephone directory). At least six of these are vignerons. Jonathan appears to be the son of Denis Pabiot in Les Loges, wine hamlet just to the north of Pouilly-sur-Loire, with just two hectares of vines.



As they are different vintages I guess it is slightly unfair to compare the two wines but I going to anyway. I assume that the 2008 Le Petiot has only recently been bottled but isn’t suffering from the shock of bottling as it has really vibrant gooseberry aromas with a hint of grapefruit too. It’s nicely balanced with some weight and an attractive delicacy in the finish. I suspect with more time in bottle it will take on additional weight.

Jonathan’s Pouilly-Fumé is fractionally deeper in colour than the light lemony hue of the Touraine and the aromas more restrained – more mellow. It has a flinty, mineral character but without the length of Vincent’s Touraine and rather more marked acidity.

Leaving price aside I prefer Vincent’s Touraine. Once, however, you factor in the price there is no competition – £7.95 for the Ricard and £11.50 for the Pabiot. Both are available from Smart Wines of Ascot (01344-621437). Domaine Ricard is also available through HG Wines Ltd.

Both wines have good labels – Vincent's more fun, while Jonathan's is more classic with a modern touch.

HG Wines: Collective tasting@Wine Wharf London SE1

(Trade prices excluding vat)

Off to The Wine Wharf for a tasting of this often fascinating range of wines put together by Neil Irvine with some assistance from Trevor Gulliver. Sadly I was unable to accept the invitation to stay to dinner as I had to go on to a tasting at the RSJ (details to be posted here and on the RSJ News blog). It would have been particularly good to have been able to taste some of the wines being shown with food.

Joël and Christine Ménard: Domaine des Sablonnettes

A number of the growers were over with perhaps the Loire with the fewest number making it to London.

From the Loire I tasted wines from the following: Domaine la Haut Fevrie (Claude Branger), Vincent Ricard, Domaine des Sablonnettes (Christine and Joël Ménard), Catherine and Pierre Breton and Jean-Pierre Robinot, who had been due to come over but had had to cancel on Friday.

Vincent Ricard

My tasting got off to a flying start with the precise, racy and quite weighty 2006 Excellence Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine (£5.45) from Claude Branger, whose 26 ha Domaine de la Haute-Fevrie is in Maisdon-sur-Sèvre. Next up two wines from the talented Vincent Ricard and great to see that his wines are now available again in London. 2007 Le Petiot – the ‘basic’ Touraine Sauvignon – is grassy, citric and very much in the racy style of 2007. Next lovely rich and concentrated 2007 ? (point d’interrogation) (£15.15) – one of Vincent’s richer cuvées of Touraine Sauvignon. It comes from more than 70 year-old vines with a yield of 23 hl/ha and a potential of 14%. It was fermented in 400 litre barrels for three months with a total time of 11 months in wood. Just a 1000 bottles made of the 2007.

Next up was a range of wines from Domaine des Sablonnettes with owners Christine and Joël Menard in attendance. They have 12 ha in Rablay-sur-Layon with eight planted with Chenin Blanc plus a tiny amount of Sauvignon Blanc. They work organically and biodynamically. I have tasted their wines on at least a couple of previous occasions I find the wines patchy and this tasting added to this impression. Of the 10 wines shown I found one stunning and thrilling: the wonderfully precise, delicate and balanced 2007 Noblesse Coteaux du Layon Rablay, which carried off its 120 gms of residual sugar with ease and grace. Quite probably my wine of the whole tasting – certainly I didn’t taste a better one.


My impression is that the Layons are the Menards strongest suit. They showed four – all were convincing. The two 2005 – Les Erables (180 gms – £12.50 50cl) and Le Vilain Canard (240 gms – £17.95 50cl) – were impressive but lack the vivacity and zip of the 2007 Noblesse. It is, of course, very early to judge these 2005s and that in ten years the young puppy fat of sugar will be in better balance and it is be easier to judge how fine or complex they really are.

I also enjoyed the two rosés, especially the intriguing and delicate VDT Rosé Passarillé 2007 (£7.05) with its flavours of rosehip and red currant. Christine Ménard: We serve it as an aperitif, with summer dishes like melon and jambon cru. Also with desserts that use red fruits it works with all of the exotic cuisines – Thai etc. It would be interesting to know how well it would age for Anjou has a tradition of sweet age worthy rosés that has now virtually been lost.

I wasn’t convinced by three reds, especially the 2007 VDT Les Copains Aussi (100% Gamay – £5.45) and 2006 Les Beaux Vins Anjou Rouge (£5.45). In both I found a greenness in the finish. My preference was for the leafy VDT Les Copains d’Abord 2007 made from 100% Grolleau Noir with its good weight and concentration. Yes a touch rustic but that's probably the nature of Grolleau Noir.

Finally the 2006 Anjou Blanc Le P’tit Blanc (£5.45) is slightly in the oxidative style and I have considerable doubts about this approach. Offer me choice between a bottle of Le P’tit Blanc and one from their fellow Rablay producer Richard Leroy and it would be Richard’s every time or nearly every time as I guess I should always keep trying the different styles.

Pierre Breton and Les Perrières 2005

On the next table was Pierre Breton from Restigné in Bourgueil, who I have known for something getting on for 20 years. Pierre was showing four wines. One – the 2005 Les Perrières (£11.20) – I really enjoyed with all the rich, velvety, concentrated fruit of 2005. A bottle to enjoy now or confidently keep for 10-15 years at least. I also liked the supple but weighty 2006 Chinon Beaumont (£7.10). The other two wines added to my feeling that Pierre has lost his way over recent years. I have never seen the point of Trinch – the entry level Bourgueil. The 2007 at £7.10 is just green. Indeed all the vintages of Trinch that I have tasted over the years have either been green or dilute or both. Why would I want to spend £7.10 on an under ripe Bourgueil when I can buy a delicious Anjou Rouge from Vincent Ogereau or a Touraine Cabernet from the Clos Roche Blanche for less money and get ripe fruit?

It may well be that I’m missing something with Trinch as I compared notes with The Wine Detective who loved Trinch’s juicy fruit and minerality. I finished with Les Picasses 2004 (£11.20) – not properly ripe and green. I’d love to be able to put Pierre and Catherine Breton amongst the best of Bourgueil but sadly they are well adrift of Yannick Amirault , Pierre-Jacques Druet and Jacky Blot (Domaine de la Butte).

The last Loire table gave me an opportunity to taste the wines from Jean-Pierre Robinot (Ange Vin) in the valley of Le Loir. I had wanted to go and see Jean-Pierre when I was briefly in the area in August but unfortunately he was away that weekend. Hopefully I will get to see him soon. “I like wines that make me think,” said Neil when I asked him how when Robinot’s wines do in the restaurants. “We give away more than we sell,” was his candid reply.

JPs wines certainly make you think – push the extremes – push the envelope and perhaps from time to time tear it asunder. JP makes both VDT and Jasnières. As a rough guide the Jasnières are closest to the main stream as they have got through the agrément. Six whites all Chenin Blanc were on show. I started with the mid-gold coloured and quite oxidised 2005 Cuvée Bistrologie VDT (£10.70) – its initial weight giving way to a lean finish. Then to the 2003 Symphonie du Temps VDT (£14.20) – golden coloured, toasty nose, rich but oxidised though intriguing with good length. 2005 Charme du Loir VDT (£14.70) was definitely on the wild side – again toasty and honeyed nose, good weight but very marked oxidation.

Then on to three Jasnières, starting with the 2004 Lumière de Silex (£13.20) – mid gold colour, rich, concentrated texture and curiously slightly heady although only 12% alcohol. 2004 L’Iris du Loir (£19.20) was slightly less deep coloured and with greater freshness, more delicate and quite attractive – perhaps my favourite white. Lastly the rich and weighty 2004 Juliette Robinot (£34.20) with a markedly oxidative character but still with good length.

The last wine was the 2005 Nocturne Rouge VDT (£19.20) from 100% Pineau d’Aunis and was my preferred JP wine. Le Loir is the stronghold of Pineau d’Aunis, which here and elsewhere in the Loire is enjoying a revival of esteem. This was typically peppery with good juicy, silky fruit and length of flavour. Good but at nigh on £20 before vat and £ 22.56 with it, is it really worth it, especially when the 2006 Rouge Gorge, Coteaux du Loir, from Eric Nicolas’ Domaine de la Bellivière can be bought for £13.95 from The Wine Society?

After the Loire I had time to taste wines from Domaine Olivier Pithon, run by Jo's 'baby' brother, in Calce, Roussillon. On this occasion I particularly liked the crisp, mineral and long 2002 D18 VDP Côtes Catalanes (£14.90), the rich and concentrated Grenache and old vine Carignan grown on schist – 2006 La Coulée, Côtes du Roussillon (£9.00) and the delicious, powerful and mineral 100% old vine Carignan 2006 Le Pilou (£13.15).

Catherine and Pierre Breton
Vincent Ricard
Olivier Pithon
H G Wines
The Wine Wharf