Decanter World Wine Awards 2018 – some good results from the Loire

Judging Loire wines for the Decanter World Wine Awards has been from Tuesday to Friday this week at the Cert Ed section of the ever expanding Excel Exhibition Centre. This is the 15th anniversary of the awards that started in 2004 and have grown to be one of the largest wine competitions in the world.

As Regional Chair for the Loire I was lucky to have an excellent and settled panel for all four days: namely Chris Hardy (Charles Sydney Wines), Nigel Wilkinson (Sticky Mango@RSJ) and Chris Kissack (The Wine Doctor). 

Although not allowed to reveal details of the results, I can say that we had a pretty successful week awarding a number of Gold Medals for a variety of wines –  reds, dry whites and sweets – as well as a good sprinkling of Silver medals.    

 

View from the 2nd floor tasting room at Excel

The long walkway on the 2nd floor of the Excel Centre 

 

 The Excel Exhibition Complex

viewed from the east

 Same view as above but this time with a plane 

taking off from the nearby London City Airport

A relaxing drink after a day's tasting 

on the balcony of the nearby Novotel

Has the Loire escaped spring frosts in 2018?

Anit-frost pots out in the Regional de Cosne 

and du Charitois

While hoping that I am not speaking too soon but it looks as though the Loire has escaped any serious damage from Spring frosts in 2018. Last night and the night before were rather nerve jangling as temperatures dipped. 

However, Laura Semeria of Domaine de Montcy reported that there hadn't been any frost in her domaine in Cheverny, which is prone to frost and where the forecast for Tuesday/Wednesday showed -1˚C. In Ligre (AOP Chinon) Jérôme Billard reported that they had to light to the anti-frost candles at 4am this morning and that they proved effective. 

Initially this coming night – Wednesday/Thursday – was forecast to be tricky but during today the temperatures forecast have risen so the frost risk appears to have gone away with no low temperatures forecast for the coming 10 days or so. 

Even so – we should continue to keep fingers crossed for a while.....      

Tuesday and Wednesday nights – squeaky bum time in Eastern Touraine

 Météo France forecast for Cheverny, whose low lying 

vineyards are frost prone 

Cheverny - 40% possibility of frost 

Tuesday/Wednesday night  

Vignerons in parts of eastern Touraine look to be facing a sleepless couple of nights on Tuesday/Wednesday and Wednesday/Thursday as temperatures drop to close on freezing or just below.

Elsewhere in Loire the forecast is for a little above freezing – fine as long as the forecast is accurate. Tonight's forecast for Vallet shows a low of 2˚C and 0% chance of frost. 2˚C is getting a bit close for comfort – so fingers crossed!