Domaine Pierre Chauvin: Portes ouvertes - Dégustations: 28th April to 1st May

Du 28 avril au 1er mai, le domaine sera ouvert pour la dégustation et la vente de nos Anjou et Coteaux du Layon bio, de 10h à 12h et de 14h à 18h.

De plus, nous vous proposons plusieurs animations :

Le samedi 28 avril
♦ A 15h30, dégustation commentée des vins du domaine avec des idées recettes simples et pratiques pour étonner vos amis. Un moment privilégié pour l'éveil des sens et la découverte des arômes cachés... (5 €/personne - sur réservation)
♦ A 19h, dîner-conte : Pat Ouvrard vous fera voyager, rire, et saura vous émouvoir à travers ses textes. Claire-Marie et Lalla de "Ripaille et Tartine" régalerons vos papilles. Le tout accompagné bien évidemment des vins du domaine (17 €/adulte - 7 €/enfant jusqu'à 12ans - sur réservation).

Le dimanche 29 avril Durant toute cette journée seront présents quelques producteurs locaux qui partageront avec vous leur savoir-faire (escargots, charcuteries, apérinades et confitures créatives).

Le matin à 10h :
♦ Lors d'une ballade à travers nos vignes, Philippe vous racontera le travail effectué tout au long de l'année.
Au retour le midi (12h30) :
♦ L'association Mets-Tissés vous régalera d'une paella préparée sous vos yeux ! Les producteurs présents vous ferons (re)découvrir leurs produits, en accord avec les vins du domaine (16 €/adulte - 6 €/enfant jusqu'à 12 ans - sur réservation).

Le mardi 1er mai
♦ Rejoignez-nous dès 10h pour une randonnée sur les sentiers de Rablay, avec votre pique-nique que nous partagerons à votre retour au domaine (vins et boissons offertes).

Détails et bulletin d'inscription sur cette page : http://www.domainepierrechauvin.fr/pages/porte-ouverte-vin-anjou.php

2012 Decanter World Wine Awards: regional chairs' awards

 The Bleeding lot!

Sign for restaurant

Although the regional and international results from the Decanter World Wine Awards are keenly awaited, it is the awards for the regional chairs that are most coveted generating ferocious competition. Traditionally they were announced during the regional chairs' lunch on the Friday of the competition. However, with the number of wines entered now over 14,000 the awards need all of Friday plus next Monday set aside for some panels to reassess their gold medals and decide on regional trophies, the lunch has now become a Thursday evening dinner.

2012 Regional Chair Awards

Christine MacDonald, new DWWA executive, with thank you bouquet 

 Sarah Kemp announcing regional awards, Steven Spurrier and Giles MacDonogh look on

Richard Mayson (regional chair for Port) won the Woman of the Year Award for 

his ability to multi-task 

Richard now ready for action!

New head chef@Bleeding Heart complex?

John "Golden Roan' Livingstone-Learmonth (regional chair for the Rhône) wins the 2012 easy virtue award for services to Gold Medals

The winners' celebrate...

The humble workers' awards

John 'Golden Roan' Livingstone then announced on behalf of the regional chairs the winners of the alternative awards: 

Anthony Rose (regional chair for Australia) – black teeth award from tasting powerful Ozzie reds

Lack of black teeth award: winner Tom Stevenson (below) who tastes Champagne and Alsace

One of Tony Aspler's (regional chair, Canada) fans for use of plane home

Other pics

Stephen Howse, Decanter's official DWWA photographer

 1940 Yalumba Vintage Special Reserve Tawny

Steven Spurrier very kindly shared on of two bottles of 1940 Vintage 'Port' from Yalumba. Robert Hill-Smith of Yalumba presented Steven with two bottles for his 70th birthday party. One was drunk at the birthday party and we were able to enjoy a small glass of the second which was complex, nutty and still wonderfully fresh. 

One of the tables set for dinner     

2012 Decanter World Wine Awards: Day 4 – trophy day

Katie Exton (Chez Bruce) 

Four days, four gold medals and two regional trophies 

Yesterday concluded our four days of judging Loire wines for the 2012 Decanter World Wine Awards. It was an interesting and varied day showing once again what diversity of styles there are in the Loire. We looked at sparkling wines – white and rosé, some more Sancerre in all three colours, dry and demi-sec rosé and concluded with various reds from Cheverny, Valençay and AC Touraine. During the afternoon we hit a high point with a 2010 Sancerre Rouge, which was awarded gold.  

Victoria Stephens-Clarkson 

Katie Exton, sommelier at Chez Bruce, and Victoria Stephens-Clarkson, formerly wine buyer for Liberty wines and now with the family wine business in the Cotswolds, joined Nigel Wilkinson (RSJ Restaurant).

Our day ended with a re-tasting of our gold medal wines and assessing whether any of these were good enough for a Regional Trophy. Our answer was yes, so this year the Loire has an unprecedented two Regional Trophy winners – Red Loire over £10 and Sweet Loire over £10. These two wines will now go forward to be tasted with their peers from other parts of the wine world to decide the International Trophy winners. 

The regional results will be announced during the London Wine Trade Fair, while the International Trophy Winners won't be known until the awards dinner in September.

We tasted just over 300 wines over the four days – easily the biggest Loire DWWA entry ever. My thanks to all the Loire judges: Yves Desmaris MS, Katie Exton, Chris Kissack, Ken Mackay MW, Victoria Stephens-Clarkson and Jason Yapp.  

Special thanks to Sebastian Denton, our red shirt who looked after us brilliantly. He didn't even throw a wobbly when the regional chair insisted on a complete change of glasses after a flight of Rosé d'Anjou and Cabernet d'Anjou before more onto our final flight of reds!