Identity in Crisis - The East India Club€¦ · Touraine Centre -Loire Alsace Champagne Auvergne...

Tutored Wine Tasting

Thursday 14th July 2016

Identity in Crisis

Speaker: Eric LAGRE

Head Sommelier

LOIRE RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES

ANCIEN REGIME PROVINCES IN 1789

OLD DEPARTEMENTS AND REGIONS

13 NEW FRENCH

SUPER-REGIONS

LOIRE VALLEY WINES IN A FEW FIGURES

The Loire is the longest river in France, flowing along 1000km.

Together with its tributaries, the river drains more than 1/5 of France’s land area.

The vineyard of the Loire Valley is planted across 6 administrative regions and 15 départements:

Pays de la Loire: Loire Atlantique, Maine et Loire, Sarthe, Vendée

Poitou-Charentes: Deux-Sèvres, Vienne

Centre: Cher, Indre, Indre et Loire, Loir et Cher, Loiret

Bourgogne: Nièvre

Auvergne: Allier, Puy-de-Dôme

Rhône-Alpes: Loire

The Loire Valley is the largest producer of sparkling wine after Champagne.

(Loire Valley sparkling wine represents 10% and Champagne 60% of the 550m bottles of fizz produced in France every year)

The Loire valley is the largest producer of AOC white wine in France.

(White wine represents nearly 2/3 of the production in the Loire Valley against 1/3 nationally)

The Loire Valley is the 2nd

largest producer of Rosé after Provence.

(The region represents 1/5 and Provence 1/3 of the 500m bottles of rosé wine produced in France every year)

The Loire Valley is the 3rd

largest producer of AOC wines in France.

(75% of the 4m hl produced in the Loire Valley is AOC wine)

The Loire Valley is the 4th

largest French winegrowing region in terms of size.

(The Loire vineyard covers nearly 1/10 of the 800,000 ha of French vineyard)

The stretch of vineyard between Angers and Orléans has been classified as Wold Heritage by UNESCO in 2000.

GRAPES VARIETIES of the LOIRE VALLEY

WHITE RED 35% Melon de Bourgogne 54% Cabernet Franc

26% Chenin Blanc 19% Gamay

26% Savignon Blanc 8% Grolleau

7% Chardonnay 7% Cabernet Sauvignon

4% Folle Blanche 5% Pinot Noir

2% Other white grapes 7% Other red grapes

Nantais

Anjou-Saumur

Touraine

Centre-Loire

Alsace Champagne

Auvergne

Burgundy

Savoy

Provence

Rhône

Languedoc

Roussillon

Bordeaux

South-West

WITHIN THE FRENCH VINEYARD

. . . .

.

. . .

. .

. .

Nantes

La Roche-sur-Yon

Angers

Poitiers

Tours

Blois

Orléans . Le Mans

Bourges Nevers

Moulins

Clermont-Ferrand

Saint-Etienne

Beaujolais

. Lyon

. Dijon

Paris .

. Rennes

Loire Valley Wines www.loirevalleywine.com

InterLoire www.vinsvaldeLoire.eu

BIVC www.vins-centre-loire.com

IGP Val de Loire www.vins-igp-val-de-loire.com

. Saumur

TUTORED LOIRE VALLEY WINE TASTING

Thursday 14th

July 2016

Speaker: Head Sommelier Eric LAGRE

Tasting notes by Eric LAGRE and Magda KOTLARCZYK, WSET Diploma graduates

(with the participation of WSET Diploma student Nora ESPINOSA CORONEL)

TASTING LIST

2015 Gros Plant du Pays Nantais sur Lie “Folle Blanche” –Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin

2013 Muscadet Vieilles Vignes Sèvre et Maine sur Lie –Domaine Les Grands Presbytères / Nelly Marzelleau

2009 Savennières Coulée de Serrant –Clos de la Coulée de Serrant / Joly Family

2014 Rosé d’Anjou –Domaine de Champteloup / LaCheteau / Grand Chais de France

NV Crémant de Loire –Domaine de Veilloux / Michel & Silviane Quenioux

2014 Touraine (declassified Cheverny Rouge) “La Guerrerie” –Clos du Tue-Boeuf / Puzelat brothers

2013 Pouilly-Fumé “La Demoiselle de Bourgeois” –Domaine Henri Bourgeois

2012 Sancerre Rouge “Les Baronnes” –Domaine Henri Bourgeois

2015 Côtes du Forez “Cuvée des Gourmets” –Domaine Verdier-Logel

2010 Saumur-Champigny –Clos Rougeard / GEAC Foucault

Wine Name: Gros Plant du Pays Nantais Sur Lie « Folle Blanche »

Vintage: 2015

Producer: Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin www.domaineluneaupapin.com

Winemaker: Pierre-Marie Luneau

Indication of origin: Gros Plant du Pays Nantais (AOVDQS 1954 / AOC 2011) Sur Lie (1977)

La Chapelle Heulin, Sèvre et Maine, Loire Atlantique, Pays de La Loire

Part of the Ancien Régime province of Brittany until 1789

Style: Crisp dry white wine The 50ha estate in Le Landreau is gradually converting from “culture raisonnée” to organic viticulture. High-density planting

of 6600 vines/ha and low yields of 50hl/ha, well under the legal maximum limit of 65hl/ha, ensure that the vigorous cultivar

produces wines with concentration and finesse. The temperate oceanic climate and well-drained soils guarantee good

maturity at the end of September. The grapes are picked manually, gently pressed then naturally fermented in stainless

steel at 20°C. No malolactic fermentation. The wine is lightly fined and filtered then bottled after 6 to 8 months on fine lees.

Assemblage: 100% Folle Blanche

Alcohol: 11%abv

Closure: screw cap with saranex liner

Capacity: 75cl

Supplier: Caves de Pyrène www.lescaves.co.uk

Wholesale price: £6.90 DPD ex VAT

Retail price £10.49 www.forestwines.com

The Nantais was planted by the Romans 2000 years ago, but winegrowing in the rest of the Loire Valley only began in the 5th

century thanks to enterprising

princes and prelates. It is when Henry II Plantagenet, Count of Anjou, became king of England in 1154 that the Angevin vineyard took off. From then on, many of

the crowned heads of France and England contributed to the reputation of the wines of the Loire Valley. In the Middle-Ages, the middle classes of Angers, Saumur

and Orléans obtained the abolition of the “droit de banvin”, a right that had previously given the nobility a monopoly over the wine trade. It encouraged the

bourgeoisie to produce and export wine to the Low Countries via the port of Nantes. When, in 1532, François I authorised the Brittany states to maintain a duty

on trade with foreign countries, the production of high quality wines in the valley was boosted. The main destination for these so-called “wines of the sea” was

the Netherlands. Dutch merchants established a community in Nantes to facilitate trade, thereby becoming the driving force behind the expansion of the vineyard

along the entire stretch of the river. In the 16th

century, more barrels were loaded onto cargo ships in the port of Nantes than in La Rochelle and Bordeaux

combined. Not only did the river help export, but it was the gate through which new cultivars were introduced. Folle Blanche, from which Gros Plant du Pays

Nantais is made, came through Nantes from South West France in the Middle-Ages. “Folle” means “mad” and probably refers to the vigour of the vine, as does its

other name, “Gros Plant” or “big vine”. The variety grows best in the temperate conditions of the Nantais, yet one does have to restrict yields if one wants to

produce a wine of any distinction. Despite counting as the fifth most widely planted white grape variety in the Loire Valley, Folle Blanche is now in considerable

decline. Once widely planted by the Dutch to make “Eau de Vie” for drinking or to use as fortifying brandy to stabilise wine before a long sea voyage, it now only

represents 5% of all the white grapes planted in the Loire Valley and the wine from which it is made amounts to less than 15% of the production in the Nantais.

Appearance:

This white wine looks clear and bright. It is pale lemon-green in colour. Legs and tears run along the side of the glass.

Nose:

The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium-plus intensity of youthful aromas. Thanks to a degree of lees ageing, the

predominantly fruity aromas have retained a lot of juiciness and lively freshness. The pear, yellow apple and white

peach fruit is underlined by vegetal notes of nettle and grass. There is a hint of smokiness also, which is somewhat

reminiscent of cigarette ashes.

Palate:

This medium-minus-bodied wine tastes dry. The acidity is high, and its tartaric freshness of character is enhanced by

a salty tang of minerality and a touch of prickliness from the ageing on lees. Most of all, it is not hindered by alcohol,

the medium-minus level of which is hardly noticeable. The apple and pear fruit is greener than on the palate. The

white peach is made even juicier by a squeeze of lemon and grapefruit. Both the length of the finish and the fruit

intensity are medium only, yet there is an overall sense of satisfactory equilibrium.

Assessment of quality:

This wine is very good. It is simple and medium(ish) in every way, yet one doesn’t feel that it is lacking in any way.

Thanks to its lively freshness and a fairly neutral, yet minerally character, the wine will serve its purpose by balancing

the subtle sweetness of shellfish dishes cooked with the least fuss possible.

Wine Name: Muscadet Vieilles Vignes Sèvre & Maine Sur Lie

Vintage: 2013

Producer: Domaine Les Grand Presbytères

Winemaker: Nelly Marzelleau & Pierre-Henri Gadais

Indication of origin: Muscadet de Sèvre et Maine (AOC 1936) Sur Lie (1977)

Saint-Fiâcre-sur-Maine, Sèvre et Maine, Loire Atlantique, Pays de La Loire

Part of the Ancien Régime province of Brittany until 1789

Style: Crisp dry white wine The vines are grown on granitic gneiss with high flint content. The grapes are hand-picked, gently pressed then

fermented at cool temperatures. “Sur Lie” means that the wine was aged on fine lees then bottled anytime between 1

March and 30 November following the harvest. Being from old Vines, this wine required 11 months of ageing on lees.

Assemblage: 100% Melon de Bourgogne (45 year old vines)

Alcohol: 12%abv

Closure: Natural cork

Capacity: 75cl

Supplier: Boutinot www.boutinot.com


Retail price £10.00 www.paulrobertswines.co.uk

The Loire is the longest river in France and together with its tributaries drains more than 1/5 of the nation’s land area. The complex geological make up of the

Loire Valley draws influences from the “Massif Armoricain” in the north-west, the “Bassin Parisien” in the north and the “Massif Central” in the south. The climate

gradually grows from oceanic and mild in the estuary to continental and rigorous the further upstream one travels. The Loire crosses 15 departments and 6

administrative regions, often lending them its name. But one river does not make a valley one and a whole. The Loire Valley is an obvious mosaic of terroirs. It is

divided into 5 sub-regions, the identity of each one of which is distinctive and often divorced from the rest of the valley. Many would argue, for instance, that it is

with Brittany that Nantes belongs. Nantes has always looked towards the Atlantic and only used the river as a means of trading with foreign markets and cashing

on the valley’s wine production, eventually getting involved into the triangular trade along the way. Grapes came and went amongst all that traffic and isn’t it

because it made its way upstream from the “City of the Dukes of Brittany” that Cabernet Franc, the idiosyncratic red grape of the Middle-Loire, is still known as

“Breton”? It was never going to happen, but, until the end, many hoped that the Nantais would be torn away from “Les Pays de la Loire” to be re-attached to

Brittany when the new French super-regions were drawn in 2015. Anecdotally, a “Committee of Breton Wines” was even created in 2011. Despite only counting

four members, its president, Philippe Chéneau, was taken to court for not labelling his “Breizh Gwin Gwenn”, the first ever Breton Muscadet, as “Vin du Val de

Loire”. Muscadet is made from Melon, a grape that was introduced in the region from Burgundy in the Middle-Ages. Nowadays, Melon and Folle Blanche are only

grown in the Nantais and both grapes are representative of the two spheres that influenced plantings in the Loire Valley: South West France and Burgundy.

Melon too became widely planted in the 17th

century to fulfil the demand of the Dutch for productive grapes suited to distillation. Of all the pale-skinned varieties,

Melon is the fourth most widely planted in France and by far the most widely planted in the Loire Valley. My paternal grandfather, fisherman by trade, was

adamant that it was Gros Plant one had to drink with oysters, not Muscadet. The choice is almost a political one. Muscadet pairs well with shellfish also, but it

proves a much better match with fish dishes in “beurre blanc”, regardless of whether that fish is sea bass from the ocean or zander from the river; so, in or out?

Appearance:


Carbonic bubbles form a very thin foamy edge around the rim.

Nose:

The wine smells clean. It exhibits youthful aromas of medium intensity, though one must stress that the aromatic profile is

backward rather than lacking in focus or power. Under a layer of smoky nuttiness derived from extended lees ageing, with

overtones of salted almond and salted peanut, one can identify notes of citrus and apple.

Palate:

This medium-minus-bodied wine tastes dry. The acidity is medium-plus and one can clearly perceive a medium level of

alcohol. The fruit is of medium intensity. Its core-character is yellow apple and white peach, yet a combination of bitter

oils (those one finds in the rid of lemon and grapefruit) and green, milky nuttiness (that of fruit kernel and blanched

almond) is what dominates the palate at first. The wine would almost feel flabby it it wasn’t for an underlying briny, salty

character. The overall effect, derived from extended lees ageing, is very reminiscent of Manzanilla Sherry in the mid-

palate. The finish is medium.


The wine is very good. It is not overcomplicated, yet it is surprisingly layered and complex, requiring more attention than

the straightforward Gros Plant to assess. This lively and rewarding Muscadet has a potential for ageing. It will prove

probably more versatile than Gros plant in relation to food, easily standing up to a fish dish in a rich sauce.

Wine Name: Savennières, Coulée de Serrant

Vintage: 2009

Producer: Clos de la Coulée de Serrant www.coulee-de-serrant.com

www.renaissance-des-appellations.com

Winemaker: Nicolas Joly and his daughter Virginie

Indication of origin: Savennières, Coulée de Serrant (AOC 2011) Maine et Loire, Pays de La Loire

It is one of only three single estate appellations in France with Romanée-Conti and Château-Grillet.

Savennières itself gained AOC status back in 1952.

Part of the Ancien Régime province of Anjou until 1789

Style: Oxidative dry white wine from late-harvest grapes (1.8 g/l residual sugar) The 7ha estate, which produces 25,000 bottles every year on average, was planted by the Cistercian monks in 1130. It is

Biodynamic-certified since 1981. The old vines are planted on steep slopes of schist and quartz. The densely planted

vineyard only yields 25 hl/ha, well under the 40 hl/ha legally allowed. The grape-pickers go through the vines many times

over the 6 weeks of harvest in order to only select the bunches that are really ripe and with some botrytis, as in the

making of spätlese in Germany. The juice is naturally fermented to dryness at 25-30°C in old-wood demi-muids without

temperature control then the wine is aged on fine lees with regular stirring for 6 to 8 months. Malolactic fermentation

rarely takes place. The wine is bottled without fining and only with light filtration and hardly any addition of sulphur.

Assemblage: 100% Chenin Blanc (40 to 80 year old vines)

Alcohol: 15.5%abv


Capacity: 75cl

Supplier: Dynamic Vines www.dynamicvines.com


Retail price £82.00 www.buonvino.co.uk

In 2015, the high-priest of biodynamic winegrowing, Nicolas Joly, took his Angevin appellation of Savennières Coulée-de-Serrant out of InterLoire. Two

appellations of Touraine, namely Bourgueil and Montlouis, had already split away from the inter-professional body back in 2009 and 2014 respectively. The

purpose of InterLoire is to promote the “Vins du Val de Loire”, the wines from 50 appellations across the Nantais and the Middle-Loire (Anjou-Saumur and

Touraine). But the institution has been criticised over its generic approach. Producers of fine wines, like the Joly family, feel that their interest is not being served

by InterLoire and that their financial contribution to the marketing scheme is a waste of money. So, not only is InterLoire not representative of the wine industry

as a whole in the Loire Valley, for it does not give membership to the producers of the Upper-Loire (Centre-Loire and Auvergne), but it is not representative of the

more high-end part of the production in its own neck of the woods. In the early 20th

century, Savennières, north of the river, and the Layon, south of the river,

were equally renowned for their sweet wines. But sweet wines have grow out of fashion, and if the appellations around the Layon still specialise in sweet wines,

Savennières has decided to turn its attention towards the production of dry wines with keeping potential. All these wines are made from Chenin Blanc. Nowhere

outside the Middle-Loire does Chenin Blanc prove more versatile and better express the richness of the terroir on which it is grown. As a late cultivar, it is able to

adapt to the different microclimates enjoyed in every corner of the Anjou-Saumur and Touraine region, thereby offering an extraordinary selection of wine styles.

When picked early, Chenin Blanc can be made into elegant, dry white wines or into base wine for the making of sparkling wines. Round the end of the season, as

the grapes start to shrivel, it is going to produce stunning off-dry and medium wines. When the Botrytis cinerea fungus is allowed to develop (botrytisation) or the

grapes are left to dry on the vine in much dryer, breezy conditions (passerillage), Chenin Blanc yields some of the world’s greatest and longest-lived sweet wines.

In Vouvray, the full range of styles from the Chenin Blanc grape can be found. Despite being a very exciting grape, the noble variety is rather unfashionable. It is

the second most widely planted pale-skinned grape variety in the Loire Valley, where it represents 25% of the planting, well behind Melon de Bourgogne with

35%, but, In France, it is little grown otherwise. Chenin Blanc only represents 1% or so of the national vineyard, mostly in the Middle-Loire where it originates

from. Since it is locally known either as “Plant d’Anjou” or “Pineau de la Loire”, Chenin Blanc has got to be the legitimate poster grape variety of the Loire Valley.

To enjoy the wine at its best, one advises to open the bottle up to 5 days in advance.

Therefore, we decided to write two sets of notes. One on the day of opening:

Appearance:

This white wine looks clear and bright. It is medium gold in colour. Legs and tears run along the side of the glass.

Nose:

The wine smells clean, though a touch of nail varnish indicates a degree of volatility from the oxidative ageing. The

nose exhibits a medium-plus intensity of developing aromas. The scent is quite austere at first. A combination of

apple and old wood, with notes of honey and vanilla, is quite reminiscent of Calvados. Add to that a nutty character,

with undertones of hazelnut and green walnut, plus some yeastiness from the ageing on lees, and the nose ends up

resembling that of mature champagne.

Palate:

This medium-plus-bodied wine tastes dry. Technically speaking, the alcohol is high, but the balance between the

potency of the wine and its acidity is such that alcohol and acidity seem to be at no more than medium levels. The

palate is by no means flabby. The juice of mandarin and the rind of lemon add tang and zest to the yellow apple and

apricot fruit of medium-plus intensity. The flavours are complex, layered and harmonious. Some oiliness coats the

mouth, thereby bringing about a degree of appeal that is definitely lacking on the nose. The combination of an

almost saline quality of minerality and the nuttiness of roasted almond is somewhat reminiscent of Fino Passada

Sherry. But the flowery notes, the vanilla and honey, plus the brioche and underlying yeastiness are characters one

would rather associate with flat Champagne. The palate keeps on giving in a finish of incredible length.


The style of this wine if off-the-wall and I bet my dollar than most attendees won’t like it, but one cannot deny that

the quality of the wine itself is outstanding. The nose is very austere and can prove quite off-putting. It suffers what

seems to be a degree of bottle-sickness. Hopefully, the off-notes will dissipate with some oxygenation. On the other

hand, the palate unfolds its singular, yet complex character seamlessly. This is certainly not the type of wine one can

enjoy on its own on a hot summer’s day. This is “food wine” territory. Try it with chicken in a rich mushroom sauce.

Then another set of notes two days after the wine was open:

Appearance:

Even though the bottle has been open for two days, the appearance of the wine remains unchanged. This white wine

looks clear and bright. It is medium gold in colour. Legs and tears run along the side of the glass.

Nose:

The wine smells clean. There is actually no longer any sign of off-smell. The nose exhibits a medium-plus intensity of

developing aromas. The scent has now become very fruity. The aromas are dominated by yellow apple, apricot and

yellow peach, with a twist of crystallised orange peel. The fruit is underpinned by flowery notes of honeysuckle, the

nuttiness of roasted almond and green walnut, some buttered-brioche-like autolytic character and a combination of

sweet and dry spices from the old wood treatment, namely cinnamon, vanilla and clove.

Palate:

This medium-plus-bodied wine tastes dry. The mouth keeps watering due to the now noticeable, yet still balanced

potency and acidity of the wine. The almost saline palate is still reminiscent of Fino Sherry, only with more citric

tang. The flavours of candied orange and bruised apple, with undertones of buttered brioche, vanilla and almond,

are sustained in a long finish, the character of which is a hybrid between Calvados and Fino.


After two days, the wine comes across as being much rounder and fruitier, dominated by stone fruit on the nose and

bruised red and yellow apple on the palate. The wine has lost much of its austere character and gained in clarity. It

remains very complex, with countless layers of minerals, nuts and sophisticated yeasty notes, but it no longer smells

and tastes so much of flat Champagne. I do personally prefer the more awkward aromatic profile that the wine

exhibits when the cork has just been pulled. To me, the wine proves more difficult and acquired then, but it is

somewhat more food-friendly.

Wine Name: Rosé D’Anjou, Champteloup Selection

Vintage: 2014

Producer: Domaine de Champteloup (One of at least 7 estates merged under the LaCheteau name)

LaCheteau (Est. 1990) (GCF‘s Loire Valley branch that produces 53 million bottles per annum)

Grand Chais de France Group (Est. 1979) www.gcfplanet.com

(Leading private winemaker in France with 432 million bottles per annum in every major wine region)

www.jpchenet.com is GCF’s best-selling brand

Winemaker: blended by Serge de Bucy, Oenologist, and Angela Muir, Master of Wine

Indication of origin: Rosé d’Anjou (AOC 1936)

Vicinity of Angers, Maine-et-Loire, Pays de La Loire

Part of the Ancien Régime province of Anjou until 1789

Style: Medium Dry Rosé in a high-volume, commercial style

Assemblage: Grolleau, Cabernet Franc, Gamay

Alcohol: 10.5%abv

Closure: Stelvin screw cap with Saranex Liner

Capacity: 75cl

Residual Sugar: 7 g/l minimum (never more than 20 g/l in practice)

Drier styles (Cabernet d’Anjou, Cabernet de Saumur and Rosé de Loire) can retain no more than 10 g/l residual sugar

Retail price £7.99 (£5.69 after discount at the till) www.waitrosecellar.com

Rosé d’Anjou probably counts amongst the most reviled appellations in the Loire Valley, for one associates its residual sweetness with a positive lack of

refinement. The present Champteloup brand is made by Grand Chais de France (GCF) in a commercial style similar to that of the infamous flagship wine of

Sogrape Vinhos, Mateus Rosé. GCF produces over 400 million bottles per annum, which is the total volume of AOC wines bottled every year in the Loire Valley.

The lion’s share of what both the leading French and Portuguese winemakers produce is designed to end up on supermarket shelves. If Rosé d’Anjou is often

cheaply made, it proves remarkably quaffable and surprisingly good in accompaniment to food, notably with charcuterie, a gastronomic mainstay of the Loire

Valley. During a food-and-wine masterclass reported on YouTube, Tom Canavan demonstrates how well Rosé d’Anjou can pair with a juicy duck breast also. His

focus on the more commercial end of the wine production spectrum in the Middle-Loire is echoed in most of the other events run by InterLoire, and that generic

approach is what has infuriated the likes of Nicolas Joly. The confidential Coulée de Serrant and this high-volume Rosé d’Anjou could indeed not stand farer apart

in terms of quality. But, bearing in mind that the Loire Valley is the second largest producer of rosé wine after Provence in France, one cannot possibly overlook

the style and its significance in the present context. This Rosé d’Anjou is particularly interesting, for it blends the three most widely planted dark-skinned varieties

in the Loire Valley, namely Cabernet Franc, Gamay and Grolleau, which represent 55%, 20% and 10% of the planting of red grapes in the region respectively. That

trio exemplifies the historical struggle of a little-recognised indigenous grape from Touraine, Grolleau, pressed between two imported cultivars, Cabernet Franc

from South West France and Gamay from Burgundy. Grolleau is not widely planted, yet it is blended in 1/6 of the wines grown in the vineyard of the Midde-Loire,

mostly into medium Rosé d’Anjou, but also into dry Rosé de Loire. The future of Rosé d’Anjou isn’t bright. Not only are drier styles more in fashion today, but rosé

seems to have lost its mojo in the British market altogether. In the past decade, wine trends have been driven by refreshments in the UK, but whilst the focus has

been on how much Prosecco has taken sales away from the likes of Cava and Champagne, it is rosé that has quietly felt the full force of the new sparkling boom.

Appearance:

This rosé wine looks clear and bright. It is pale ruby in colour, and that tone of pink is quite artificial-looking. Legs and

tears run along the side of the glass.

Nose:

The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium-minus intensity of youthful aromas such as strawberry bubblegum,

grenadine and pomegranate juice.

Palate:

This light-bodied wine tastes medium-dry. The acidity is medium and the alcohol medium too. The strawberry,

pomegranate and cranberry fruit is juicy, yet it also has the confected edge of acidulated sweet and hard candy. The

finish is medium-minus in length.


There is little to say about this good yet rather commercial wine. There is a huge market for this style, and I wouldn’t

be surprised if it found more takers than the very cerebral Savennières on the night. The residual sweetness gives

the wine a slightly confected character, yet the wine is undeniably well-balanced. That little sweetness is what makes

this rosé such a great accompaniment to salty charcuterie and cold cuts.

Wine Name: Crémant de Loire

Vintage: NV

Producer: Domaine de Veilloux www.domainedeveilloux.fr

Certified biodynamic by Ecocert

Winemaker: Michel & Silviane Quenioux

Indication of origin: Crémant de Loire (AOC 1975)

Fougères sur Bièvre in the Cheverny appellation, Loir-et-Cher, Centre

Part of the Ancien Régime province of Orléanais until 1789

Style: Sparkling wine by the traditional method (like Champagne) The 25ha estate is based in the Cheverny AOC. The vineyard, organic-certified since 1998, is gradually transitioning

towards biodynamic viticulture. The old vines are grown on sandy clay soil. The juice of each variety is naturally fermented

in stainless-steel vats, separately so as to preserve the character of the terroir. The wine is aged on fine lees for 4 months

then the blend undergoes a second fermentation in the bottle. The wine matures on lees in the bottle for a year till

disgorgement. Eventually, this crémant is put to market with a low dosage of 3 g/l only.

Assemblage: 50% Chardonnay, 50% Menu Pineau (Arbois)

Alcohol: 12%abv

Closure: Spark Stopper (agglomerated body laminated with two discs of natural cork at one end)

Capacity: 75cl

Supplier: Dynamic Vines www.dynamicvines.com


Retail price £18.95 www.buonvino.co.uk

At first glance, Crémant de Loire and Rosé de Loire seem to suggest that they are all-encompassing “Loire” appellations, and one could be forgiven for thinking

that both wines can be grown in every corner of the vineyard along the entire stretch of the river Loire. No. Production is strictly limited to the Middle-Loire

only. Rosé de Loire actually respects the production rules of the AOC Touraine and Crémant de Loire is mostly produced around Saumur. But in the present case,

the reason why I decided to select a Crémant de Loire from Cheverny was not to highlight this misleading pretence of a pan-Loire style of wine, but to point at a

menace that lies organically within the blend itself. Chardonnay, which was introduced in the region only recently, threatens the very identity of some Loire

wines from the inside indeed. Jancis Robinson writes that “The variety's influence has been spreading from its Burgundian stronghold within France and

elsewhere. Wine producers in the Loire Valley have embraced this fashionable grape so enthusiastically that the laws have to explicitly ban more than 20% of

the variety in blends for sparkling Saumur and the dry whites of Anjou and Touraine in order to preserve the Loire's own traditional character. Some Muscadet

producers have also been experimenting with oaked Chardonnays. And several of France's more cosmopolitan producers in distinctly non-Chardonnay territory

have quietly planted a row or two for their own interest”. Crémant de Loire is usually made from Chenin Blanc and blending constraints emphasise that the

appellation must focus on traditional grape varieties, but here, Chardonnay represents half of the blend regardless. Chardonnay is so recognisable and appealing

to consumers that it is proving a deadly competition to Chenin Blanc, let alone the other indigenous, rather obscure grapes of the region, like Menu Pineau in

this instance. Producers are compromising the identity and individuality of Loire wines when conforming to fashion and putting ubiquitous examples to market!

Appearance:

This sparkling white wine looks clear and bright. It is pale lemon-yellow in colour. Small bubbles of medium persistence rise to

the surface and form a thin rim around the edge of the glass.

Nose:

The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium-plus intensity of developing aromas dominated by bruised apple and pear. That

richness of fruit character is underpinned by buttered brioche and lifted by refreshing notes of lemon, honeysuckle and the

complex scent of those wild flowers and herbs that grow in hedgerows.

Palate:

This medium-bodied wine tastes bone dry. The acidity is high and the alcohol only medium, yet perceptible. The mousse feels

creamy in the mouth, but the steely quality of minerality gives it a metallic edge. Nora argues that one can hardly assess the feel

of the bubbles for they are not long to fizzle out, nearly as soon as the wine is poured in the glass. The fruit of medium intensity

is dominated by greener apple and pear fruit, with bitter notes of lemon and pink grapefruit rind. The steely minerality tails off

into a salty finish of medium length, making the wine taste almost like mineral water. Some yeastiness develops in the finish of

medium length.


This wine is good. The bubbles are too quick to dissipate, which does not count in favour of this sparkling wine. Moreover, the

complexly fresh scent does not match the rather simple and unsubstantial palate, somewhat too steely and minerally. That very

character might actually turn out to make the success of the wine on a hot summer’s day. Served chilled, this uncomplicated

wine will pair well with a wide range of salads and cold sea-food dishes.

Wine Name: La guerrerie

Vintage: 2014

Producer: Clos du Tue-Boeuf www.puzelat.com

Winemaker: The Puzelat brothers, Jean-Marie and Thierry

Indication of origin: Touraine (AOC 1939)

Les Montils, Loir-et-Cher, Centre

Part of the Ancien Régime province of Orléanais until 1789

Style: Medium-bodied red This 10ha family estate sits at the heart of the Cheverny AOC, and the vineyard is organically farmed since 1996. When the

AOC was created back in 1993, certain blends became outlawed. Here, the wine is not the standard Pinot Noir, Gamay

blend for instance. When they fail to get a wine certified, the brothers sell it as “Vin de Pays” or “Vin de table”. No sulphur

is added at any stage of the vinification process. The whole bunches are naturally fermented in open tronconic vats with

regular pigeage. The wine is aged for 10 -12 months on fine lees in barrels and demi-muids then it is bottled unfiltered.

Assemblage: 2/3 Côt (Malbec), 1/3 Gamay

Alcohol: 12%abv


Capacity: 75cl

Supplier: Caves de Pyrène www.lescaves.com


Retail price £17.00 www.highburyvintners.co.uk

If Chardonnay is proving a growing threat to the indigenous white grape varieties of the Loire Valley, Malbec, or Côt as it is known locally, is fast becoming a

serious rival to the Grolleau grape and the other indigenous black grapes of Touraine. The fashionable cultivar found its favourite place to grow in the Cher Valley

of Touraine, where it is often blended with Cabernet franc and/or Gamay. Here, the use of Côt in this Gamay blend by Jean-Marie and Thierry Puzelat does not

comply with the production regulations of the Cheverny AOC. The brothers have for ambition to produce trendy natural wines with no addition of sulphur, but if

they try to stay true to the essence of ancestral winemaking techniques in the process, they are not afraid of breaking away from authentic regional blends to

achieve their aim. When they cannot commercialise a wine under a Cheverny or Touraine label, they do not hesitate to sell it as “Vin de Pays” or “Vin de Table”.

The following of the Puzelat brothers is such that their declassified wines always sell out regardless. Look at my coloured map of the “Loire Valley Wines within

the French Vineyard”. Every single stripy area is an appellation that has either broken away from InterLoire or decided to go it alone. It is interesting to note that,

to the exception of Coteaux du Giennois, which was absorbed by the neighbouring appellations of Centre-Loire, the winegrowing areas of the Ancien Régime

province of Orleanais (Coteaux du Vendômois, Cheverny, Cour-Cheverny, and Orléannais) count amongst those appellations that are not affiliated to any official

body. These appellations form a circle around the forests of the Sologne, the hunting ground of the kings of France. it beggars belief that local castles and

surrounding vineyards, the breathtaking beauty of which saw the Loire Valley classified as UNESCO heritage site in 2000, are hunting lodges, nothing more. Like

the traditional Pinot Noir/Gamay blends of the old Orléanais and modern Auvergne, at both ends of the Upper-Loire, this wine will pair well with game dishes.

Appearance:

This red wine looks clear and bright. It is medium ruby in colour. Legs and tears run along the side of the glass.

Nose:

The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium-plus intensity of developing aromas. The scent is a combination of

rusticity and freshness, with a strong farmyard character on the one hand and a much more appealing floral and

herby character on the other. The flowers are blue, between lavender and violet, and the herbs are a mixture of

sorrel, rhubarb, tomato stalk, fresh thyme, eucalyptus and mint.

Palate:

This medium-bodied wine tastes dry. The zingy sorrel and tart rhubarb give the medium-plus acidity a sour edge. Or

could that sour edge be more like red wine vinegar? An acetic character can indeed develop when uncontrolled

“natural winemaking” techniques are used. The jury is out! The alcohol is medium and the tannins are medium also.

The fruit of medium intensity is full of juicy blueberry and unripe strawberry rubbed with blue flowers and fresh

herbs. The finish is medium plus.


The wine is very good. It is made in a very rustic style and might come across as rather austere or even “dirty”. It may

therefore prove challenging to some people. The wine definitely needs food to come into its own. Try it with a game

strew. Game is a mainstay in the area surrounding the Sologne, the historical hunting ground of the kings of France.

Wine Name: Pouilly-Fumé « La Demoiselle de Bourgeois»

Vintage: 2013

Producer: Domaine Henri Bourgeois www.henribourgeois.com

Winemaker: Henri Bourgeois

Indication of origin: Pouilly-Fumé (AOC 1937)

Saint-Laurent de l’Abbaye where the first vines of the AOC were planted, Nièvre, Bourgogne

Part of the Ancien Régime province of Nivernais until 1789

Style: Crisp dry white wine The vines are grown on Kimmeridgean marl (clay with fossilised oyster shells) around the family’s beloved village of

Chavignol. The yield is kept low at 44 hl/ha to maximise concentration. The grapes are double selected, on the vine and

in the winery. 85% of the juice is fermented in stainless steel vats with yeast cultured from the home vineyard at 18°C

and the remaining 15% in used French oak barrels. The wine is aged on fine lees for 8 months. No malolactic

fermentation takes place. The cuvée is lightly filtered then bottled during the summer that follows the harvest.

Assemblage: 100% Sauvignon Blanc (30 year old vines)

Alcohol: 12.5%abv


Capacity: 75cl



Retail price £21.67 www.millesima.co.uk

Contrary to popular belief, Sauvignon Blanc is not native to the Bordelais. The cross between the Angevin Chenin Blanc and a grape from the Jura most certainly

occurred in the central region of the Loire Valley, and as one moves upriver across Touraine, doesn’t Sauvignon Blanc start to grow like weed almost? The cultivar

is mostly planted in the vineyards of Touraine and Centre-Loire and it forms a link between the two sub-regions. Sauvignon Blanc is very sensitive to soil types and

climatic conditions. It tends to taste quite herbaceous in cold vintages or rather neutral in warm vintages, but all in all, nowhere other than in the semi-

continental conditions of this area of the Loire Valley does the grape achieve more aromatic power and better balance. Since they are so strongly influenced by

the terroir on which the grape is grown, the wine’s aromas and flavours can be wide-ranging. White currant is the main fruit character in Touraine, round

Cheverny, down to Valançais and the Haut-Poitou. Broom flower dominates the nose of the wines of Centre-Loire and smokiness is a particular feature in Pouilly-

Fumé. Local wines appear to naturally match local foods in the Loire Valley, but scratch the surface and you will discover some regional take on “the chicken or

the egg” causality dilemma. For example, 1300 years or so ago, after the Saracen troops were defeated at the famous Battle of Poitiers in 732 by Charles Martel,

the grandfather of Charlemagne, many Arabs settled in the region with their herds of goats. The countryside proved ideal for grazing the “poor man’s cow” and

making cheese. France produces more types of cheeses than there are days in the year, but only 48 bear an AOC label. Six are produced in the Loire Valley itself

and all of them are goat cheeses. Pouilly-Fumé is situated right across the river from Sancerre, but if Pouilly-Fumé is rooted in the culinary tradition of the Ancien

Régime province of Nivernais and Sancerre in that of Berry, both villages have something in common; they produce Crotin de Chavignol and grow Sauvignon

Blanc. Unintentionally, man consistently created sparks of gastronomic magic in the Loire, either by bringing wine to local foods, like the Dutch taking Muscadet

and Gros Plant to the seafood dishes of the Nantais, or by bringing the food to local wines, like the Moors gifting their cheeses to the Sauvignons of Centre-Loire.

Appearance:


Nose:

The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium-plus intensity of developing aromas. The nose is mostly fruity, with

overtones of nectarine, peach yogurt and gooseberry, yet the fruity aromas are underpinned by vegetable notes of

nettle, wilted grass and asparagus. A hint of vanilla oak is perceptible also.

Palate:

This medium-bodied wine tastes dry. The acidity and the alcohol are medium in intensity. The tartaric freshness of

acidity is enhanced by zingy notes of lime citrus, more grassy notes and perfumed notes of broom flower, stone fruit

and citrus blossom. The fruit of medium plus intensity feels very textural in the mouth. There is as much skin as there

is juicy flesh in the flavours of yellow peach, nectarine and apricot that tease you in the finish of medium-plus length.


The wine is very, very good. It is complex, yet not overcomplicated. It is fresh, full of energy and life, yet it displays

great depth and layering of aromas and flavours. The tartaric freshness of acidity and zing of flavours are stimulating

but never astringent. The wine will prove very satisfying as an aperitif, but it is able to stand up to a great variety of

dishes, from the traditional goat cheeses of the haut-Poitou, Touraine and Berry to an asparagus risotto or most fish

dishes in creamy sauce.

Wine Name: Sancerre « Les Baronnes

Vintage: 2012

Producer: Domaine Henri Bourgeois

Winemaker: Henri Bourgeois

Indication of origin: Sancerre Rouge

Cher, Centre

Part of the Ancien Regime province of

Style: medium-bodiedThe vines are grown organically. Y

selected, first on the vine

then the wine is left to macerate in tanks for 12 days with regular punching down of the cap and pumping over. After

malolactic fermentation has taken

Assemblage: 100% Pinot Noir

Alcohol: 13%abv


Capacity: 75cl

Supplier: Caves de Pyrène


Retail price £19.50 www.ewwines.co.uk

In the Upper-Loire, Pinot Noir is the natural blending par

region of Auvergne, but not between the two areas in Berry. In Berry,

Centre-Loire”. The purpose of the BIVC is to promote the

Pouilly-Fumé belongs to the old Nivernais and modern Burgundy. It is

associated. The examples I selected to illustrate the wines of Centre

the use of any Burgundian cultivar. The appellation is strictly dedicated to producing

river into Berry to enjoy a relatively modest amount of varietal red and rosé

Centre-Loire decide to create its own marketing body, thereby

Pouilly-Fumé are the only two appellations in the entire

produced in Centre-Loire, and of that volume, 60% is exported. On average, only 18% of

manages to export 14% of its production and all the appellation

regional markets. 1 in every 3 bottles sold in France is Loire

and Pouilly-Fumé, Loire wines are little known nowadays

Blanc counts amongst the most popular grape varieties

would not compromise it by entering any scheme aiming

singularities rooted in historical traditions. It is no wonder t

The Loire splits France into two halves: the North of France

Appearance:


Nose:

The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium

somewhat smoky. That smokiness is reminiscent of

austere thanks to sweet notes of vanilla,

freshens up the aromatic profile altogether

Palate:

This medium-bodied wine tastes dry. The acidity is medium

are medium, yet they are very fine and ripe.

character is exemplified by the core Morello cherry character

sourer edge on the other. The wild berry fruit is lifted by

tamed by masculine notes of clove. All in all


This Pinot Noir is very good. It is quite elegant, yet serious without being too austere. Its

to some. This wine is not in a style that one can enjoy whilst

Les Baronnes »

Bourgeois www.henribourgeois.com

Henri Bourgeois

Rouge (AOC 1959 / Sancerre White gained AOC status from the start in 1936)

Part of the Ancien Regime province of Berry

bodied red are grown organically. Yields are kept lower than average. The grapes are harvested by hand and double

on the vine then in the winery. The grapes are crushed. The juice is fermented on the skins

left to macerate in tanks for 12 days with regular punching down of the cap and pumping over. After

malolactic fermentation has taken place, the wine is matured for 6-8 months in Tronçais Forest oak barrels, 1/3 new.

Pinot Noir

Caves de Pyrène www.lescaves.co.uk

DPD ex VAT

www.ewwines.co.uk

the natural blending partner to Gamay. It is certainly true around the Ancien Régime province of

in Berry. In Berry, appellations have united under the umbrella of the

BIVC is to promote the wines of its members, all of which are varietal wines from Sauvignon Blanc

the old Nivernais and modern Burgundy. It is part of the club, for it sits right across the river from Sancerre, with which it is closely

I selected to illustrate the wines of Centre-Loire are actually made by the same producer. Strangely enough, Pouilly

strictly dedicated to producing varietal white wine from the Sauvignon g

a relatively modest amount of varietal red and rosé wines from the Pinot Noir grape. Why did a little cluster

, thereby dissociating itself from the pan-Loire ambitions of InterLoire?

the entire Loire Valley to be truly visible on the international market. Between them,

Loire, and of that volume, 60% is exported. On average, only 18% of all Loire wines are sold outside the domestic market

manages to export 14% of its production and all the appellations that are not a member of either InterLoire of the BIVC do not sell

sold in France is Loire wine, for Loire wine is often great value for money. But outside France, to the exception of Sancerre

nowadays. No wonder that the Centre-Loire decided to go it alone under the umbrella of the BIVC!

the most popular grape varieties in the world today, the appellations of Centre-Loire are well-aware of the worth of their

aiming at creating some sort of single Loire wine market. The Loire vineyard is a mosaic of

o wonder that, when it comes to food, the republican French still refer

of France and the South of France. And if it flows through many regions the river


The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium-plus intensity of developing aromas. The nose is quite farmyardy,

somewhat smoky. That smokiness is reminiscent of paprika says Nora. The nose does not come across as excessively

thanks to sweet notes of vanilla, morello cherry, strawberry and other wild forest berries.

altogether.

bodied wine tastes dry. The acidity is medium-plus and it more than offsets the medium alcohol. The tannins

very fine and ripe. The fruit of medium-plus intensity is full of contrast

orello cherry character, with its dark and juicy sweetness on the

edge on the other. The wild berry fruit is lifted by refreshing hints of blue flowers. The appeal of vanilla oak is

clove. All in all, the palate feels quite dynamic, well into the finish of

It is quite elegant, yet serious without being too austere. Its dryness could

a style that one can enjoy whilst sun-bathing. We are in “food wine” territory here

gained AOC status from the start in 1936)

ields are kept lower than average. The grapes are harvested by hand and double-

in the winery. The grapes are crushed. The juice is fermented on the skins at 26°C-32°C

left to macerate in tanks for 12 days with regular punching down of the cap and pumping over. After

8 months in Tronçais Forest oak barrels, 1/3 new.

the Ancien Régime province of Orléanais and in the modern

he “Bureau Interprofessionnel des Vins du

Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Noir. Note that

the river from Sancerre, with which it is closely

Strangely enough, Pouilly-Fumé does not allow

white wine from the Sauvignon grape only. One has got to cross the

a little cluster of just eight appellations of

InterLoire? The answer is simple. Sancerre and

etween them, they yield 80% of the wines

d outside the domestic market. InterLoire only

either InterLoire of the BIVC do not sell wine outside their respective

utside France, to the exception of Sancerre

Loire decided to go it alone under the umbrella of the BIVC! Since Sauvignon

aware of the worth of their currency and

eyard is a mosaic of terroirs and regional

to the provinces of the Ancient Régime.

the river does obviously not unify them!


plus intensity of developing aromas. The nose is quite farmyardy, meaty and

Nora. The nose does not come across as excessively

morello cherry, strawberry and other wild forest berries. The perfume of violet

s the medium alcohol. The tannins

full of contrast. That contrasting

juicy sweetness on the one hand and a

of blue flowers. The appeal of vanilla oak is

the finish of medium-plus length.

dryness could prove challenging

bathing. We are in “food wine” territory here, once again.

Wine Name: Côtes du Forez « Cuvée des Gourmets »

Vintage: 2015

Producer: Domaine Verdier-Logel www.verdier-logel.com

Winemaker: Jacky Logel & Odile Verdier

Indication of origin: Côtes du Forez (AOC 2000)

Marcilly-le-Château, Loire, Rhône-Alpes

Part of the Ancien Régime province of Lyonnais until 1789

Style: Light red Considering the harsh continental climate, only the parcels with the best exposition and soils are planted to grape vines.

Assemblage: 100% Gamay

Alcohol: 12%abv

Closure: Extruded plastic cork

Capacity: 75cl



Retail price £10.75 www.exelwines.co.uk

Gamay originates from Burgundy, where, in the 14th

century, an official ban described it as “harmful to human creatures”. Since then, many more bans were

issued, well into the 18th

century, underlying the poor reputation that Gamay has today only partially overcome. Nevertheless, Gamay counts amongst the most

widely planted varieties in France. In the Loire Valley itself, it is the second most important red grape after Cabernet Franc, both cultivars accounting for 20% and

55% of all the black varieties planted in the vineyard respectively. In Burgundy, Gamay is still considered as inferior to Pinot Noir and plantings have been pushed

over the region’s southern border into Beaujolais. Beaujolais, in the greater Rhône Valley, has now become Gamay’s natural home. The fashion for the light and

fruity Beaujolais Nouveau has done a lot for the renown of the region but very little for the already poor reputation of Gamay. Consumers are now tired of the

ubiquitous aromas of banana and bubblegum derived from the carbonic maceration technique used in the making of Beaujolais Nouveau. Gamay of Anjou and

Gamay of Touraine are made into a similarly cheap primeur style, yet they are the two better known appellations of varietal Gamay in the Loire Valley. It is up the

river from Blois, in the Upper-Loire, that Gamay yields serious wines in a style that has some keeping potential in the middle term. There, Gamay is usually

blended with Pinot Noir and only in Côte Roannaise and Côtes du Forez, the two appellations of the Loire départment of the Rhône-Alpes region, is Gamay bottled

as a varietal wine. Crémant de Loire or Rosé de Loire cannot be produced beyond the boundaries of the Middle-Loire. In that respect, if one can talk of Bordeaux

wine, Alsace wine or Rhône wine, there is no such thing as a Loire AOC wine really. Only country wine under the IGP Val de Loire label has for ambition to unite all

the sub-regions of the Loire Valley under a universal “Loire label”. Funny enough, the sole areas where IGP Val de Loire cannot be grown are the two appellations

of the Loire department of all departments! InterLoire and the BIVC defend the interest of their members down the river, and, in order to try and promote their

wines, cooperative producers of Gamay in the Auvergne/Rhône-Alpes super-region had no choice but to join forces. In truth, Côte Roannaise and Côtes du Forez

have more to do with Beaujolais and Coteaux du Lyonnais than with any appellation of the Loire Valley, and the sister appellations will prove stronger by being

together indeed. Côtes du Forez grows its wines along the banks of the river Loire and it is the valley’s most southerly appellation, yet, not only has it not got the

support of a regional body, it is denied any sense of belonging to the Loire Valley at all. It is an orphan appellation growing an orphan grape. Give it some love!

Appearance:

This red wine looks clear and bright. It is medium ruby in colour, almost black-cherry-like. Legs and tears run along

the side of the glass.

Nose:

The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium intensity of youthful aromas. The raspberry and black cherry fruit jumps

at you. The violet-boosted fruit exhibits undertones of slate and smoky earthiness.

Palate:

This medium-bodied wine tastes dry. The acidity is medium-plus and it more than offsets the medium alcohol. The

tannins are medium-minus only and just about perceptible. The fruit is slightly darker on the palate with notes of

black cherry and blueberry. The underlying minerality creates some sort of hollowness in the mid-palate. The wine

feels somewhat watery as a result until the fruit re-emerges in the finish of medium length.


The wine is good. It is juicy and well-balanced, yet it lacks substance in the mid-palate. It is a very good and certainly

not cheaply-made example of Gamay, but it delivers only what Gamay can deliver, leaving the drinker longing for

something extra. The wine will be a perfect match to the hearty potato dishes and herby sausages produced locally.

Wine Name: Clos Rougeard

Vintage: 2010

Producer: Clos Rougeard

GEAC Foucault [email protected]

Winemaker: Bernard Foucault, known as Nady

8th

generation since 1664 to run the respected estate

Indication of origin: Saumur-Champigny (AOC 1957)

Chacé, South-west of Saumur, Maine et Loire, Pays de La Loire

Part of the Ancien Régime province of Saumur

Style: Fuller-bodied red The old vines are grown on clay-rich soils and tended without herbicides or fertilisers. The plough is the main method of

weed control. The grapes are picked by hand, destemmed then naturally fermented in barrel with regular punching-down

of the cap and pumping-over. Malolactic fermentation takes place in the reclaimed Bordeaux barrel where the wine is

matured for 18 to 24 months. The wine is eventually bottled with no fining or filtration and a minimum addition of sulphur.

Assemblage: 100% Cabernet Franc

Alcohol: 12.5%abv

Closure: Long, quality natural cork

Capacity: 75cl

Supplier: Justerini & Brooks www.justerinis.com


Retail price £160.00 www.specialitywines.com

The marginal climate of the Loire Valley is better suited to growing white wines, and the region is indeed France’s largest producers of AOC white wine. But it is

easy to forget that in excess of 40% of the wines produced in the Loire Valley are red or rosé wines. In Anjou, Cabernet Franc is one of the main components in

the blend of most rosés, but the cultivar finds its fullest expression where Anjou and Touraine meet, in the red wine appellations of Saumur-Champigny,

Bourgueil and Chinon. Further east in Touraine, the grape is blended into red wine rather than bottled as a varietal wine, Côt adding colour, Cabernet Sauvignon

structure and Gamay juiciness. Cabernet franc is native to the Basque Country, and it is in the 11th

century that it was introduced into the Middle-Loire via the

port of Nantes. If the indigenous Chenin Blanc is the idiosyncratic white grape of the Middle-Loire, it is Cabernet Franc that is its idiosyncratic black grape. Both

cultivars are the embodiment of Loire wines. Clos Rougeard is one of the most respected wine estates in the Loire Valley. The style of its wines stands apart from

the traditional view that Saumur-Champigny is a light red for quaffing in Parisian Bistros. The Foucault brothers have been the eight generation since 1664 to run

the estate with Nady as winemaker and Charly in charge of the business side. During the 1970s, they were pioneers of organic viticulture. Sadly, Charly died in

December 2015. Jim Budd, a Loire specialist, told www.decanter.com that “Charly was a great vigneron and a wonderfully warm person. I first met him and Nady

in 1990 when they were seen as marginal figures. It has been great to see their unyielding passion for excellence and the quality of their wines recognised for

what they are.” Clos Rougeard has now reached cult status in the wine world, and it is only fair to end a Loire Valley tasting with the best the region can offer.

Appearance:

This red wine looks clear and bright. It is medium garnet in colour. Legs and tears run along the side of the glass.

Nose:

The wine smells clean. It exhibits a medium-plus intensity of developing aromas. The nose is tightly knit. It combines

blackcurrant and strawberry fruit, a vegetal edge of cassis leaf and mint and a hint of pencil-like minerality. That

aromatic profile integrates well with notes of cedar wood and clove. The wood treatment gives the wine a dusty

character that is very reminiscent of the smell of an old attic.

Palate:

This medium-plus-bodied wine tastes dry. The acidity is medium-plus and it more than offsets the medium alcohol.

The tannins are medium-plus, yet they are so fine and ripe that they seem to disappear in the velvety fabric of the

wine. The fruit of medium-plus intensity very much mirrors the nose with its juicy, yet leafy fruit. That vegetal

character is in keeping with the style and not unattractive. Hints of vanilla oak and coconut from the wood treatment

unravel in the finish of long length.


This is not a very showy style of wine, but it is full of class and harmony. In that respect, it is outstanding. Its

complexity unfolds its subtle layers seamlessly. The wine exhibits incredible freshness and its underlying minerality

just calls for a serving of cold, juicy beef with horseradish sauce.

Identity in Crisis - The East India Club€¦ · Touraine Centre -Loire Alsace Champagne Auvergne...

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