2003 Petra Alba

2003 Petra Alba, Anjou Villages Brissac
2003 Anjou Blanc

During the past few days we’ve enjoyed these two wines from Christophe Daviau’s Domaine de Bablut (Brissac–Quincé). The Daviau family have been vignerons here since 1546. The domaine is now biodynamic.

Both wines are marked by 2003, the year of the heat wave in France, particularly during August. In the Loire the vintage was the earliest since 1893 with picking beginning in the Pays Nantais, Touraine, Quincy and Reuilly around 18th August. Even in Sancerre the vintage started in early September.

We drank the 2003 Petra Alba, which is 100% Cabernet Franc grown on limestone, with a simply roasted free-range chicken. Deep coloured and with rich, full fruit – plums and prunes. Tasted blind you would think that this comes from the south of France – the effect of the sunshine and high temperatures of 2003. For me, although CRM disagreed, there is a slightly roasted quality to the fruit particularly in finish that detracts a little from the wine, although it still a very enjoyable bottle.



The 2003 barrel-fermented and aged Anjou Blanc (100% Chenin Blanc) is the more successful wine. It has a lovely golden colour, rich honeyed fruit with just a touch of oxidative evolution that adds to the complexity. Unlike a number of 2003 whites it has enough freshness and acidity in the finish to balance the rich fruit. We drank it as an aperitif but it would I’m sure be a great match with richly sauced fish dishes or grilled sea bass or similar. Along with a number of other Anjou producers this is further evidence that, despite the poor image of Anjou Blanc, it is certainly possible to make very fine whites here from 100% Chenin Blanc.

Christophe now makes two cuvées of Anjou Blanc – Ordovicien which is the equivalent of the above, spending 12 months in barriques and bottled around 18 months after the harvest – and Petit Princé, which is bottled earlier, around nine months.

Cabernet Franc@Château de Villeneuve October 2005

New research shows that Cabernet Franc is not only one of the parents of Cabernet Sauvignon, it is also a parent of both Merlot and Carmenère. A group of French scientists working on grape DNA, in collaboration with Professor Carole Meredith, who was at UC Davis until she retired, have revealed that Merlot is a natural off-spring of Cabernet Franc and a previously unknown red grape named Magdeleine Noire des Charentes. Cabernet Franc teamed up with Sauvignon Blanc to produce Cabernet Sauvignon.

Further research by the group shows that Carmenère was parented by Cabernet Franc and a variety called Gros Cabernet, while the parents of the Loire’s Côt (known elsewhere as Malbec or Auxerrois, especially in Cahors) are Magdeleine Noire des Charentes again and Prunelard. The Black Magdeline was also a parent of the unknown grape Mourtès this time pairing up with another forgotten variety called Penouille.

Côt@Domaine Joël Delaunay September 2008

The research was published in the Australian Journal of Grape and Wine Research on 22nd December 2008. The parental link between Carmenère and Merlot suggests a logic to the Chileans confusing Carmenère with Merlot.

Clearly fidelity and monogamy are not the norm in the grape world.


Here is the abstract for the article:

Authors:
J.-M. Boursiquot , T. Lacombe, V. Laucou, S. Julliard, F-X. Perrin, N. Lanier, D. Legrand , C. Meredith and P. This

Background and aims: Based on parentage analysis of a large nuclear simple sequence repeat (SSR) marker database of grapevine genotypes, we propose the pedigree of several cultivars from southwestern France including Merlot, one of the world's major black winegrapes.

Methods and results: The putative mother of Merlot, deduced from inheritance at 55 nuclear and three chloroplast microsatellite loci, is a non-referenced and previously unknown cultivar, first sampled some years ago in northern Brittany where vines were cultivated at the end of the Middle Ages, and then identified in four places in Charentes. Considering both the name used by the growers of this grape and the literature, we have named it Magdeleine Noire des Charentes. The putative father of Merlot is Cabernet Franc, already involved in the parentage of Cabernet-Sauvignon. Further analysis of genetic relationships leads us to propose the kinship group of Merlot composed, among others, of Carmenère (Gros Cabernet × Cabernet Franc), Merlot Blanc (Merlot × Folle Blanche), Cot (Magdeleine Noire des Charentes × Prunelard) and Mourtès (Magdeleine Noire des Charentes × Penouille).

Conclusions: These results shed new light on the origin of Merlot and on the relationships among several cultivars from south western France.

Significance of the study: Our discovery of the key genetic role of a previously unknown cultivar in the origins of some significant cultivars reinforces the importance of deep exploration, before it is too late, to discover original genotypes which have not yet been collected or referenced.

(30th December 2008)

2008 vendange: Catherine and other pickers

To the Clos Roche Blanche (AC Touraine) yesterday afternoon to taste the 2008s with Catherine Roussel and Didier Barouillet. As usual the welcoming committee – the dogs Margot and Pif – were already out as we arrived. Sécotine, the very friendly striped cat, and Pélagie, the wild black one, were also in attendance – Pélagie only briefly. Before tasting we chatted with Catherine and Didier, who was getting a consignment ready to go to the States. Around 50% of the Clos Roche Blanche’s production now goes to the States. Although with the current economic crisis, sales are dropping fast everywhere.

We talked about retirement – Catherine and Didier are cutting back from 18ha to 9ha, also about Joe Dressner and his amazing Captain Tumour Man blog. Apparently Joe is hoping to get over for the Salon des Vins de Loire at the beginning of February as his course of treatment will have finished by then. We also talked about the recent 4th edition of the Fête du Coin, featuring 20 vignerons, held this year at Chitenay over the weekend of 6th/7th December. Depsite la crise this edition attracted 700 visitors who bought a total of 6000 bottles.

We started the tasting of the 2008s with several Sauvignons at various stages of development with several still fermenting. The 2008 whites have high alcohols, which has made Didier’s winemaking job difficult along with the need to lower the high acidities of 2008. The still high levels of acidity at the end of September meant that alcohol levels were high by the time the grapes were ripe. One of the Sauvignon vats is at 14.5˚.

Didier tasting 2008 Pif and doubtless wondering
what proportion of the 2008 vintage this glass represents.

Didier: “Sugar levels on white grapes always go up more quickly than they do in red varieties.”

Of the four vats I tried I liked the first one best. It had finished its alcoholic fermentation but hadn’t been through malo. 13.8% alc and 5.5 acidity, it had very attractive grapefruit flavours – very precise. Didier explained the various methods he had used this year to reduce the high acidities. These included maceration carboniquee, 15 days of cold stablisation and allowing a ‘voile’ to develop on the surface of the Sauvignon, as they do in the Jura. I thought this might be the same as the flor that occurs in Jerez but apparently it is different.

Next up a lemony and quite weighty Chardonnay followed by a slightly fuller coloured than usual Pineau d’Aunis rosé, which still has some 10 gms of residual sugar.

Next onto the Gamay, which at 22 hl/ha, was the most generous yielding variety in the very small harvest of 2008. The 2008 Gamay has lovely spicy, black fruits and will be delicious. The second and last red was the rich, concentrated, deep coloured and spicy Pif – 50% Cabernet and 50% Côt. Sadly due to the penurious vintage there will be no Pineau d’Aunis Rouge, no pure Côt or Cabernet.

Before leaving Catherine lent me her signed copy of Alice Feiring’s The Battle for Wine and Love or How I saved the World from Pakerization, which I am now enjoying reading. Catherine also kindly gave me a bottle of Pascal Potaire’s Piège à filles pétillant naturel. (Both will doubtless be subjects for future postings on the blog.)

(16th December 2008)

Quick early evening visit to see Bruno Curassier at Domaine de la Grange in Bléré to taste his 2008s. Fortunately we managed to squeeze a time between Bruno’s English lesson and him getting ready to drive to Paris very early the next day to deliver wine.

Bruno’s history illustrates the problems now facing some of the local co-operatives. Until 2003 he was a full member of the S.C.A Cellier du Beaujardin in Bléré. That year he started to vinify and to gradually pull out of Beaujardin. In 2003 he made 50 hls. This doubled the following year and in 2006 Bruno made 350 hls and started to equip himself properly. “I said goodbye to the coop in 2006.” He pulled out 8 hectares of vines and kept 14.



The coops are facing losing some of their younger members, who like Bruno want to set up on their own, and their older members, who are ready to retire and accept the subsidy for pulling up their vines.

As yet Bruno doesn’t export, though he is looking to develop markets outside France. Most of Bruno’s sales are to individuals including tourists passing through the Cher Valley during the season. So far sales are going well.

Bruno: “All my 2007 Sauvignon Blanc and Rosé are sold out and I just have a little red left. However, I need to spread the risk and develop other markets. It is dangerous to have all your eggs in the same basket.” For the first time he will have a stand at the Salon des Vins de Loire at the beginning of February.

Unlike many Loire vignerons Bruno had his normal yield in 2008 – averaging 55 hl/ha.

Bruno: “Apart from picking some Chardonnay to make sparkling wine, the main harvest really started on 10th October and we finished on 25th. The last grapes to be picked were the Chenin, which came in at 15.5 and is currently slowly fermenting in barrel.

We started with the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc Les Buissonets, which was bottled last Friday. This is the only 2008 from Domaine de la Grange that is finished and is just a small bottling, so he has something to sell over Christmas. It was also the first finished 2008 that I have tasted. Initially quite ripe and rich, it is tight in the finished – hardly surprising as it was only bottled three days ago. Les Buissonets has 14˚ of alcohol, 4.5 gms acidity and 5 gms of residual sugar to round it out.

The rest of the wines were ‘brut de cuve’. Naturally they may well change considerably before they are bottled, so my comments should be read in that light. These are wines in progress. Next up a very pretty Touraine Rosé made from 100% Grolleau, which will be bottled in January. It should make a very attractive drink if we have a good spring and summer.

Then a soft and reasonably concentrated Gamay. Followed by a deep coloured Cabernet Franc, which is yet to go through its malolactic. So, too, the Côt (Malbec) that was just starting its malo. Both wines have good structure and are encouraging approachable despite lacking the softening effect of the malo.

Bruno and his 2008 Chenin Blanc

The last red was another Cabernet Franc that was picked on 21st October and spent 45 days on the marc (skins and pips etc.). This is a lot more tannic than the other Cabernet Franc. I fancy it will need a far while to soften. We finished with a taste of the fermenting Chenin – still at the appley Bernache stage.

Bruno Curassier, Domaine de la Grange, Rue de la Grange, 37150 Bléré. Tel: 02.47.57.68.18; (mob) 06.60.04.99.19; curassier@wanadoo.fr

The small VDQS of Thouarsais has apparently decided against applying for AC status. Presumably these wines will be labelled VDP du Val de Loire once VDQS disappears in 2011.

The Thouarsais' vines are found to the east and south east of the town of Thouars, some 18 kilometres south of Montreuil-Bellay. 15 communes have the right to the VDQS appellation but most of the production is centred in Oiron-Bilazais. There are five producers with 25 hectares planted making 1000 hls.

I'm trying to remember whether I have ever tasted a Thouarsais wine. I may have tasted one from François Gigon, whose wines have long been imported into the UK by Yapp Brothers. I must make an special effort to taste some of these wines before their VDQS disappears.

For more information......

2008: Harvesting Cabernet Franc:
photo Yannick Amirault

From: Yannick Amirault, Bourgueil and Saint Nicolas-de-Bourgeuil:

'Effectivement les vendanges se sont très bien passées. Nous avons eu un temps magnifique et le raisin était super.

Début octobre, j'étais inquiet par les acidités très élevées mais qui ont bien baissé à la récolte.
Si on prend uniquement en considération les courbes de degré et d'acidité, nous sommes sur des courbes proches de 1996 et 2002.'

Désormais les fermentations sont terminées et je laisse encore "infuser" sous marc une semaine avant tirage.

Yannick and his son 'unloading' Cabernet Franc
photo Yannick Amirault

Certainly the vintage went very well. We had magnificent weather and the grapes are superb.

At the beginning of October I was worried by the grapes' high acidity but they had dropped considerably by the time we harvested. If you look just at the graphs of alcohol and acidity, we are close to those of 1996 and 2002.

The alcoholic fermentations have finished and I am leaving the wine to 'infuse' on the skins for a week before drawing the wine off.

I caught up briefly with Vincent and Catherine on the phone this morning for a progress report on 2008.

Vincent: Overall the vintage isn’t too bad. We have been very surprised by how little there is – lack of juice in the grapes and small berries. However, the quality across the board – Rosé de Loire, Cabernet d’Anjou, Anjou Blanc Sec and the reds – is good. We finished the Cabernet Franc last Saturday. As it was completely ready we picked all of it in a day with a big team of 20-25, including university friends of Emmanuel (Catherine and Vincent’s son). The Franc had 13% potential and the acidity had come down to 4.8 gms – 10 days ago the it had been up at 7.5-8 gms. But the yield is only 20 hl/ha!

“On Thursday we finished the Cabernet Sauvignon in the Côte de la Houssaye – potential 13.7%. As far as the sweet wines are concerned we have hardly started – just two small passages through the vines with the grapes around 18% potential. The Chenin is now about ready to pick but it’s damp this morning and unfortunately rain is forecast for Monday and Tuesday. The pity is that if we had fine weather there is only about a week’s picking left.”

Vincent and Catherine with 2007 Coteaux du Layon
at the start of its fermentation (early Nov 2007)

A quick call this evening to Christophe Daviau, Domaine de Bablut, to find out how the vintage is progressing. The Daviau family have been at the Bablut in the market town of Brissac since 1546 – an estate agent’s nightmare!

Christophe: “We are still harvesting. We have finished the Cabernet Sauvignon – the last grapes were picked on Friday. The Cabernet Sauvignon was very ripe including the pips and skins and this year is much more evenly ripe than the Cabernet Franc, which is decidedly variable. I expect that there will be a 2008 Rocca Nigra (100% Cabernet Sauvignon) but am less sure about whether we will release a Petra Alba (Cabernet Franc on calcaire – limestone) in 2008. As usual the Cabernet Franc on calcaire is later in ripening.

Cabernet Sauvignon vines@Brissac
overlooking the L'Aubance Valley

“There is still not much juice in the grapes. Yields are about two thirds of what I had anticipated – about 25-30 h/ha for the Cabernet Sauvignon.”

“We didn’t pick this morning as there was a little rain but I expect we will start picking the Cabernet Franc tomorrow morning and finish on Friday. We picked the Chenin for the Anjou Blanc on Thursday and Friday of last week. It was a good thing we did as noble rot really developed over Saturday and Sunday. As for the Coteaux de l’Aubance I expect that we will begin on Friday and we’ll pick Monday and Tuesday – the forecast is good until Wednesday. Noble rot is now developing. I might release a little Grandpierre (Christophe’s single vineyard L’Aubance, which has a wonderfully mineral character, but there will be very little as the parcel was frosted.

It’s is a problem getting some of the grapes fully phonologically ripe as most of the leaves have now fallen off – because the vines started to anticipate winter early due to the cool temperatures in August. Also, of course, the vintage is later than in recent years.”

Freddy is now picking his Cabernet Franc. “We are harvesting in the sunshine,” said Natalie Mabileau. “The quality is very good with the grapes between 11.5% and 13% potential depending on the parcel. But unfortunately the yield is tiny – varying between 10 hl/ha and 30 hl/ha. Tomorrow we will be in Le Puy-Notre-Dame to make our first tri (selection) of the Chenin Blanc for our white Saumur."

(3 October 2008)

Vineyards overlooking Dampierre

(3.10.2008)

Jean-Pierre Chevallier

Jean Pierre Chevallier, Château de Villeneuve
Caught up with Jean-Pierre in his Les Cormiers vineyard (Chenin Blanc), close to the famous Clos des Murs. He and his pickers were busy doing a selective picking – choosing those bunches affected by noble rot and therefore too rich and powerful in alcohol to go straight into Les Cormiers, his grand vin blanc. They started yesterday afternoon and Jean-Pierre was very surprised that the juice that came out of the press was 18.4% potential. “I can’t make dry wine with that!” he said. “I’ll ferment it separately and may be I’ll make some Coteaux de Saumur again this year – not what I had intended to do.” Château de Villeneuve has made Coteaux de Saumur only twice before – in 1921 and 2003. JP is well satisfied with the quality of the fruit both Chenin and Cabernet.

What Jean-Pierre is picking – part of bunch has noble rot

What's being left behind for next week: perfect bunches for le grand vin

“I got a special derogation from the INAO to start picking my Cabernet today as one parcel was already at 13.7% on Monday and the rest is between 12.8%-13.2% but with an acidity of 6.7. I’ll start picking the Cabernet next week.”

Richard Desouche, Château de Chaintres and Petit Domaine

When we arrived Richard, who manages Chaintres, was busy overseeing a batch of Chenin Blanc through the pneumatic press. “We’ve finished picking for the Crémant. There is 10% less juice in the grapes than normal. We need more than 160 kilos of grapes for a 100 litres of juice – the Crémant rules insist on 150 kilos for 100 litres. We’ve also picked the Chenin for the Chaintres still white as well as for my Petit Domaine.” Richard also talked about the need, once they start vinifying the red, to be really careful this year not to extract too much tannin. “We’ll have to be really gentle. Once we start on the Cabernet Franc we’ll have four days of picking left.” Richard is hoping to move Chaintres to organic viticulture.

Richard by the press.

We tasted three vintages of Saumur-Champigny from Château de Chaintres – 2005, 2006 and 2007. The first two vintages were made by Krishna Lester, the previous manager. The brooding and concentrated 2005 needs several more years in bottle. The less concentrated 2006 is quite tannic – a touch green in the finish. It will be interesting to see what happens to this in a year or so – will the fruit win through or will the tannins continue to dominate? The 2007 is light in the style of this vintage – “very kirsch” said Richard.

Richard suggested that we went back to Le Pot de Lapin, which we were very happy to do. We started with a refreshing glass of les Bulles de BD, a rosé petillant from Bruno Dubois in Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg. Then the attractively plummy 2005 Domaine de la Cune Saumur Champigny from Jean-Luc and Jean-Albert Mary in Chaintres. This is the straight domaine cuvée, which is drinking well at the moment. Unfortunately the first bottle was corked. This is the first corked wine I have had for a while, although curiously a day later we tried three bottles of a Médoc over dinner at a friends’ house – two of which were corked!

At Le Pot we saw Patrick Vadé of Domaine Saint-Vincent. “We’ve already done a tri for the Crémant. We’ll start picking the Chenin early next week and the Cabernet Franc on Wednesday.”


Antoine Sanzay

We called by Antoine's winery in Varrains. Unfortunately there was no sign of Antoine. His Saumur Blanc and Saumur-Champigny are well worth trying as Antoine is one of the most promising young producers in the area.

Antoine Foucault: getting ready for the vintage
Later in the day we dropped in on Antoine at Chacé, who, assisted by his cousin, was busy making final preparations for the start of the harvest of his Chenin Blanc expected early next week depending on the acidity levels. When last checked his young Chenin vines were at 12.2% and the Centenaires at 13.5% with acidity levels around 7. Antoine said that the Foucault brothers, Antoine’s father Charly and uncle Nadi, will probably start in the middle of next week – again depending on what happens to the acidity.

Antoine with his 2006 Domaine du Collier Saumur Blanc

We quickly tasted the Domaine du Collier 2006 Saumur Blanc, which has just been bottled – absolutely delicious (see below) as well as the 2005 La Charpentrie Saumur Blanc from 100 year old vines. This is richer reflecting both the vintage and the age of the vines but still with fine minerality.



Antoine Foucault’s stock control problem
So delicious is Antoine’s 2006 domaine Saumur Blanc that his father, Charly, can’t keep his hands off this recently bottled wine – a wine with some floral aromas, a hint of butter and toast but overall a wonderful mineral purity and great length of flavour. Although the disappearing stock may be hitting Antoine’s bottom line, it’s also a huge compliment as Charly and his brother, Nadi’s, wines are the benchmark for the region.

Antoine's dog gets ready for the vintage – snoozing in the little trailer that will take the debris that's left over after being through the press

Régis Neau, Domaine de Nerleux

Our last visit on Friday (3rd) was to see Régis. From having been a glorious morning the sky was now covered and threatening rain.

Régis in his vines destined for Coteaux de Saumur:
early November 2007

“I’ve finished picking,” said Régis “We started on the Chardonnay on 19th September, the Chenin on 22nd and the Cabernet on 23rd/24th. We finished on 29th/30th with another parcel of Chenin. We now have 7 hectares, which we use for sparkling wine. As everywhere, the yields are down this year. Normally we have 70 hl/ha – this year it’s 57 hl/ha overall. The Cabernet at 50 hl/ha and the Chenin at 65 hl/ha. We are now waiting for the Chenin and Cabernet for the still wines. For the Cabernet the acidity in the best parcels is now down below 6. At Monsoreau I have some Cabernet that is between 11.2% and 12.2% with acidities between 5.2 and 6.5. The Chenin is a 12% with 7.5 acidity. It’s been very dry – we need a little rain now but not too much!”

More to follow....

Cabernet Franc in one of Thierry Germain's vineyards
(Domaine des Roches Neuves) 2.10.2008

Wandering around the vineyards yesterday, the grapes especially the Cabernet Franc look good. A dog out for a walk in the vineyards clearly thought they were delicious as he munched his way through several bunches in quick succession. The pips and stalks are changing colour and the fruit looks good with very little sign of rot so far. Unfortunately the weather forecast is not that good for next week with some rain likely. A small amount would be helpful – lowering the acidity but prolonged rain would not be good.

Cabernet Franc in one of Thierry Germain's vineyards

(Domaine des Roches Neuves). 2.10.2008
Unripe grapillons (second generation in background)

Last evening there was a brief scare – a little hail just before 7pm around Dampierre, just to the east of Saumur. Fortunately it didn’t come down with much force and it didn’t last. As far as I know it did little or no damage. Hail is never good but at this time would be catastrophic – lacerate the grapes, which would soon turn rotten.

A bunch of Chenin Blanc@Brezé 2.10.2008

Picking of the Chenin Blanc for still wines is just starting – Jean-Pierre Chevallier (Château de Villeneuve) started yesterday and Thierry Germain (Domaine des Roches Neuves) hopes to start today if the weather holds. His Chenin is between 12.5%-13% potential and between 6.5 and 7.5 acidity. “The acidity levels are dropping,” said Thierry. He intends to start on his Cabernet Franc on Wednesday. “They were at 12.2% potential last Friday with the acidity at 5.5."

Saumur-Champigny: looking towards hamlet of Chaintres.

“With the high acidity levels and their thick skins the 2008 reds will be complicated to vinify well,” he says. “It will be very important not to extract a lot of tannin. With the white I will do a less severe débourbage (juice settling) than usual.”

Thierry Germain in his parcel of ungrafted, échalas vines.

We went with Thierry on a quick drive to look at his vines. This took in a visit to his small parcel (15 ares – .15 ha) franc pieds vines (ungrafted vines) near the Saumur Hospital planted using the old system of échalas (cultivation around a pole). Thierry’s 15 ares are planted with Cabernet Franc to the equivalent density of 10,000 vines per hectare – the average density in the region is 5500 per hectare. He is very excited as he will get the first crop off them this year as they were planted in 2004/5. “I love their purity of flavour – their freshness,” says Thierry. “The flavour is totally different to grapes from grafted vines.” This fruit will be vinified separately in 400 litre open topped barrels. Thierry hopes to get a few vintages from them before the vines are destroyed by phylloxera. The soil is sandy clay over limestone, so with luck it may take a little while for the phylloxera to get at them. “I’ve long had a dream to cultivate vines using this old system (échalas) that you’ll find in parts of Burgundy.” It can also be found in the Mosel.

"I'm nearly as tall as my vines!"

Caught up with Sam late morning when he was visiting and tasting at Domaine Joël Delaunay in Pouillé (Cher Valley). Sam, who is the external wine consultant to Interloire for their varietal projects, was over here on a two-day flying visit, accompanied by Elodie Besseas, InterLoire's technical expert both to check up on progress on the initial Cabernet Franc project and to advise on picking times for the 2008 vintage. Sam is excited by the potential of the 2008 Cabernet Franc fruit but stresses it has to be picked at the right time.

“I think growers should be waiting until the week beginning 13 October as the tannins are strong this year and the acidity levels are still high. The potential is there but they should wait.” However, the tendency in Bourgueil and Chinon looks to be to start picking around 6 October.

Sam was also over here for the newer projects on Sauvignon Blanc and Côt. Sam’s initial advice on the Côt is for producers to cut down on maceration times because the tannins are rougher and more rustic than Cabernet Franc. He was also thinking that quite often Côt is picked before it is properly ripe giving the wines green notes that they would not have if growers waited until the fruit was ripe.

During the tasting with Joël and Thierry Delaunay, Sam was particularly impressed with their fragrant and minerally 2007 Touraine Sauvignon Blanc. He had also been very impressed with the dynamism of Florence Veilex at La Chapinière de Châteauvieux, whom he had visited early that morning.

La Chapinière de Châteauvieux, 4 Chemin de la Chapinère
41110 Châteauvieux
Tel: 02.54.75.43.00
Email: contact@lachapiniere.com
Web: www.lachapiniere.com

Domaine Joël Delaunay, 48 Rue de la Tesnière, 41110 Pouillé
Tel: 02.54.71.45.69
Email: contact@joeldelaunay.com
Web: www.joeldelaunay.com

Domaine des Maisons Brulées, Pouillé: horse used to carry cases of grapes

The weather over the past two days has been sensational. Cool overnight, sun and blue skies during the day with just the odd fluffy cloud from time to time. Caught up this morning with the vintage at several domaines.

Happy pickers: Laurent from Brooklyn and Catherine Roussel
(photo: CRM)

Clos Roche Blanche

Busy picking Gamay at La Tesnière by hand with a group of experienced pickers, who include some over 70 years old as well as Laurent, a former restaurateur from Brooklyn, New York. “The Gamay is coming in a 12˚ potential,” said Didier Barouillet, co-owner and winemaker. “Overall the level of acidity is a degree higher than last year. The Cabernet is at 13.2% potential alcohol but the acidity is still too high at 7.5. There is a lot of tartaric acid this year because temperatures during the growing period have been lower than the average for the last 30 years. The Côt is at 12.3% with a similar level of acidity. We’ll pick those next week – possibly the Cabernet before the Côt, which is most unusual – normally we always pick the Côt first."

Clos Roche Blanche: Gamay
Clos Roche Blanche: La Pause vers 11 heures

Clos Roche Blanche: La Pause vers 11 heures
(photo: CRM)

Clos Roche Blanche: La Pause vers 11 heures
(photo: CRM)

Domaine Joël Delaunay: Thierry Delaunay
The Delaunays are also in La Tesnière, a small hamlet of vignerons in the eastern part of the commune of Pouillé. Thierry has now taken over from his father, Joël, who bottled the domaine’s first wines in 1971. Thierry is the fifth generation of the family to look after the vines here. Despite recovering from a painful hernia, Thierry was cheerful about the harvest. “We started on Monday 15th. The Sauvignon Blanc is finished. It has been coming in at around 13% potential. The yields are down from normal at between 40-45 hl/ha. Overall in the region yields are down by 20 hl/ha. We are starting the Gamay this afternoon and I expect that we’ll start picking the Côt later this week. When I checked last Saturday The Côt was 12.1% and 5.6 in acidity but I hope the potential will have reached 13% by the time we pick.”

Cleaning cageots

Thierry will be taking part in the new Interloire Côt project, which involves Sam Harrop MW, who acts as the external consultant. This new project is an extension of the initial Cabernet Franc project, which was designed to make Loire Cabernets more appealing to the UK palate. There is another project getting underway on Loire Sauvignon (both AC and vdp from the Loire -Atlantique to Loir-et-Cher). Sam is also involved in this.

Thierry Delaunay tasting his Touraine Sauvignon 2008
– just before the start of its fermentation

Before leaving there was time to taste juice from a couple of vats of Touraine Sauvignon 2008 – one that had had 12 hours of skin contact and the other that had been pressed immediately. The skin contact had more body, while the other was more aromatic. Later they will be blended together.

Michel and Beatrice Augé: Domaine les Maison Brulées
When we arrive Michel is busy in the chai unloading a stack of cageots (picking crates) full of plump, clean Gamay grapes. “We started picking on Thursday 18th. Much of the Sauvignon is now picked. It varies between 14% to over 15% potential with 7 grams acidity.” We tasted the Sauvignon juice, which was deliciously rich with very good balance of fruit and acidity.

Domaine des Maison Brulées: Gamay

The estate is run biodynamically. Michel and Beatrice use a horse in the vineyard to transport the crates of grapes. Michel expects to pick the Cabernet and Côt next week.

“What news?” Michel asks me. I tell him about the tiny harvest in Muscadet. “20 hl/ha! That’s what I make every year,” he smiles.


Vincent Ricard: Domaine Ricard

When I arrived Vincent was busy filling up a cubitainer of Sauvignon Blanc Bernache (local Loire name for partially fermenting grape juice) for a couple of guys from a bar. Bernache is a popular drink at harvest time and is often served with roasted chestnuts. Bernache has to be kept cool otherwise it will continue its fermentation and either blow out the cork or the bottle or container will explode.

Like the other vignerons Vincent is very happy with the way 2008 is turning out. “We started on Thursday 19 September and have picked the Sauvignon for Le Petiot, Les Trois Chênes and some of '?' (point d’interrogation). Le Petiot came in between 12.2%-12.6%, while the richest so far for '?' has been 13.8%. The yield for the Sauvignon has been 45 hl/ha so far. We’ll be picking Gamay this afternoon and Côt at the end of the week.”

Vincent is one of the bright young stars of eastern Touraine. After a number of stages including a year (1996-97) with Philippe Alliet, he started at the family estate on 1 March 1998. The domaine at Thesée has 17 hectares with nearly 13 of Sauvignon Blanc and a small amount of Cabernet Franc, Côt and Gamay. “Two thirds is white and one third red,” explains Vincent. “The soils on the north side of the Cher with their thin limestone soils are very suitable for whites. Whereas on the south side of the Cher there’s a higher proportion of clay, so reds do well there.” 60% of the whites are picked by hand, while for the reds this increases to 70%.

Happily Vincent’s wines are now available again in the UK. Previously the excellent Le Petiot was imported by Berry Bros & Rudd, who foolishly in my opinion dropped him. It can now be enjoyed at St John Restaurant in London.

Vincent Ricard

Clos Roche Blanche, 19 Route de Montrichard, 41110 Mareuil-sur-Cher.
Tel: 02.54.75.17.03

Domaine Joël Delaunay, 48 Rue de la Tesnière, 41110 Pouillé
Tel: 02.54.71.45.69
Email: contact@joeldelaunay.com
Web: www.joeldelaunay.com

Domaine des Maisons Brulées, 5 Impasse de la Vallée du Loing
41110 Pouillé
Tel: 02.54.71.51.57
Email: auge-michel-beatrice@wanadoo.fr

Domaine Ricard, 50 Rue Nationale, Thesée la Romaine
Tel: 02.54.71.00.17
Email: domaine.ricard@wanadoo.fr
Web: www.domaine-ricard.com

La Nouvelle République, the regional paper for Touraine, today reports that 1.30 hectares of Cabernet Franc is due to planted today at the Clos de l’Hospice close to Chinon’s château. This is part of the restoration of the hospice. The vines will be looked after by 33-year-old Rodolphe Raffault, son of Jean-Maurice Raffault of Savigny-en-Véron. A number of old documents indicate that there were vines in this clos, which faces south, in 1626. The new vines are a selection massale. The first vintage should be in 2010 with the first bottles released in 2012.

The NR also reported that five Touraine appellations have this year decided to dispense with the traditional ban des vendanges – the official signal that harvesting can begin. The five are: Bourgueil, Chinon, Touraine, Touraine–Azay-le-Rideau and Touraine–Amboise.

Christophe Daviau

After a fairly miserable day for much of yesterday in the Pays Nantais, it cleared up a bit when we moved eastwards to Anjou in the late afternoon.

Today started misty over the Coteaux de l’Aubance. Initially it promised to be fine once the mist lifted but blue skies soon gave way to clouds. I spent the morning with Christophe Daviau (Domaine de Bablut) looking at the vineyards that are now run biodynamically.

Cabernet Franc destined for Petra Alba (calcaire soil)

Cabernet Franc destined for Petra Alba
– note grapillons on ground bottom left

Now around 10˚ potential alcohol and 8˚ acidity the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignons are at least a good ten days to a fortnight before they are ready to pick. There are signs of the start of some botrytis developing on the Chenin but it will be a while before they start picking.

Currently the team of vineyard workers going through the Cabernets are stripping off the grapillons (also called verjus) and dropping them on the ground. Grapillons are second generation bunches that ripen later, if they ever do, than the main first generation bunches. At the moment they are green, so easy to spot. Once they change colour they will be much more difficult to identify. If the grapillons are not eliminated, then they will give the wine green, unripe flavours.

A grapillon – unripe second generation grapes
that will make your wine taste green and sharp

In 1989, which had an amazingly fine summer and autumn, Didier Richou of Domaine Richou in Moze-sur-Louet made a small cuvée of Gamay from the grapillons harvested in late November or early December, which I believe had 13% alc.

Grolleau Noir

As rain was forecast Christophe didn’t pick yesterday instead getting the highly reputed mobile bottlers Brault to come. Amongst the cuvées bottled were the Coteaux de l’Aubance Grandpierre 2005 and 2006. Picking started again today with the Sauvignon Blanc (VDP de la Loire) being machine picked.

Sauvignon Blanc: VDP de la Loire

Machine picking Sauvignon Blanc