Noël Pinguet, Domaine Huet

Today there was one of those must attend tastings – Richards Walford at the Baltic Restaurant, London SE1. Although the Baltic is a good venue with excellent food, Richards W has to an extent become a victim of their success as the tasting area soon became quite cramped.

I concentrated on the smallish selection of Loires on show dominated by recent and some older vintages from Domaine Huet. Noël Pinguet was there as well as Anthony and Evelyn Hwang, who were also presenting wines from their Kiráyudvar estate in Tarcal, Tokaji.

First four other Loires with the crisp, lemony and quite austere 2007 Touraine Sauvignon from Jean-Christophe Manard of Mareuil–sur-Cher. Next another Sauvignon this time the 2007 Reuilly from Denis Jamain, this was again crisp and lemony but with more weight than the Mandard. Unfortunately Jamain's delicious 2007 Pinot Noir wasn't in the tasting. Then changing to Chenin Blanc with the 2007 Saumur Blanc from Frédéric Mabileau. Although this has some weight, it is considerably leaner and less expressive than it was before bottling. There is certainly potential there but it either needs time or out into a carafe for an hour or two before serving. Also on show was Frédéric’s vibrant 2007 Les Rouillères, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil.


Then nine wines from Domaine that included several that I had tasted on 12th January. Confirmation that though the 2007 Le Mont sec is lovely, the powerful 2007 Clos de Bourg sec is even better with great mineral purity. The 2007 Le Mont demi-sec again showed well and was partnered with the golden hued 2000 Le Mont demi-sec showing greater complexity from its time in bottle gaining a long lasting, dry honey flavour that carries on into the quite austere finish.

Following Noël’s instruction I tasted the 1986 Le Clos du Bourg moelleux before the richer 2005. The 1986 has 32 gms of residual sugar – “a moelleux before global warming,” commented Noël. The 1986 has a typically pure and austere Huet finish preceded by a honeyed nose and a beeswax and mineral palate. Then the still very youthful, rich and honeyed 2005 Le Mont moelleux – only hinting at the complexity to come with age.

The 2002 Le Clos du Bourg moelleux 1er tri (58 gms rs) with its sweet honeyed fruit with hints of lychee, wonderful balance and length shows again what a marvelous vintage 2002 is. The hope, of course, is that 2008 will turn out equally well as September and October resembled 2002. The 1993 Le Haut Lieu moelleux 1er tri completed the line up. It was just as fascinating as it was when I tasted it with Jean-Bernard.“

Antony and Evelyn Hwang: Kiráyudvar estate and Domaine Huet

While Noël poured Vouvray, Anthony and Evelyn Hwang poured their Tokaji starting with the widely contrasting secs from 2005 and 2006. The 2005 slightly oxidative in style giving additional complexity, some beeswax and minerality, while the 2006 was more opulent, richer and less mineral. From the five other Tokajis on taste – a demi-sec and four sweet – the last two (2002 Aszù 6 Puttonyos and 2002 Aszù Lapis) really stood out. Here the richness in sugar (197 gms rs and 235 gms rs) is balanced by high acidity (9.5 and 9.2) giving the wines a thrilling tension. Perhaps inevitably this quality comes at a price – £56.49 and £84.49 a bottle respectively.

Richard Kelley MW

Also had time to catch up with Richard Kelley MW, who has nearly finished writing up his recent researches in Jasnières and the Coteaux du Vendômois. They should appear on his site soon. Richard has just become one of the world’s leading authorities on Châteaumeillant as well as exploring the Côte Roannaise.

(19th December 2008)

Just a few of the samples

Friday morning was taken up with an extensive tasting of reds from the Central Vineyards with wines from Sancerre, Menetou-Salon, the Coteaux de Giennois, Reuilly and Châteaumeillant. All were pure Pinot Noir, except for those from the Coteaux de Giennois and Châteaumeillant, which were either pure Gamay or with a varying proportion of Pinot Noir. Under the bizarre appellation rules the producers of the Coteaux du Giennois are not allowed to make 100% Pinot Noir. Instead it has to be a blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir. Prior to becoming an AC in 1998 100% Pinot Noir was allowed and these were among the most interesting reds from the Giennois vineyards. The ways of the INAO remain shrouded in mystery!

Benoît Roumet and his team at the Bureau du Centre had assembled a record-breaking number of reds and the tasting was brilliantly organised with a full file of all the wines tasted to take away with me. My grateful thanks to Benoît and his equipe and also, of course, to all the producers who kindly submitted samples.

I tasted the wines blind, although I knew the appellation and the vintage. The overall impression is of encouraging progress being made, although there are big differences in both style and quality both within the five appellations and between them. I wasn’t surprised to find that most of the top wines came from Sancerre and I’m encouraged that many of my top picks came from well producers like Lucien Crochet, Alphonse Mellot, the Vacherons, Vincent Pinard, Dominique Roger and Jean-Max Roger. I was also pleased that my top picks were not confined to the ‘usual suspects’ but included Serge Laloue, Domaine de la Rossignole and Domaine Claude Riffault – their 2006 Antique was perhaps my top wine of the tasting.

(more to follow)

2008 harvest in the Pays Nantais with Che

The VDQS Gros Plant Syndicat has opted to apply for IGP (Indication Géographique de Provenance) status. By the end of this year all those still remaining in the VDQS (Vin Délimité de Qualité Supérieure) category will have to opt for either AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée) or IGP. From 2009 to the end of 2011 only those that have applied either for AC or VDP status will be able to continue to sell their wines as VDQS.

The Loire has many of the now limited number of VDQS remaining, so it is make your mind up time for Châteaumeillant, Coteaux d’Ancenis, Côtes d’Auvergne, Fiefs Vendéens, Haut-Poitou, Saint-Pourçain and Thouarsais.

The château at Ancenis. Coteaux d'Ancenis is one of the
remaining VDQSs, who now have to opt for AOP or IGP

The Gros Plant Syndicat decided that Gros Plant would be better off as a IGP than trying to become AOP (similar to the existing AOC but a European-wide designation) because this will allow them to blend Gros Plant with other varieties such as Colombard, Montils and Pinot Gris (Malvoisie in the Pays Nantais). Going for AOP status would have meant reducing yields and some of the existing Gros Plant vineyards would have been left outside the new zone.

The Syndicat's decision is not a surprise. The production of Gros Plant declined considerably and it was very likley that it would have struggled to get AOP status. It will, however, be a shame if all Gros Plant ends up being blended with other varieties as good examples remain a wonderful match with oysters.

In early June 2008 as part of the European Union reform of the wine industry the French government adopted AOP and IGP. AOP is almost identical to the AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controllée) while IGP is a more flexible version of VDP (Vins de Pays). Under IGP producers can use whatever varieties they wish and it is possible to use oak chips and add tannins and acidity.


From: E-Lettre Vitisphere No 324 21st Novembre 2008
Pays de Loire : Le VDQS Gros Plant choisit l’IGP
Le syndicat du VDQS Gros Plant du Pays Nantais s’est prononcé pour un passage en IGP (Indication Géographique de Provenance) dans le cadre de la future segmentation de l’OCM qui entrera en application en août 2009. La disparition annoncée des VDQS avait déjà conduit le syndicat à se prononcer il y a quelques années sur son passage en AOC. Aujourd’hui le syndicat revient sur cette position, estimant que le cadre de l’IGP proposé par l’Europe correspond mieux aux ambitions de l’appellation Gros Plant. «Cette catégorie de vin offre une souplesse qui cadre bien avec ce qu’est actuellement le Gros Plant. Le choix de l’AOP nous aurait conduit à des baisses de rendement et des restrictions de l’aire d’appellation qui ne nous semblent pas opportunes. Par ailleurs, nous envisageons d’élargir notre encépagement en autorisant les assemblages avec le Colombard, le Montils et le Pinot gris. Ce projet a plus de chance d’aboutir dans le cadre de l’IGP que de l’AOP », argumente Jean-Michel Morille, vice-président du syndicat.