Jim's Loire

Jacky Blot – one the Loire’s greatest vignerons – died on Monday

2023-05-17T10:06:00.002+01:00

(This post was originally published on Les 5 du Vin on 16th May 2023)

Jacky in the Taille aux Loups cellars in Husseau – all the wines were fermented in wood

During the harvest Jacky was always in the vineyard at the sorting table.

I am still in shock I have just learned that Jacky Blot (Domaine de la Taille aux Loups/ Domaine de la Butte) died on Monday of pancreatic cancer having only been diagnosed this April. It seems like a bad dream!

I had huge respect for Jacky – for what he and Joëlle achieved joined by their son Jean-Philippe along with their dedicated team in particular Dominique, Natalie and Christophe. I can only imagine how devastated they feel. My thoughts are with them.

From a modest start in 1988 Jacky and Joëlle created one of the Loire’s greatest domaines producing wonderful wines from Montlouis, Vouvray, which latterly had to be labelled Vin de France but were actually ‘Grand Cru Vouvray’, and Bourgueil. Jacky was an inspiration with an almost ruthless passion to make top quality Chenin and Cabernet Franc and he succeeded making world class examples of both varieties. He was very hands on – during the harvest he would be out in the vineyard working on the sorting table.

There will be time to say more but for the moment I want my own personal space to remember Jacky – proud that he counted me as a friend.

So terribly sad that the Loire has in the space of just four days lost two great men, great human beings – yes wonderful producers but much more than that!

Jacky @ Domaine de la Butte with a glass of his Bourgueil

Farewell Jacky you have left a huge legacy

Farewell Guy Bossard

2023-05-17T10:04:00.001+01:00

(This post was originally published on Les 5 du Vin on Sunday 14th May 2023)

I was very sorry to learn overnight (13th-14th May 2023) that Guy Bossard (Domaine de l’Ecu, Pays Nantais) had died. Guy passed away on Friday 12 May aged 72. Guy was a major figure in the Loire both for his Muscadet Sèvre et Maine and for being a successful early champion of biodynamics. It appears that he had been suffering from a long illness.

Guy was one of several vignerons including – Pierre Luneau, Louis Métaireau and Jean-Ernest Sauvion – in the 1980s and early 1990s who demonstrated through the quality of their wines that Muscadet could be so much more than a simple wine with a great capacity to age gaining further complexity.

Our sincere condolences to Guy’s family and friends. Un hommage lui sera rendu mercredi à 10h45 au crématorium de Château-Thébaud.

I can do no better than to share Pascaline’s Lepeltier’s very fine tribute on Facebook to Guy:

‘Le vin a perdu une très grande âme, et un vrai, beau vigneron, unique par sa sincérité et sa compréhension exceptionnelle de la vigne, et bien sûr des superbes terroirs du Muscadet qu’il a défendus toute sa vie autant qu’il a défendu une viticulture préservant le vivant. Guy Bossard s’en est allé hier et je dois dire que cette nouvelle me touche beaucoup. Je me souviendrai toujours de la première bouteille goûtée : jeune apprentie, Mr @jacquesthorel à l’Auberge Bretonne m’avait demandé de servir une bouteille du Domaine de l’Ecu 1989 à @olivier_poussier_sommelier Quel vin! Quelques semaines, Guy dînait à l’Auberge pour le fameux Repas de Vignerons. Il m’invita à le visiter, ce que je fis quelques semaines après. Je lui dois beaucoup dans ma carrière : quel puits de connaissance sur la vigne, la greffe, la biodynamie, le sol, la musique – et l’âme humaine. Avec quelle gentillesse et humilité partageait-il ses connaissances Ses vins n’ont jamais quitté mes cartes – des vins magnifiques qui ont convaincu tellement mes clients que le Muscadet pouvait produire des vins de classe mondiale. Alors que le vin plus que jamais devient pour certains ce produit spéculatif et m’as-tu-vu, nous perdons avec Guy l’absolu opposé. « C’est la nature qui a le dernier mot, pas l’homme » disait-il. Merci pour tout Guy.’

‘Wine has lost a very great soul, and a real, beautiful winegrower, unique in his sincerity and his exceptional understanding of the vine, and of course of the superb Muscadet terroirs that he defended all his life as much as he defended a viticulture that preserves life. Guy Bossard left yesterday and I must say that this news touches me a lot. I will always remember the first bottle I tasted: as a young apprentice, Mr Thorel at the Auberge Bretonne asked me to serve a bottle of Domaine de l’Ecu 1989 to Olivier Poussier. What a wine! A few weeks ago, Guy dined at the Auberge for the famous Repas de Vignerons. He invited me to visit him, which I did a few weeks later. I owe him a lot in my career: what a wealth of knowledge on the vine, grafting, biodynamics, soil, music – and the human soul.’

Farewell inspirational Catherine Roussel @ Clos Roche Blanche

2022-09-29T09:47:00.006+01:00

September 2014: Catherine at the start of the last vintage

We were very sad to hear late yesterday afternoon that Catherine Roussel, the inspirational owner of the Clos Roche Blanche in the Cher Valley had died. Catherine along with Didier Barouillet made wines that punched away above the standard reputation of Appellation Touraine. Their wines enjoyed great success in the USA and the wines' quality inspired others in the Cher Valley by showing what was possible through dedicated work in the vineyard and small yields.

I first met Catherine and Didier in 1989 and made many visits to their vineyards in Mareuil-sur-Cher/Pouillé. We regularly bought their wines, which Catherine preferred to drink them young and wasn't convinced about their ability to age. Here I have to say she was mistaken as they age amazingly well not just the reds but their Touraine Sauvignon as well. To date examples have already aged well for best part of 30 years.

We will be opening some to drink in Catherine's memory.

Our thoughts and condolences are with Didier and Catherine's family and friends.

Her funeral will be at the Blois Crematorium on Tuesday 4th October.

September 2014: Catherine at the start of the last vintage

A couple of earlier posts on Jim's Loire:

Monday, 7 September 2009

T-shirt, shorts and sandals vintage@Clos Roche Blanche starts Thursday

Tuesday, 30 September 2014

Clos Roche Blanche, AC Touraine – historic last vintage for Catherine & Didier

Brief sortie to Anjou in late October

2021-11-08T17:03:00.002+00:00

Magnificent autumn colours from the Quarts de Chaume
and way into the distance
Also a reminder of how high parts of Q de C are
before it plunges down to the Layon

Heavily laden Chaume
Also demonstrates Chenin's variable
ripening making it suitable for making sweet wine –
sweetness from some berries freshness from others
usually necessary to pick selectively

On Tuesday 26th October we made a flying visit across to Anjou from our base in the Cher Valley east of Tours. We drove through foggy conditions of varying intensity. It was particularly dense as we headed down to the River Layon from Beaulieu sur Layon heading to Saint-Lambert-du Lattay.

Emmanuel Ogereau – 'the boss'

Vincent – happy to take a back seat these days

After visiting Catherine, Vincent and Emmanuel Ogereau at their domaine and tasting a few fermenting 2021 wines including the 1er Tri of their Quarts de Chaume, we headed as it was lunchtime to the Quarts de Chaume for a picnic. By this time the fog had lifted and we were treated to some magnificent views with their autumn colours. We picnicked as we often do along the track to Les Martinières – a right turn off the small road that leads to the hamlet of Chaume. This track is the dividing line between Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru and Coteaux du Layon Chaume Premier Cru. See map

Pink = Quarts de Chaume vines

Green = Chaume vines

Naturally we had a look at some of the vines. Unsurprisingly given the fine weather during October many had already been picked including the vignes larges of Domaine des Baumard. Some others had probably already been partially picked and were waiting for the final sweep through the vines. However, close to where we stopped on the northern side of the track so in Chaume not Quarts de Chaume was a very well laden parcel of vines, which looked like it hadn't been picked at all.

Parcel of vines near the Martinières track

A generous crop...

Although the yields shown in the above photos are clearly generous it is more difficult to say whether they meet or exceed the criteria for Coteaux du Layon Premier Cru. Had they been to the south of the track and in the Quarts de Chaume it would have been clear that this crop exceeded the Q de C criteria, which are more strict than those for Chaume. In the Quarts de Chaume each vine may not have more than 1.7 kilos of grapes for a yield of 20 hl/ha (25 hl/ha rendement butoir). The potential alcohol minimum has to be 18%. The photos show more than 1.7 kilos per vine.

However, Chaume does not have a weight limit per vine and the authorised yield is 25 hl/ha, which can be adjusted up to 30 hl/ha and the minimum potential alcohol is 16.5%. Difficult to say if the Chaume criteria have been exceeded here rather that the producer is pushing the envelope and isn't really in line with the spirit of a village premier cru sweet wine.

You have to wonder if the Baumards may not after all have had a point when opposing Chaume 1er Cru!!

Les Treilles and TGV du Layon

After our picnic we headed back to Saint-Lambert taking the old railway line track along the northern bank of the Layon pased the Clos des Treilles now part of Domaine Belargus. The disused railway line is now a green route between Thouarce and Saint-Aubin-de-Luigné.

Clos des Treilles

'L'ancienne ligne de chemin de fer Perray-Jouannet a été ouverte le 18 août 1884 et fut déclassée en 1954. D'une longueur de 26 km, elle était aussi appelée Ligne du Layon, car elle suivait ses méandres. Aujourd'hui, la partie située en Saint Aubin de Luigné et Thouarcé est aménagée en voie verte, sur 16 km.'

Beaulieu-Saint-Lambert Station
The steep sides of the northern side of the Layon
can be seen heading into the distance
The Clos des Treilles is part of this massif

We dropped in briefly to Domaine Belargus and saw Adrien Moreau, the wine-maker, and Franck. The 2021 harvest is tiny averaging around 10hl/ha but the quality is good both from the dry Chenin and the Quarts de Chaume with a potential alcohol of just over 23˚.

View eastwards from Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay
towards Rablay-sur-Layon

Time for a few autumn colour photos before heading back to Eastern Touraine.

Ivan Massonnat buys Domaine de Beauséjour (AOP Chinon) – a second ambitious wine project

2021-10-29T22:15:00.007+01:00

Ivan Massonnat

Domaine de Beauséjour, Panzoult
October 2010

On Friday 15th October 2021 Ivan Massonnat realised a vinous dream that predates his Belargus project in Anjou when he signed the contract to purchase Domaine de Beauséjour (Appellation Chinon) in Panzoult. The commune of Panzoult is in the eastern end of the Chinon appellation on the north side of the valley of the Vienne. Beauséjour is a handsome property on the road between Cravant-les-Coteaux and Panzoult. On the other side of Panzoult Baudry-Dutour, Chinon's largest estate, has their winery and offices.

Ivan, who has had a second home in the Chinon area for 15 years, had tried to buy Beauséjour in 2016 but the negotiations, which lasted nearly a year, were ultimately fruitless. Instead Ivan embarked on his Chenin Blanc adventure – Domaine Belargus in Anjou.

Beauséjour has been created by the Chauveau family, especially by Gérard Chauveau. His father Dr Jacques Chauveau bought a simple farm in 1951. However, it didn't become a domaine viticole until 1968 when Jacques' son Gérard, an architect and town planner, inherited the property. He planted the first vines the following year and then slowly built the estate up to its current size – 100 hectares in one continuous plot, which is certainly unusual in the Loire and elsewhere in many parts of France, where it is customary for farmers to have lots of different parcels of land. The estate now has 27 hectares of vines facing south across the valley of the Vienne, 50 hectares of forest and the rest as fields.

In 1995 David Chauveau, Gérard's son became responsible for wine-making and three years later in 1998 took over the running of Beauséjour with his mother Marie-Claude. In late February 2021 Gérard Chauveau died at 95. The family sought a buyer to continue the work of Gérard and contact with Ivan was resumed. Although there were apparently a number of interested parties, the Chauveaus chose to reach agreement with Ivan. They will continue to be involved with David Chauveau as co-manager and Marie-Claude has the right to stay in the family home for the rest of her life.

The purchase of Beauséjour will allow Ivan in two years' time to give up his high finance life in Paris where he is a partner in PAI Partners, a venture capital and private equity company, and become of full-time vigneron.

Ivan sees Beauséjour as a long-term project as he explains:

'Un projet global, un projet de vie.

Ce projet, son « Premier Amour », préfigure la reconversion d’Ivan dans le monde du vin.

Pour Ivan, tout est question d’équilibre ! Quand il aura tourné la page de sa « vie parisienne », il pourra ainsi se concentrer sur 2 projets complémentaires : Belargus et Beauséjour, le Chenin et le Cabernet Franc, les schistes et le calcaire, l’Anjou et la Touraine...

A Beauséjour, le chantier est immense : Ivan souhaite donc s’inscrire dans le temps (très) long. Les premières années seront uniquement consacrées à un travail de fond sur le vignoble et à sa conversion en bio.'

Domaine de Beauséjour, Panzoult
October 2010

In a nice piece of symmetry Ivan and his wife bought their Chinon maison secondaire from Madame Chauveau's niece...!

In the short time (since 2018) Ivan has been involved in Anjou Ivan has already made a considerable impression, Beauséjour looks to be another exciting project – this time red with Cabernet Franc balanced by Chenin Blanc in Anjou, although perhaps there might some day be space for some Chenin Blanc plantings on a clay-limestone slope at Panzoult...

Meanwhile in Anjou plans for a new Belargus winery are advancing.

Sancerre: autumn colours

2021-10-24T21:40:00.002+01:00

Les Monts Damnés from Chavignol

Slopes of Monts Damnés – Sancerre in mist in distance

Clos de la Poussie, Bué

We were in Sancerre last Wednesday and Thursday checking out the 2021 harvest, which has been finished for some time now. When you have a dry end of season the autumn colours in the Sancerre appellation can be magnificent. They certainly are this year after dry weather for much of September and October to date. Ironically June and July were wet causing problems with mildew. Many parts of Sancerre had already been hit by frost over two nights in early April: 6th/7th and 7th/8th. It is very unusual for Sancerre to be hit by frost. Usually when the neighbouring appellations of Menetou-Salon and Pouilly-Fumé are frosted Sancerre escapes. The last serious frost for many of the Sancerre producers was the infamous one on the night of the 21st/22nd 1991. Some producers have lost 80% of their crop.

For most producers picking started during the week of 20th September and finished early in October. Fortunately although the crop is small quality is good thanks to fine weather in September which meant that 2021 is better than many vigneron feared. The ferments I tasted were clean, precise with attractive fruit, while less concentrated and powerful with higher acidity than in recent vintages. As elsewhere in the region the 2021 wines will have a more typical Loire profile with greater freshness.

The main street of Bué with the dominant
Clos de la Poussie in the background

Clos de la Poussie – owned by Ladoucette
The Clos used to have serious erosion but a

change to grassing over the vineyard appears

to have made a big difference

View of Bué and its vineyards

Base of the Clos de la Poussie with tractors

Clos de la Poussie – building

Vines with town of Sancerre in background

Chavignol: the main street

Hotel Restaurant Famille Bourgeois on right

View from Domaine Jonathan and Didier Pabiot

above Les Loges, Pouilly-sur-Loire

towards Sancerre

Château de Menetou-Salon

Small town of Menetou-Salon

Clos Rougeard – can its iconic status be maintained?

2021-10-18T17:48:00.009+01:00

Extensive construction at Clos Rougeard 14th October 2021

Above and below

Last Thursday (14.10.21) we went across to Saumur to see how the 2021 vintage was coming along – overall the vignerons we saw said that it was better than they feared at the end of August as once again fine weather during September and well into October has made an important difference, especially the recent wind from the east which has concentrated the grapes. Unfortunately the April frosts and mildew have played their part.

Approaching Chacé (now in the commune of Bellevigne-les-Châteaux, which is a merger of former communes – Chacé, Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg and Brezé) from the direction of Champigny we could see a large crane. I instantly wondered whether this was a new construction at Clos Rougeard. So it proved.

Details of the construction work,
which involves partial demolition and renovation
of the old factory building
+ constructing a new building
at
14 Allée des Tilleuls
(above and below)

After Charly Foucault's death at the end of 2015, the iconic Clos Rougeard was sold in 2017 to Bouygues brothers, industrialists who run construction and telecommunications businesses. They are also the owners of Château Montrose in Saint-Estèphe. Under the new ownership, Clos Rougeard is now becoming more and more visible with the new winery and daily visiting hours (excluding Sunday), which raises the question over whether the domaine's iconic status will continue.

The old 'winery' Rue de l'Eglise, Chacé

Charly Foucault September 2011
checking the flow of destemmed Cabernet Franc

15 Rue de l'Eglise, Chacé: Nadi and Charly close to the
quai de reception for the grapes during the 2011 harvest

2011

2011: sorting table – Anne Vatan, Nady's wife in centre

Nady during 2010 vintage

The old cellar

The old cellar cut out of the tuffeau (limestone)
under 15 Rue de l'Eglise
The Foucaults continued to use barrels
when many Loire producers had moved
to concrete or stainless steel.

Coins stuck on the wall of the cellar

The tasting area

Questioning Rougeard's iconic status has nothing to do with the expertise of Richard and Jacques-Antoine, who now head up the domaine in the vines and winery, or the quality of the wines made under the new regime. Instead I'm asking how important its former invisibility was to the domaine's iconic status. Back in Charly and Nady's time, there was no sign for Clos Rougeard in their commune of Chacé. The mythical cellar and the chai at 15 Rue de l'Eglise in the centre of Chacé were well hidden. This invisibility along with the old cellar, the small production, the quality of the wines, the expertise and personalities of Charly and Nady all played their part in adding to the mystique of Clos Rougeard and creating its iconic status, with prices to match.

Clearly the purchase of the domaine by Martin and Olivier Bouygues meant that changes would happen. Indeed changes had already started to happen before Charly's death. I assume that the old cellar and quai de reception had become too cramped so, by the 2015 vintage, they had moved to an old factory building at the northern end of Chacé – 14 Allée des Tilleuls.

The Foucaults' new winery – 2015

Entrance to the winery

During the 2015 vintage

It will be interesting to see whether and how Clos Rougeard's greater visibility along with the lifting of the shroud of mystery that used to surround the domaine will change perceptions and its iconic status. How many changes can occur before iconic status is imperiled or an amended narrative comes necessary?

Whatever changes there are at Clos Rougeard there is little doubt that they will give Saumur-Champigny and Saumur greater visibility along with Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc.

Visiting hours: Monday to Saturday 9am – 12pm. 2pm-7pm

Address : 14 Allée des Tilleuls, 49400 Bellevigne-les-Châteaux
Phone : +33 (0)2 41 52 92 65

2021 Loire Vintage – Montlouis, Touraine, Bourgueil, St Nic and Chinon

2021-10-11T17:31:00.002+01:00

2021 Cabernet Franc

Last week I made a number of visits to producers to see how the 2021 Loire vintage was coming along. The start of the 2021 Loire harvest was a good couple of weeks later than the 2020 vintage, although not as late as 2013.

Tuesday 5th October – Xavier Weisskop (Montlouis and Touraine)
I cycled over to Dierre to see Xavier, who was quite upbeat:

"We started picking on Tuesday 21st September and finished with the Côt a week later on Tuesday 28th. Our frost protection worked well as did our treatments against mildew. There was a big pressure of mildew this year especially during June and July and we had to spray the vines 14 times, including four Sundays. Our average yield is about 40 hl/ha."

Wednesday 6th October – various Touraine producers in the Cher

Jean-François Mérieau (AOP Touraine)
For a number of years now Jean-François Mérieau has been based at Paul Buisse's old premises – Cave de la Boule Blanche – at the eastern end of Montrichard, while continuing to use the old winery across on the south side of the River Cher in Saint-Julien-de-Chedon. Paul Buisse retired in 2010 selling his business to Pierre Chainier. A few years later Chainier sold the premises to Jean-François. When I dropped in Jean-François was across at Saint-Julien but his wife Emilie was in the office.

Emilie Mérieau: "We started picking on Monday 27th September and have now finished the Côt, Gamay and Sauvignon Blanc. We will finish with the Cabernet Franc next week. Quality is good but we don't have a lot of grapes as we were hit by the April frosts and mildew. Yields vary depending on the grape variety – Côt is around 40hl/ha, while we have less Gamay – between 25/30 hl/ha. I can't give you a figure for our Sauvignon Blanc but it was affected by the frost and mildew."

Domaine Sauvète (AOP Touraine)

After Merieau I headed upstream along the north bank of the Cher to Monthou to Domaine Sauvète. I haven't been to see them for a few years – in part due to the Covid interruption – so I haven't seen their new functional winery and office. The old chai used to be opposite their house lower down the road. The domaine has long been organic and is now run Jérôme, Dominique and their daughter Mathilde.

Dominique and Mathilde Sauvète: "We started picking on Tuesday 21st September beginning with Sauvignon Blanc then Gamay and the Friday. We have now finished. Unfortunately we were hit to an extent by the frost in the first week of April but we do have 18 hectares protected by wind machines and other 1.5 hectares by frost pots, which limited our losses. Yields vary from variety to variety: Sauvignon Blanc is 25 hl/ha, Gamay 20-25 hl/ha, Pineau d'Aunis 10-15 hl/ha, while Côt, which resists frost better is between 30-40 hl/ha. The Sauvignon Blanc is only 15/20 hl/ha as second buds didn't develop after the frost. 2021 is a more typical Loire – plus ligérien ... plus typé Touraine – with fresh fruit and not too much colour for the reds with alcohol degrees ranging from 10.5-12.5%. We had to spray our vines 13 times to combat mildew – there was one week when we had to spray twice! We had some mildew on the leaves but not on the grapes."

Noella Morantin
From Monthou I rode through the vineyards before descending down the steep hill into the village of Thesée and back into the Cher Valley. I haven't visited Noella for a number of years and this was my first visit to her new premises in Thesée. Previously she was based in La Tesnière in the commune of Pouillé. Noella had just finished the harvest, so she and her team of pickers were celebrating, so I kept my visit short. Unfortunately she had been hit hard by the frost with those parcels affecting ranging from a loss of 60% to 80%, although some parcels were not frosted. Potential alcohols for the Sauvignon Blanc ranges from 11.5% to 13%. Noella has 8 hectares of vines all across on the south side of the Cher in Pouillé. She has recently bought the last of Junko's parcels – Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Further harvest reports to follow including Bourgueil, St Nicolas de Bourgueil and Chinon.

2021 in Muscadet Sèvre et Maine

2021-10-04T20:22:00.006+01:00

Melon de Bourgogne @Domaine Luneau-Papin

Hod carrier@ Domaine Luneau-Papin

Last Thursday (29th September) we headed to the Pays Nantais to visit a few vigneron in Muscaxdet Sèvre-et-Maine to see how the 2021 vintage is coming along. There is no doubt that overall that 2021 is a small harvest. However, there are considerable variations between producers and vineyard sites. Some unfortunate producers like Fred Niger (Domaine de l'Ecu) have made virtually nothing. Others in privileged sites have harvested up to 45 hl/ha. It depends on which sites escaped the succession of April frosts, the various hail storms and what grapes producers had left weren’t devoured by mildew.

Domaine Luneau-Papin

Pierre-Marie Luneau: "We are on the last lap – we'll finish on Monday. We started on 16th September. Overall the yield is small – around 15 hl/ha but it is very variable. La Butte de la Roche wasn't frosted so we got between 20-35 hl/ha. In contrast in other sites you have to really search to find any grapes. In our most affected parcel we got only 6 hl/ha. This year we have a much smaller team of pickers – just 17 whereas other years we have had a team of 60-70, so 2021 has been much more relaxed. Due to the recent fine weather the quality of the grapes that we do have is good with potential alcohols varying from 11.7 - 12.5. " e e

2021 Melon de Bourgogne (above and below)

Pierre-Marie Luneau in the vineyard

Grapes arriving @the winery

New eggs

Domaine de l'Ecu

The cathedral of l'Ecu viewed from the south

The cathedral of l'Ecu viewed from the east

I made a quick visit to the Cathedral of Ecu (aka Domaine de l'Ecu). Early Setember 2019 was the last time I was in the commune of Le Landreau. The cathedral was then in construction. It is a magnificent winery but unfortunately Fred Niger has been very badly hit this year by a vicious combination of 11successive nights of April frosts, hail in June and mildew. The sad result is that he is only getting 5 hl/ha.

Fred Niger: "This has been an annus horribilis plus!!

Hopefully nature will be kinder next year.

Le Patron taking his ease

The crypt of l'Ecu (above and below)

Fred Niger in his crypt –

la messe 7/7 jours...

Bonnet-Huteau

Jean-Jacques Bonnet: "My brother Rémi has retired, so I am now in partnership with Vincent Pineau. With the exception of our Cabernet and Côt, which is not yet ripe, we will finish the harvest tomorrow (Friday). It has lasted 14 days. Our yields have been very variable: on the Butte de la Roche, which wasn't frosted, the yield is 50 hl/ha. Our lowest yield is 10 hl/ha, while overall it is averaging out between 25/30 hl/ha. The frost in 2017 was worse for us because we now have some parcels with frost protection. Through the partnership with Vincent, we are fortunate in having vines in a number of different communes so the risks are spread. We are happy with the quality. The potential alcohols are between 11.5 and 12.5 with acidity between 4.5 and 5.5.

Lieubeau

Vincent and François Lieubeau: "2021 is better than we feared. We started picking on 16th September beginning with the young vines that were protected against the frost. Potential range between 11.5 to 12.2/12.3.

We have nearly finished – all the parcels that we pick by hand were finished on Tuesday night. For those parcels where we have frost protection we have a yield of 45 hl/ha. Our lowest yield for Melon de Bourgogne is 10 hl/ha with between 25/30 hl/ha for other grape varieties. We will be installing more anti-frost measures – it is the way forward."

Processing Grolleau

Finally back in the Loire + 2021 vendange

2021-10-01T20:40:00.004+01:00

Part of Epeigné including the Mairie taken from top of l'Eglise

A little after 18.30 on Monday 27th September 2021 we came back to France, La Loire and Epeigné-les-Bois for the first time since 9th July 2020. This is our longest spell away from France for over 40 years. It is great to be back – great to be away from England, which has become an increasingly sad and insane country. Good to come to a country where buying petrol isn't a problem and the shelves in the shops are full.

Our spell away was due to the second COVID lockdown. Thanks to be being double vaccinated we can come back even though the daily UK infection rate remains worryingly high with no-one in 'Government' appearing to care. Good to see here that wearing a mask in shops etc appears to be universal unlike England where the government has said you do as you wish so many people don't bother to wear a mask in confined spaces.

We nearly didn't get here as with the petrol supply crisis we only had 60 miles of petrol in our car and we needed 65 to get to the tunnel. Fortunately we have a hybrid motor so we got to the tunnel and through to France OK but it was nail-bitingly close!

Sorting Pineau d'Aunis @Domaine Vincent Roussely

Pineau d'Aunis

The 2021 harvest is now well underway in many parts of the Loire, so now seems a good time to resurrect Jim's Loire after its long COVID confinement... As throughout almost all of France 2021 in the Loire is a very small harvest overall but it appears that there are wide variations – some parcels that weren't hit by the April frosts or hail in the early summer or not badly affected by mildew have produced normal quantities of around 45 hl/ha. Other less fortunate plots have virtually no grapes or just 4 or 5 hl/ha.

On Tuesday afternoon I cycled over to Angé to see how Vincent Roussely's 2021 harvest was going. Given the context of 2021 Vincent is reasonably happy. He started picked at the end of the week beginning 13th September. Yields vary between 18 - 25 hl/ha with potential alcohols ranging from 12.2 to 12.3. Vincent has now picked most of his grapes – Sauvignon Blanc, Arbois, Gamay, Pineau d'Aunis, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. He is now waiting for his Côt to ripen. Vincent stressed that although the quality is good, the grapes are quite fragile, so it was important to pick while the weather has been good.

Vincent thinks 2021 will be ready to drink young with an accent on the fruit with greater freshness than some recent vintages like 2018 – more typically Loire. He won't be making his more long lasting wines that require more concentration.

The weather forecast at the beginning of October is not favourable with some heavy rain forecast for this weekend.

Gamay

Legendary Jacques Puisais dies at 93

2020-12-07T18:10:00.046+00:00


Jacques Puisais with Ivan Massonnat and Jo Pithon (Belargus) 30th March 2019 @ Vincent le Cuisinier with the 1961 le haut Lieu demi-sec

Jacques Puisais (born: 8th June 1927 Poitiers

died 6th December 2020 Chinon)

« bien manger et du bien boire »

Very sad news that Jacques Puisais, a Loire and French legend, died aged 93 in Chinon's Hospital on Sunday (6th December 2020) of Covid-19 – another victim of this horrible pandemic.

Jacques was a biologist, oenologue, a philosopher and a teacher. He was a major figure in the Loire for many reasons – as an innovative wine-maker he pioneered the use of pigeage (punching down). He played a significant part in improving the quality of Loire wines in part through developing in 1960 a way of identifying even a small percentage hybrid grapes in a wine. Thus helping to reinforce the quality of appellation wines by eliminating those that illegally contained hybrid grapes.

Jacques was a great believer in and teacher of how to eat and drink well. In 1976 he founded the l'Institut Français du Goût at Tours and Paris. An important part of his work was to show children the importance of food and how to eat well – 'le goût juste'.

Jacques was a passionate lover and supporter of Touraine and of Loire wines, especially Chenin Blancs.

•

Indre-et-Loire : Jacques Puisais l'épicurien est décédé
'Le chantre du goût et du bien-manger s’est éteint des suites du Covid-19, dimanche au centre hospitalier du Chinonais, à l’âge de 93 ans. Il a été, avec Alfred Mame, l’un des pères de l’Institut du goût.

Chaque repas est un moment que vous ne retrouverez jamais. Les mots distillés dans un sourire malicieux sont lâchés à l’ombre de son jardin de Chinon où il aimait recevoir. Ils sont signés Jacques Puisais, alors « trésor vivant » de la gastronomie française.'

Read the rest here.

Part of Périco Légasse's tribute, La Nouvelle République:

'C’est cela qu’il lui a appris, à Périco Légasse, au-delà de la science indispensable ou de la connaissance, au-delà des valeurs mêmes : « Il m’a inculqué le “ goût juste ”… Et puis ce culte de la Touraine ! » Pour Jacques Puisais, elle était « la synthèse de l’âme française, le résumé du paradis français ». Pour lui, « la cité idéale de la gastronomie, c’était Chinon, car c’est là que Rabelais était né ».'

More details of Jacques Puisais' life and work:

Wikipedia (English)

Wikipedia (French)

••

Over the years I had the privilege and pleasure of meeting Jacques on a number of occasions. He was a charming, erudite man and a great enthusiast. There was no side to Jacques – no big head, although he had every reason to be proud of his achievements.

The last time I saw Jacques was entirely serendipitously. It was on the 30th March 2019 at Vincent le Cuisinier in Ingrandes de Touraine when Jacques was 91. CRM and I were at Vincent and Olivia's wonderful restaurant to share over lunch a couple of Jo Pithon's wines including the 2005 Clos des Treilles (Anjou Blanc) with Jo and Ivan Massonnat, who had bought Pithon-Paillé the previous year which now forms part of his Domaine Belargus.

I had also brought along the 1961 Le Haut Lieu demi-sec from Domaine Huet for our apéro. Entirely by chance Jacques was also lunching with Vincent with Périco Légrasse that day. I offered him a glass. It turned out that Jacques had made this 1961 for Gaston Huet. I had no idea that he had made wine for Gaston. Jacques was on good form – a wonderfully alert 91 years young! A lovely memory now tinged with sadness.

Ivan Massonnat's reponse to Jacques' death:

'Merci Jim pour cette triste nouvelle... (à peine) compensée par ce magnifique souvenir. Je me souviens de ce 61 comme si c'était hier...

La Loire vient de perdre un de ses plus grands ambassadeurs.'

Jacques Puisais @Journées du Livre et du Vin1.5. 2011
Tasting and commenting on a 1976 Domaine de la Noiraie (Bourgueil)

Here are two other instances of various times when I met Jacques:

Journées du Livre et du Vin 2011.

In March 2010 there was a vertical tasting of Bourgueil from 1959 to 1999 at L'Hotel de Ville in the centre of Tours commented on by Jacques and Périco Légrasse. See here.

Great day for a bike ride and other reflections......

2020-09-14T18:24:00.003+01:00

London: view towards Canary Wharf

Today has been a lovely mid-September's late summer's day with temperatures around 27˚C perfect for a bike ride, especially as this is the second rest day in the Tour de France so no need to rush back to catch the live action.

The slopes of the North Downs are the closest open countryside to London's Forest Hill. Here there are plenty of lanes to explore – some quite narrow and requiring care as this close to London there are a good number of cars on them as well. It is noticeable that with Covid-19 there has been a big increase in the number of cyclists of all abilities and sizes out of their bikes.

The Col du Skelly, Beddlestead Lane, Warlingham

Photo by Malc McDonald

A memorial to a local cyclist, Paul Skelly,
who died suddenly in 2016 aged 53.

The Downs are chalk hills that typically have a scarp slope and a more gentle dip slope. In the case of the North Downs the dip slope faces London providing a steady and fairly gentle climb up to the ridge that overlooks the Kent and Surrey countryside. After a narrow and steep descent down Hesiers Lane, the Col du Skelly (Beddlestead Lane) is a fairly steady climb of 3.16 kms at an average of 4% with a height gain of 120 metres that takes you to the ridge at the top of the North Downs dip slope. Carrying on into Kent and Surrey will take you down the steep inclines of the scarp slope. Here are found plenty of steep challenging climbs – some with up to 20% gradients and more, which will test even fit young cyclists.

It was back in the late 1970s and 1980s that I rode and managed these hills on a conventional bike now I enjoy riding up them on my electric bike, which still allows you to work hard but without expiring at the roadside.

These are short, sharp hills more akin to the famous climbs in Belgium that are a feature of the Spring Classics, such as the Tour of Flanders. Certainly nothing like the long Alpine climbs that face the remaining riders in the 2020 Tour de France this week – assuming that the race continues after all the riders and staff are tested for Covid-19 over the rest day.

Leaving aside the racing, which has been exciting this year, the Tour de France is a great advert for the beauty of the very varied French countryside – all the more so now with high definition TV pictures compared to the grainy but atmospheric black and white of the early days of television and the time of news reels. The length of stage races also allows commentators to talk about the food and wine of the regions the race passes through. Wine wise journalist and author François Thomazeau is to date the most impressive and knowledgeable without being precious or pompous. A few nameless others broadcast their ignorance and prejudices with gusto.

Along with travel guides and crime novels often set in Marseille, Thomazeau also compiles the official guide to the sights along the route of the Tour that briefs commentators allowing them to talk knowledgeably about places of interest – châteaux, churches etc. Thomazeau can be heard on the excellent daily Cycling Podcast along with Richard Moore and Lionel Birnie.

It won't be long before we know whether Slovenia will have its first Tour de France winner and whether Irishman Sam Bennett will dethrone Peter Sagan as King of the Green Points Jersey.

Here complete list of the Tour de France stage winners from the first edition in 1903 to the present day.

Remembering Frédéric Mabileau

2020-09-07T18:17:00.003+01:00

Fred @ RSJ Restaurant 2010

A week after Fred died in a ULM crash at Saumur Airport on 31st August I still haven't come to terms with his sudden and shocking death. An article (Décès de Frédéric Mabileau : la défaillance technique écartée) in La Nouvelle République (4.9.2020) says that a mechanical fault in the ULM, which Fred was apparently in the process of buying has been ruled out. This after an autopsy in Angers the NR says leaves two possibilities either that Fred was suddenly taken ill or he lost control of the ULM. Although the ULM caught fire once it had crashed he was apparently already dead before the fire broken out – a small consolation that he did not burn to death.

Fred's funeral will be held on Wednesday 9th September in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil at 10 am. Due to Covid-19 there are currently restrictions on the number of people who can attend a funeral.

Here are some photos of Fred taken over a number of years, which recall much happier times.

Fred (centre) @ the RSJ Restaurant
celebrating it 25th anniversary in 2005
Also present left to right: Noël Pinguet (Huet),
Thomas Meunier (i/c commerce for Fred),
Nigel Wilkinson (proprietor RSJ), Christine and Eric Nicolas
(Domaine de Bellivière, Jasnières)

2008: Fred and Thomas with first vintage of the
still fermenting Saumur Blanc from Le Puy Notre Dame

Below: Fred with the 2008 Saumur

2008: Fred and Thomas with Sarah Ahmed
(The Wine Detective)

Tasting with Fred @ Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil

Fred as hod carrier 3.10.2009
1er tri du Chenin Le Puy Notre Dame

Below Fred emptying his hod

Fred, a glass of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil and Bacchus

2013 vintage Fred in his winery with
Chris Kissack (The Wine Doctor)

Frédéric Mabileau with his new foudre
taken during the 2018 harvest

Frédéric Mabileau: killed in a micro-lite plane crash – terrible news!

2020-09-01T18:43:00.004+01:00

Frédéric Mabileau during the 2018 vintage
with his prized new foudre

Frédéric Mabileau, one of the most talented Loire producers and a star of Saint-Nicolas-de Bourgueil and Bourgueil not forgetting his Saumur Blanc, was killed in a micro-lite (ULM) crash yesterday. The crash apparently occurred at take-off from Saumur Airport. Fred was 53 years old.

This is horrible and shocking news. I have known Fred for 30 years and watched and admired his progress and talent.

Our thoughts and condolences are with Nathalie, his wife, and all the family.

•••

Saumur. Le pilote tué dans l’accident d’ULM est un viticulteur renommé dans la région

Frédéric Mabileau était vigneron à Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. Les circonstances du crash de son autogire, lundi 31 août, demeurent inconnues. L’enquête a été confiée au parquet de Saumur.

Report from Ouest-France.

Indre-et-Loire : un viticulteur du Bourgueillois se tue dans un accident d'ULM

La Nouvelle République

2020 Muscadet harvest officially starts tomorrow

2020-08-25T10:19:00.003+01:00

From the 2018 vintage @Domaine Luneau-Papin
They start tomorrow

The 2020 Muscadet harvest officially starts tomorrow. The start is very early but not, however, the earliest in recent times as the official start in 2003 was 19th August, the 24th in 2011 and 25th in 1989.

Unfortunately for a number of reasons I am going to miss the start of the Loire harvest this year but hope to get out to the Loire in mid-September, although we may have to quarantine for 14 days if France imposes restrictions. The 2020 harvest looks promising both in quality and quantity, which should help producers hit by frost in 2017 and 2019.

Bonnes Vendanges à tous

Communiqué from Fédération Vins de Nantes (25.8.2020)

MUSCADET : le ban des vendanges, historiquement précoce, prononcé le mercredi 26 août 2020

La Fédération des Vins de Nantes (1), propose à l’Institut National des Appellations d’Origine, le ban des Vendanges du Muscadet qui devrait être prononcé par arrêté préfectoral le mercredi 26 août 2020. La récolte s’annonce de bonne qualité avec des volumes satisfaisants et une précocité exceptionnelle.

Suite aux contrôles de maturité, coordonnés par la Fédération, qui servent d’indicateurs sur l’équilibre entre le sucre et l’acidité du raisin et évaluent l’état sanitaire du vignoble, la récolte des premières grappes de melon de Bourgogne sera autorisée, par arrêté préfectoral, pour les vins d’AOC Muscadet à partir du mercredi 26 août 2020.

Le millésime se caractérise par son exceptionnelle précocité (une des années record depuis 40 ans avec 1989, 2003 et 2011) liée à un printemps chaud et sec. Le début de l’été marqué par des épisodes très chauds, suivi par des précipitations orageuses d’août, a optimisé la maturité avec des bons équilibres sucre/acidité et des volumes qui vont permettre d’approcher les rendements des cahiers des charges d’appellation, minimisés par quelques pertes liées aux journées caniculaires.

Selon Christian Gauthier, Président de la Fédération des Vins de Nantes, « Cette récolte marquera les esprits des vignerons. Nous avons évité de peu un gel de printemps, vécu comme tous, une période d’épidémie traumatisante puis retrouvé espoir avec une saison estivale très encourageante pour la vigne et le commerce. Les précipitations orageuses ont été les bienvenues mais demandent une extrême vigilance des vignerons pour vendanger sereinement au bon moment afin d’optimiser le potentiel qualitatif. » En effet, la météo variable des derniers jours rend instable les évolutions de maturité entre acidité et degré et nécessite une attention particulière sur l’état sanitaire des grappes bien contenu jusque-là.

Le Président se veut rassurant : « Les maturités peuvent être un peu hétérogènes selon les secteurs jusque dans les parcelles mais il faut faire confiance au talent des vignerons pour gérer ces aléas à la vigne et en cave. » D’un point de vue économique : « Cette récolte va permettre d’alimenter notre marché (environ 300 000 HL) qui repart bien suite à la saison touristique. Elle va aussi favoriser la reconstitution de nos stocks, impactés par les gels de 2017 et 2019, avec du Volume Complémentaire Individuel (2). Souhaitons que 2020 marque les esprits comme un millésime exceptionnel - à l’instar des grandes années précoces (1989 ou 2003) - que comme celui de l’année du COVID-19 qui a affecté économiquement toute notre filière. »

Les vendanges en Muscadet, qui sonnent le départ dans tout le bassin du Val Loire, devraient s’étirer sur 3 semaines en fonction des terroirs.

FEDERATION DES VINS DE NANTES
13 château de la Frémoire – 44 120 VERTOU Tél. 02 40 80 14 90 – Fax. 02 40 80 30 04

Auvergne (cont): Domaine Miolanne

2020-08-09T11:12:00.002+01:00

Vineyards and the wooden winery @Domaine Miolanne

We made a morning visit to Domaine Miolanne on our second and last full day in the Côtes d'Auvergne. The evening before in a bistro/wine bar in nearby Champeix we had drunk their sparkling – Bulles de Miolanne Brut – for our apéro and found the dosage too high for our taste, so I had a slight reservation before our visit. Happily this was put to rest during our visit.

Domaine Miolanne was established in 2012 by Laure Cartier and Jean-Baptiste Deroche. Laure comes from a family of vignerons – Mas de Gourgonnier in Les Baux de Provence, while Jean-Baptiste is an oenologue. Since 1990 there had been a five-hectare domaine here. Miolanne now extends over 17 hectares with 10 hectares of vines and five of cereals. Laure and Jean-Baptiste immediately started converting their domaine to organic viticulture achieving certification in 2016. In 2014 built their wooden chai, which includes a tasting area and a wine bar, which is open during the summer.

Laure Cartier

The domaine, which is at around 450 metres, which means that there is a considerable range of summer temperature between the day and night, which helps to keep acidity in the grapes. There is a range of volcanic soils: lava, basalt and pumice as well as clay-limestone. Their oldest vines date from 1940. Unfortunately they were hit by frost in 2017 – their vineyards are relatively flat. Then by drought last year leading to a loss of 65% of a normal crop. In the generous 2018 vintage they produced 50,000 bottles, while in 2019 just 20,000.

Lying in the rain shadow of Le Mont Dore and Le Puy de Sancy the average rainfall is here is 450 mm. Overall this part of the Auvergne has less rain than other areas of the Loire. For example the weather station at Clermont Ferrand recorded an average rainfall of 578 mm between 1981 and 2010 this compares with an average of 695.6 mm at Tours.

Miolanne has a range of of grape varieties: 3.5 hectares each of Gamay and Pinot Noir, a hectare of Chardonnay, 0.5 ha each of Gewurztraminer, Pinot Gris and Syrah. With Laure we had a quick tour of the vines as well as a disused quarry close to one of their vineyards.

The disused quarry
(above and below)

Unfortunately hail storms are a regular threat here and part of Miolanne has hail netting protection covering a plot of young vines. The netting, which is approved by the INAO, can be lifted for the harvest, it does slow grape maturity slightly by two or three days says Laure. It is no surprise that it is expensive: 15,000 € per hectare.

Netting providing protection against hail

Tasting

2019 D–Miolanne VDF
This is an unusual blend of Chardonnay and Gewurztraminer plus a little Pinot Gris, which is fermented and aged in barrel. From vines ob pumice it has citric aromas, attractive texture and floral notes.

2019 Volcane Rosé, Côtes d'Auvergne
An equal blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir and a pale pink, this is another successful rosé from the Auvergne – well balanced attractive red fruits and a fresh finish with some saline notes.

2019 Volcane Rouge, Côtes d'Auvergne
Also an equal blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir, this is very much a juicy, easy drinking vin des copains with some smoky notes.

2019 Basalt éphmère
100% Gamay and vinified by carbonic maceration resulting in sweet ripe quite concentrated black fruits with a slight bitterness in the finish that adds interest.

Hors Piste, PetNat, VDF
Made from 100% Gamay and vinified this crisp, lemony, extra brut PetNat was to my taste much more exciting and enjoyable than the Bulles de Miloanne that we had drunk the previous evening.

••

Domaine Miolanne is another domaine which underlines that the Côtes d'Auvergne and the other appellations of Upper Loire are well worth exploring.

Côtes d’Auvergne: Discovering Desprat Saint-Verny with Léa (Part 2 – pm)

2020-07-26T15:24:00.000+01:00

Léa Desprat

At the end of June I wrote about our morning getting to know Desprat Saint-Verny with Léa Desprat, now it is time to cover the afternoon activities. However, before I do a mention of an enjoyable lunch at Hostellerie Le Petit Bonneval at 63170 Pérignat lès Sarliève a little to the south of Clermont Ferrand. The dining room is comfortable and spacious with the possibility of eating outside in good weather. Our lunchtime menu was 27€ for three courses.

Lunch @ Hostellerie Le Petit Bonneval
a little to the south of Clermont Ferrand

First course: cured salmon
Our best course

Gilles Vidal and basalt

Gilles Vidal, vigneron and president of the Syndicat AOC des Côtes d'Auvergne

Gilles with a lump of basalt

After lunch we met Gilles Vidal, an associate with Desprat Saint-Verny, in his steeply sloping vineyard at St Georges sur Allier to see a vineyard planted on basalt. Gilles has a layer of clay-limestone above basalt. He explained that Pinot Noir from vines planted on basalt tends to be less peppery than when planted on other volcanic soils. St Georges sur Allier is around 15 kilometres to the south east of Clermont Ferrand, so there is significant pressure on vineyards continuing because of the lucrative demand for land for housing.

Gilles talked about the renaissance of the Côtes d'Auvergne that had started in the 1970s when production was transformed from vin de soif when water would be added to marc (grape residue after fermentation) to make more thin wine to quality wine. Noble grape varieties were planted, yields cut and new equipment purchased. Under AOC Côtes d'Auvergne is maximum is 55 hl/ha and 52 hl/ha for the crus.

Cave de Saint-Verny, Veyre-Monton

After our visit with Gilles Vidal we headed to Veyre-Monton and the Cave de Saint– Verny's winery and shop. The winery has an impressive array of stainless steel, some refurbished old concrete tanks and a new barrel cellar with volcanic overtones. To date there are no fashionable concrete eggs or amphores – something for the future?

Following visiting the winery we had a pretty comprehensive tasting of the extensive range of the Desprat Saint-Verny wines. Overall the range was impressive, which is crucial as Saint-Verny accounts for around 50% of the production of Côte d'Auvergne. If the Saint-Verny range was poor it would really be an uphill task to improve the region's image. There were no poor wines here.

Here are some highlights:

2018 Le Tracteur Bleu, AOC

Le Tracteur Bleu (100% Gamay) is the entry level red and it does exactly what it is supposed to do – a juicy, soft easy drinking red in short a vin des copains.

2017 Les Coutayres (Pinot Gris),
IGP Puy de Dôme

Les Coutayres is a well made, lightly perfumed, quite rich Pinot Gris coming from various parcels.

2019 809 Chardonnay Muscaté, AOC

One of three good Chardonnays we tasted. The 809 has rich concentration and texture with a saline finish.

2019 Corent – La Chambre de Léa AC
(80% Gamay 20% Pinot Noir)

This was yet another good example from Corent – Auvergne cru exclusive for rosé. We were very impressed with the Corents we tasted during our trip and this has been confirmed by subsequently drinking those we bought while in the Auvergne. Direct press giving onion skin this Corent has interest and complexity making it more than just a pleasant rosé for an apéro, so a wine for grilled fish for instance.

2017 348 Gamay, AOC

The 348 Gamay has more concentration and length than Tracteur Bleu but so it should as it is about twice the price. To drink now or keep for another year or so.

2017 La Légendaire, Côtes d'Auvergne

La Légendaire is Saint-Verny's icon wine range. These wines spend six months aging in a buron in Cantal at 1200 metres. The red Légendaire is an equal blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir, which spends 12 moths in barrique before its six month sojourn high up in Cantal. This is an impressive red that can be enjoyed now but may well yet improve further – sweet ripe fruit, slightly smoky aromas and a long finish.

Pierre Desprat and his daughter Léa

Jean Candiago is Epeigné-les-Bois' new Maire

2020-07-04T11:03:00.000+01:00

Jean Candiago with his wife Véronique

Following last Sunday's 2nd Round of the Municipal Elections the first meeting of Epeigné-les-Bois new Conseil Municipal was held last evening. Jean Candiago was elected Maire, Michèle Prieur as 1st Deputy Maire, Claire Dupré as 2nd Deputy Maire and Michel Caraty as 3rd Deputy Maire.

Conseillers: Frédéric Chevalier, Stéphanie Maghissene, Fabienne Somméria, Francis Benoît, Amélie Boguet, Viviane Fève and Ludovic Guillon.

Announcement following meeting (3.7.2020)

Jean Candiago replaces Christian Percevault, who has been Maire since 2014.

I hope the new Conseil can heal the divisions that have sadly divided Epeigné for too many years.

Christian Percevault @VE ceremony
8th May 2020

Epeigné-les-Bois: result of 2nd Round of election for new Conseil – Sunday 28th June 2020

2020-06-28T20:41:00.001+01:00

Result of the 2nd Round of the municipal elections @Epeigné-les-Bois:

Ludovic Guillon: 102 votes (56.04%) elected

Dominique Hisbergue 80 votes (43.96%)

58.65% of the electorate voted. 0.55% of votes were declared invalid. This compares to 62.18% voted on 1st Round with 2.06% invalid votes. Although the number voting in the second round is a little lower than in the 1st Round, it is far above the national participation that was just 34.67%, so an encouraging level of participation in Epeigné-les-Bois.

Result of election@Sale des Fêtes

Composition of new Conseil:

Frédéric Chevalier

Claire Dupré

Jean Candiago

Stéphane Maghissene

Fabienne Somméria

Michel Caraty

Francis Benoît

Amélie Boguet

Viviane Fève

Michèle Prieur

Ludovic Guillon

Update 2nd July 2020

The first meeting of the new Conseil will be tomorrow (3rd July 2020) at 19.30. The agenda will include the election of the new Maire and deputies along with various other roles and posts.

Fabrice Gasnier est le nouveau Président du Syndicat des Vins de Chinon

2020-06-28T14:21:00.002+01:00

Press release on the appointment of Fabrice Gasnier as the new president of the Syndicat des Vins de Chinon following the end of Francis Jourdan's three year term.

'Elu par les 27 personnes siégeant au Conseil d'Administration du Syndicat des Vins de Chinon, Fabrice Gasnier remplace désormais Francis Jourdan qui a dirigé l'AOC de 2017 à juin 2020. Fabrice Gasnier se met donc au service du collectif pour un mandat de 3 ans. Il peut s’appuyer sur un bureau renouvelé pour partie, composé de Sébastien du Petit Thouars (Château du Petit Thouars) et Jean-Martin Dutour (Domaine Baudry-Dutour) comme vice-présidents, Rodolphe Raffault (Domaine Jean-Maurice Raffault) trésorier et Béatrice Lambert (Domaine Béatrice et Pascal Lambert) secrétaire, ainsi que sur les 5 présidents de secteurs de l’appellation.

Vigneron, Fabrice Gasnier -50 ans- pratique la viticulture biodynamique certifiée depuis 2008, sur les 30 hectares du domaine familial situé sur la commune de Cravant les Coteaux. Fondateur de la Cuma de Cravant, il a une bonne expérience du collectif avec la mise en place de systèmes de protection commun des vignes contre le gel.

Elu pour représenter les 170 vignerons de Chinon, il aura pour mission la promotion de l’appellation et la garantie de l’authenticité des vins de Chinon. Les enjeux de demain sont nombreux, particulièrement tournés vers la transition écologique de la production et les actions à mener dans le cadre du changement climatique ; le commerce, le développement de l’export et la gestion des stocks vont aussi être l’objet de son attention. Il défend déjà avec ardeur « l’esprit de Chinon », c'est-à-dire l’image culturelle de nos vins, attachée à l’humanisme de Rabelais et au patrimoine qui font la singularité du positionnement de l’AOC Chinon. Fabrice Gasnier confie : « La marque « Chinon » nous donne à tous beaucoup, c’est un juste retour que je lui consacre aussi de mon temps ». Une mission cependant conséquente lorsqu’on sait que Chinon est la plus importante appellation de vins rouge de Loire – environ 13 millions de bouteilles produites chaque année- qui s’étend sur 26 communes.'

Francis Jourdan, the previous president

Sunday 28th June 2020: Epeigné-les-Bois – 2nd Round elections.....

2020-06-27T09:52:00.003+01:00

Mairie @Epeigné-les-Bois

Covid-19 voting precautions:

Instructions include: all voters must wear masks, clean hands entering and exiting the Salle des Fêtes and no more than three voters inside at any one time.

More than three months after the 1st Round of the municipal elections (Sunday 15th March), the 2nd Round will be held this Sunday. The 2nd Round had originally been scheduled for Sunday 22nd March but was postponed due to Covid-19.

Following the 1st Round 10 new councilors for the 11 seats on Epeigné's Conseil were elected. Two candidates – Ludovic Guillon (49.47%) and Dominique Hisbergue (49.47%) narrowly missed getting the magic 50%. Both tied on 49.47% with 94 votes each. They are the two candidates this Sunday. Votes can be cast between 8am and 6pm.

Election billboards @Mairie

Ludovic Guillon

Dominique Hisbergue

Whatever the result of Sunday's vote it will be good to have a conseil with a new mandate. The old conseil held its final meeting last evening.

Details of the 1st Round vote:

62,18 % des citoyens d'Épeigné-les-Bois sont allés voter à l'occasion de ce 1er tour des municipales. Ce chiffre était de 73,31 % en 2014 (soit une baisse de -11,13 points). D'autre part, 2,06 % des suffrages n'ont pas été admis car estimés invalides.

Élections Résultat élection municipale 2020 Épeigné-les-Bois

Discovering Desprat Saint-Verny with Léa (Part 1 – morning)

2020-06-26T21:24:00.003+01:00

Léa Desprat

Desprat Saint-Verny winery & shop
2 Route d'Issoire, 63960 Veyre-Monton

On our first full day in the Côtes d'Auvergne we spent the day with Léa Desprat, daughter of Pierre Desprat who is managing director of Desprat Saint-Verny.

The Desprat Vins company was founded in 1885 in Aurillac. Pierre has run this wholesale wine company since 1984. In 2017 Desprat Vins merged with the Auvergne co-operative Saint-Verny, which was founded in 1950 and has been owned since 1991, following the co-op getting into financial problems, by Limagrain, a seed specialist company. This brought the largest distributor of Auvergne wines with the largest Auvergne producer into partnership. Léa along with her sister Lucie are the fifth generation of the Desprat family to be involved in the company.

Saint-Verny now has 62 associate grape growers with around 170 hectares of vines and vinifies 8000 hectolitres producing one million bottles of wine (Côtes d'Auvergne and IGP Puy de Dôme) a year. The aim is to keep yields down to 45 hl/ha. In total the Auvergne wine region has around 400 hectares in production – 267 ha as appellation Côtes d'Auvergne, 71 hectares as IGP Puy de Dôme and 50 hectares as Vin de France. This makes Desprat Saint-Verny as by far the largest producer in the Auvergne accounting for just under half of the total vineyards in production.

Pierre Desprat

The small town of Châteaugay

about 10 kms north of Clermont-Ferrand

Our day with Léa started at the Domaine de la Croix Arpin at Châteaugay owned by Pierre Goigoux, who is good friends with Pierre Desprat. Pierre created his domaine in 1989 and now has 18 hectares of vines mainly in two of the Auvergne crus - Châteaugay (total area: 64ha with vines between 300 and 500 metres altitude) and Chanturgue (6ha) which is in Clérmont-Ferrand. Both crus are for red wine only, so whites (Chardonnay) and rosés (Gamay/Pinot Noir) produced here are plain Côtes d'Auvergne. We also met Etienne Rachez, who used to be the wine-maker for Saint-Verny. He is now in partnership with Pierre making a range of wines called Héritage Volcanic from purchased grapes coming from 10ha of widely scattered plots both north and south of Clermont-Ferrand.

After the introductions we headed out to one of Pierre's vineyards close to Châteaugay town to have a look at the type of volcanic soil here and, in particular, the pépérites, which are described as 'volcanic truffles'.

Pierre showing us some pépérits

Etienne pointing out the volcanic strata

Close up of volcanic rocks

Pierre: "Here we are in a rain shadow formed by the chain of volcanoes to the west. We have less than 600mm of rain a year, which is similar to Nice or to Alsace. This means that mildew is much less of a threat here than it is in other parts of the Loire. There has been a big change in the image of organic viticulture over the past few years. Eight years ago or so I wouldn't have considered going organic – I was certified Terra Vitis. Last year, however, I started the conversion to become organic and I think it won't be long before all vineyards are organic."

Pierre's vineyards are dominated by the

iconic Puy de Dôme, the highest of the volcanoes, to the west

Looking east across the plain of the River Allier

to the faint smudge of the hills of

the Parc Naturel Régional Livradois-Forez

2020 grapes already well

in advance

(18th June - above and below)

Gnarled old vine

Tasting:

We tasted wines from both Pierre's Domaine de la Croix Arpin and Etienne's Héritage Volcanic range. Here is a selection:

Domaine de la Croix Arpin:

2018 La Fondeuse Blanc, Côtes d'Auvergne

Pierre describes his La Fondeuse as a Chardonnay in a 'Burgundian style'. This cuvée from selected parcels is vinified and aged in barrel for 12 months and naturally the 2018 has a touch of wood. It is richly textured, concentrated and may well develop further in bottle.

2018 Les Amandiers, Côtes d'Auvergne Châteaugay

From a parcel of vines with almond trees around the edge of the plot, this is a blend of Gamay with some Pinot Noir. Attractive richly textured black fruits, considerable concentration and length. Can be drunk with pleasure now but it should age well and develop further in bottle.

2018 Côtes d'Auvergne Châteaugay

A blend of Gamay and Pinot Noir with attractive soft, quite rich fruit and good texture. To drink now or keep for up to five or six years.

2018 Le Damas Noir, IGP Puy de Dome

Damas Noir is a variety of Syrah that was around before phylloxera but then became almost extinct. A conservatoire for rare grape varieties was established in the Auvergne in 1990 and Damas Noir was one of the varieties that was rescued. Pierre planted some Damas Noir in 2011. This rare wine has red cherry and floral notes, concentrated fruit and freshness in the finish.

Some Syrah is now being planted in the Auvergne. It has, however, to be labelled as IGP since it is not an authorised variety for Côtes d'Auvergne.

Héritage Volcanic:
1495 Chardonnay 2019, Côtes d'Auvergne
1495 is the height of Le Puy de Dôme. A part of this white Côte d'Auvergne is vinified and aged in barrel. It has crisp citric and floral notes and freshness and salinity in the finish despite having 14% alcohol.

2019 Effet de Fun, Côtes d'Auvergne 13.5% alc.

A rosé made from 100% Gamay 'pressurage direct' (no skin contact) with pear notes. From vines on volcanic soil it has notes of pears along with some textured mouthfeel. I was impressed by the quality of the rosés that we tasted in the Auvergne and this has been confirmed by drinking some of them back in Touraine.

Pierre and Léa @Saint-Verny

•••

Along with the second part of the day with Léa, reports on visits to Domaine Miolanne, Annie Sauvat, David Pelissier and Benoît Montel to follow.

Côtes d'Auvergne: a few local eruptions.....

2020-06-23T13:54:00.000+01:00

Stock photo of volcanic eruption at Tungurahua (Ecuador)

Some local tensions
In common with a number of other French wine regions producers in the Auvergne appear to have problems working together for the collective good. This was highlighted by a news item in La Montagne when there was a change in the presidency of the Syndicat AOC Côtes d'Auvergne at the end of 2019.

Yvan Bernard was président of the Syndicat AOC Côtes d'Auvergne from 2015 to 2019, when he resigned and was replaced by Gilles Vidal, an associate of Desprat Saint-Verny. It is unfortunate that the La Montagne article reports that there has long been strife between the independent vignerons and the members of the Saint-Verny Cooperative – now associates of Desprat Saint-Verny.

Yvan is currently vice-président of Loire Volcanique – the association formed last year to promote the four Upper Loire appellations: Côtes d'Auvergne, Côtes de Forez, Côte Roannaise and Saint-Pourçain. Loire Volcanique should not be confused with Vinora*, an organisation covering wines from around the world produced from vines planted in volcanic soils. Vinora was formed a few years ago with Pierre Desprat, who is its président, a leading player. It held its first conference and salon at the end of January 2020 at Clérmont-Ferrand.

Vidal is keen to end the disagreements and has as his two vice-presidents two independent producers: Benoît Montel in Riom and Pierre Goigoux, who has his own domaine but is also an associate of Desprat Saint-Verny. Goigoux was president of the Syndicat between 2011 and 2013, while Montel is president of the Fédération Viticole des Côtes d'Auvergne and Vidal is the vice-president of this organisation.

Yvan Bernard, ex-president Syndicat AOC Côtes d'Auvergne

Gilles Vidal, président
Syndicat AOC Côtes d'Auvergne

Benoît Montel

vice-président
Syndicat AOC Côtes d'Auvergne

Pierre Goigoux

vice-président

Syndicat AOC Côtes d'Auvergne

Unfortunately there is tension between Vinora and Loire Volcanique. Léa Desprat, daughter of Pierre, is critical of the name – Loire Volcanique – as from the four appellations involved Saint-Pourçain and Côte Roannaise do not have volcanic soils. Benoît Montel, vice-president of Loire Volcanique, says Loire and Volcanique are two separate entities. This seems to me to be too fine and subtle distinction and that most people will naturally assume that the soils of all four appellations are of volcanic origin. This is regrettable as I think the grouping of these four appellations makes sense, especially at present when a renaissance is underway in the Upper Loire. Perhaps a better name would be 'La Loire commence ici', although, of course, the source of the Loire is considerably further south.

Regrettably there is almost no overlap between the producers involved in Vinora and Loire Volcanique as only Annie Sauvat is a member of both groups.

Côtes d'Auvergne members of Vinora: Clos Luern, Desprat Saint-Verny, La Tour de Pierre, La Croix Arpin (Pierre Goigoux), Domaine Gougis, Miolanne, David Pelissier, Domaine Sauvat (Annie Sauvat), Domaine Vincent Auzolle.

Côtes d'Auvergne members of Loire Volcanique: Yvan Bernard, Domaine Charmensat, Benoît Montel, Gilles Persilier, Domaine Catherine & Roland Royet, Domaine Sauvat (Annie Sauvat), Domaine des Trouillères.

Agreed the two organisations have different objectives and scope but I would have thought that it made sense for members of Vinora to also be members Loire Volcanique.

Hopefully these conflicts can be resolved as the Côtes d'Auvergne and IGP Puy de Dôme are still among the least known Loire areas, although they do now have an following including internationally. They need to work together to promote their wines. Conflict and division is surely a luxury they can ill afford.

More details on the tensions see: La Montagne and Vitisphere

*: David Cobbold, member of Les 5 du Vin, was at Vinora. Here are links to the two articles he wrote on the event – here and here.

Côtes d'Auvergne: excellent visit to Yvan Bernard

2020-06-22T17:20:00.004+01:00

Yvan Bernard outside his caveau in Montpeyroux

CRM, Wink Lorch, Lyn Parry and I spent three nights in the Auvergne visiting some producers in a small but an increasingly interesting wine region.

Our appointment with Yvan was for 4.30pm. When we arrived his caveau in Montpeyroux was closed, so we phoned his mobile. Yvan was in the vineyards and soon arrived. Initially we spent some time in front of his caveau with Yvan talking about his history and how he works.

He now has 8 hectares of vines in a number of different parcels – some in Montpeyroux and a parcel in Boudes. He has 1.20 ha of Chardonnay, 2ha Pinot Noir, 0.5 Syrah and the rest is Gamay.

Yvan doesn't come from a family of vignerons. Although his grandfather, who was a coal miner, had some vines he only made wine for the family's own consumption. Yvan studied marketing. However, in 2000 he decided that he wanted to become a vigneron, so started studying in Beaune. The following year he studied oenology and did a stage in Brouilly (Beaujolais).

Then in 2002, when Yvan was 23 years old, the maire of Montpeyroux offered him his current caveau, which is classified for its historic interest and belongs to the commune. At the same time he acquired some vines, which were in a very bad state and included some Gamay as well as some hybrids. Yvan now has 8 hectares of vines, which are all organic apart from his parcel in Boudes. In addition to Gamay he has Pinot Noir, Syrah, Chardonnay and has planted some Aligoté as well as some Côt (Malbec) as an experiment.

From the start Yvan had wanted to be organic but waited until 2007 when he was ready to start the conversion process gaining certification in 2010. He will soon be moving to biodynamic viticulture.

Yvan has outgrown his cramped premises in the centre of the picturesque and historic village of Montpeyroux and will soon start building a new winery in the vines outside the village, which he expects to complete in 2022.

Yvan talked about the wine history of area compared to the present when there is between 400-450 hectares planted with vines grown between 300 and 550 metres.

"Before 1870 there was a lot of Pinot Noir planted but with the huge surge in demand because of destruction wrought by phylloxera elsewhere in France, Gamay was planted because it was easier than Pinot Noir. There were 55,000 hectares planted in the Puy de Dôme départment and neighbouring areas before phylloxera arrived here late in 19th Century. Because of the demand in Paris and elsewhere there were fortunes made from wine. There were ports on the River Allier to transport wine towards Paris."

"Unfortunately the Auvergne vineyards did not recover from phylloxera. Quality dropped during the boom times, so the region gained a bad reputation. Producers here were slow to graft, while at the same time industry arrived in particular the Michelin tyre factory, so people moved away from the land."

"The renaissance here started during the 1990s when producers recognised that they had to up the quality of the wines made here. Over the last seven or eight years our wines have become more fashionable helped by the natural freshness and acidity in our wines unlike wine from regions like Languedoc, where alcohol levels are now high with low acidity. At this time we were one of the VDQS vineyards."

(This category, which was created in 1949, ceased to exist in 2011 and almost all the VDQS's were promoted to appellation status.)

"We then had 25 different crus, which was far too many for the INAO when we applied to be promoted to appellation status, so we had to choose those with a real identity. Now have just five crus – all for red wine except for Corent, which is only for rosé."

Unfortunately the 2019 vintage in the Côte d'Auvergne was very small due to spring frosts, hail and drought. Last year Yvan only harvested 50% of a normal crop due to April frost and drought, August and September were particularly dry. Some of the soils, especially the sandy ones, here do not retain water unlike clay limestone, so are very susceptible to drought.

Clermont-Ferrand and its surrounding area are in a rain shadow formed to the west by Le Mont Dore (1840 metres) and Le Puy de Sancy (1886 metres) that have substantial annual rainfall while the area around Clermont-Ferrand has considerably less. The annual rainfall at the Mont-Dore ski station is 1582.3 mm, while the average (2011-2019) annual rainfall at the weather station at Clermont-Ferrand has been 536.4mm. Clermont-Ferrand is now drier than it was for the period 1981-2011 when the average annual rainfall was 578.9 mm – down by 7.4%.

Yvan: "We have three main types of soil here in the Côtes d'Auvergne: clay-limestone, volcanic over limestone and lava flow."

Yvan Bernard in his tasting space in Monteyroux

Tasting: We then had a comprehensive tasting of Yvan's wines. I was impressed by his wines – it was certainly one of the best tastings we had in our three-day visit to the Auvergne. Here are my favourites:

2019 Fleuve Tranquille, VDF, 100% Aligoté 12.5% alc 10€

This was made from grapes bought in Burgundy as although Yvan has recently planted some Aligoté it won't be in production until next year when he plans to make a Chardonnay/Aligoté blend from vines on basalt.

Bottled in February this is crisp and refreshingly lemony with an attractive texture. A good apéro or with shellfish.

2019 Corent Côtes d'Auvergne Corent 7.70€

Made from old vine (between 40 and 100 years old) Gamay d'Auvergne, which has large, tightly compact bunches and keeps its acidity. This is pressed without any maceration (pressurage direct). A crisp rosé with attractive weight and freshness. Overall I was impressive with the rosés we tasted on our trip, especially those from Corent.

2019 Les Dômes Côtes d'Auvergne 8€
Yvan's first red is a blend of 90% Gamay with 10% Pinot Noir. Mid-plum colour with notes of violets, good concentration and texture but with some refreshing acidity in the finish. A bottle to enjoy with friends.

2019 Echalas, Côtes d'Auvergne Boudes 8.20€
Boudes is both the most southerly of the Côtes d'Auvergne Crus and the southern limit of the Côtes d'Auvergne. It is also on a level with the most southerly of the Côtes de Forez communes. Echalas is the name for the vertical stakes traditionally used on the steep slopes around Boudes but which are increasingly being replaced by vines trained on wires.

This is Yvan's non-organic vineyard on red clay. 100% Gamay and made from low yielding old vines, it has attractive peppery, red fruit notes and good mouth-filling texture.

2018 Arkose, Côtes d'Auvergne 12€
From old vine Gamay in Montpeyroux planted on granite with very low yields – 20 hl/ha. This is bottled without the addition of sulphur. Dense and quite deep colour this is a very concentrated Gamay with soft black fruits, complexity, structure and long finish. A decidedly impressive Gamay.

•

We also tasted 2019 Banlieue Rouge VDF made from Gamay St Romain bought in the Côte Roannaise to make up for the very small harvest of 2019, the 2018 Les Terrases IGP (100% Syrah) and two vintages (2018 and 2015) of Petrosus (Latin for Montpeyroux and 100% Pinot Noir).

I will be posting more reports on the visits we made during our three days in the Auvergne.

Yvan and his vineyard worker

Côtes de l'Auvergne – portraits from this week's trip

2020-06-20T23:15:00.001+01:00

Le Puy de Dôme – the region's icon

L'Auvergne en Eruption

This week we spent a very interesting and useful three and a half days in the Auvergne visiting producers and getting a better handle on the area – the terroir, some of its producers and catching some of excitement of the renaissance of this now small wine region but which towards the end of the 19th Century was hugely important.

I will be publishing a number of posts over the next few days but here is a series of portraits of the people we met during our stay and who made us so welcome.

Wednesday afternoon:

Yvan Bernard, Montpeyroux

Thursday:

Léa Desprat, Desprat Saint-Verny

Pierre Desprat, Desprat Saint-Verny

Pierre Goigoux, Domaine de la Croix Arpin, Châteaugay

Etienne Rachez, business partner with Pierre Goigoux

Gilles Vidal, Saint-Georges-sur-Allier –

an associate with Desprat Saint-Verny

President of Syndicat AOC Côtes d’Auvergne

Pierre and Léa Desprat

Friday:

Laure Cartier, Domaine Miolanne, Neschers

Annie Sauvat, Boudes

David Pelissier, Boudes

Saturday morning:

Benoît Montel, Riom