There is other things than Castles in Loire Valley !

Times go fast. And the people from Loire Valley agree with that. Long time ago this valley was one of the richest of France. Adulated by the king, they build numerous castles; it was one of the most prosperous areas of France, it was and still one of the biggest vegetable growing area in France. This combine with vine culture, it makes the area very enjoyable for is hedonist culture based on good food and good wine. François Rabelais make this philosophy famous in is time, talking about the wine of Chinon and the fine food in his books. In the middle age, wine from the Loire was even more expensive and esteemed than the wine from Bordeaux.

The area still a very gastronomic and cultural pole of activity but the wine no longer have a good reputation. Why? I can’t really explain why but have got few explanations:
1. the area is so big that it’s sometimes difficult to have wine of the same quality from a same vintage in each different part of the vineyard,
2. like all wine region in France the Philloxera destroyed everything and the grape varieties use before are no longer present,
3. the area is controlled by numerous winegrowers’ cooperatives who are not pulling the quality up,
4. Last but not least they don’t make wine to be fashionable or block buster: over extraction, barrel ageing, malolactic fermentation are not use in Loire valley.



Usually Loire wine region is divided in six different parts but I think four of them are the most interesting:
- the “vignoble Nantais” (Nantes winegrowing area) famous for is very refreshing white wine call Muscadet,
- the “Anjou” (Angers winegrowing area) famous for the sweet and not sweet white wine based on Chenin,
- the “Touraine” (Tours winegrowing area) renowned to produce the finest red wine in Loire valley based on Cabernet Franc, there is also a production of high quality white wine,
- The “centre-Loire” (Upper Loire) the cradle of the finest sauvignon in the world.

The two other are the “Orleanais” (Orleans winegrowing area) and the”vignoble d’Auvergne” (Aurvegne winegrowing area that are most of the times not include in Loire wine region). Each of this area have is specificity and is way of making wine.

The WINES

Wild Yeast 2009,
Domaine Les Grands Presbytères Nelly Marzelleau
AOC Muscadet Sèvre et Maine sur Lie
A very pale colored Muscadet, fragrance of white flower and tropical fruit emanates from this wine. The mouth is very lively on the same aromas of the nose but with a little kick at the end, a hint of minerality and a long lasting flavor. A perfect match for oysters.

L’Envolée 2008, Gerald Vallée
AOC Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil
A very deep purple color, between a beetroot juice and ink. The nose is fully open with aromas of black fruit, cedar note and something smoky. It’s intense and ripe. The palate approved the nose, blackcurrant and black berry with note of tobacco and cedar. Tannins are fully integrated then the smokiness come back to live your palate fresh and clean.

Aubaine 2008, Jonathan Pabiot
AOC Pouilly-Fumé
A deep golden color, very bright and intense. Smell of quince jam and redcurrant, then a kind of deep salinity. The palate is delicate citrus are more present with the salinity keeping alive the wine and give it a very long and mouthwatering lasting.

Clos Rougeard 1999, Frères Foucault
AOC Saumur-Champigny
It’s one of the greatest wines of Loire valley. In good year the plot selection can rival easily the best Bordeaux from the left bank. This one is the village coming from different plot across the property. It had a cherry red color with orange reflect. The nose is open (I carafe it before) on wild strawberries and black fruit with reminiscence of leather and coffee. The mouth is clean; tannins silky and it taste so good, more leathery and meaty than the nose.

Languedoc Revival

Languedoc-Roussilon is one of the biggest wine production areas in the world. Long time under estimated because of is high yields and mass production of bad quality table wine. Thanks to the Philloxera, the vineyard has been restructured with new grape varieties and better plantation. It’s now a vineyard promised to a great future. Lot of good producer from other region, mainly Bordeaux and Burgundy, buy or are looking to buy a vineyard in this area. But don’t forget the local producers who are looking to do better wine with the new technical issues. They take care of the notion of “terroir” to and they start to adapt the grape varieties in relation with. Since the last 10 years some stars have been showing up: Clos des Fées, Domaine Gauby, Mas Daumas Gassac… But right now a new generation is coming up: Domaine des Foulards Rouges, Domaine d'Antugnac, Domaine Les Eminades, Domaine de L’Hortus…

Bergerie de L’Hortus 2008, Domaine de L’Hortus
AOC Côteaux du Langudoc Pic Saint Loup
This wine based on Mourvèdre have a very nice deep purple color with big aromas of blackcurrant and mulberry in the nose, something refreshing to maybe a hint of eucalyptus and clove. On the palate same aromas of black fruit are coming out. The wine is smooth, sweet and intense. The tannins are fully incorporated and the final is something vegetal.

La Madura Classic 2006, Domaine La Madura
AOC Saint Chinian
The very deep and trouble color of this wine remember me iodized water (“eau iodée”). The nose is close but the dominant aromas are spices: pepper, coriander and cumin. The mouth is round and generous, freshness and tannins are both present but with balance and subtlety. Pepper aromas are persistent and the final is quite short but long enough to give you pleasure.

Honour to Burgundy

One of my friend uses to say: “The only substitute to Viagra is Burgundy Wines”. With time I started to understand him. It’s real than no other wine give so much pleasure. Burgundy is synonymous of purity, “terroir” reflect and velvety texture. No other wine can be so pure: 100% Pinot Noir or Chardonnay. With only one grape variety you cannot cheat, you have to do the best you can and harvest the best grape you can to have a good wine. The rest is all about soil, sun exposure; it’s why you can found so much diversity in Burgundy from north to south. I never try wines from the DRC (Domaine de la Romanée Conti) but for me you don’t have to put that price (start at 1000€ and can reach infinite) in a wine to have pleasure and burgundy is full of good wine well price. You just have to found it or get help from your wine retailer.

My selection:

White

AOC Chablis Premier Cru "Vaillons" 2007
Domaine Moreau-Naudet
Nice Chablis with a golden pale color, the nose is very mineral with chalk aromas then the fruits are coming: green apple and pear. The mouth is delicate and complex, still this mineral backbone with salinity and nice acidity at the end. A pure example of Chablis.

AOC Meursault Premier Cru "Les Tillets" 2007
Domaine Javillier
Bright deep gold color with aromas of apricot and yellow peach, a hint of white flower. The mouth is deep but very elegant with the fruit coming back. It’s round and buttery. Final is very mineral and salty. Not a typical example of Meursault but something between Meursault and Puligny.

AOC Pouilly-Fuissé "Le Clos" 2006
Château Fuissé
A bright yellow color, the nose is full of yellow fruit and spice (cinnamon, vanilla). There is something like a “Beurre Noisette” on the mouth; it’s fatty but not heavy. It’s long lasting, elegant and a big minerality is present at the end.


Red

AOC Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits 2001
Jean Pierre Mugneret
Very pale Ruby color with tile reflects. The smell is typical Pinot Noir intense black cherry rounded by spice hints. For the palate is all about elegance it’s rather smooth than heavy. Aromas of strawberry are very present and the wine seems so fresh. Very well made.

AOC Beaune Premier Cru “Champs-Pimont” 2006
Domaine Jacques Prieur
A light ruby color for this wine. Pepper and cumin fragrance emanate from this beverage and big flavor of Black cherries. The mouth is deep, intense. The spices are present like on the nose with something smoky also. Final is very persistent and it let your palate clean.

AOC Mercurey 2005
Château de Chamirey
Dark red color and nice purple reflect. Aromas of strawberry and raspberries are coming from the wine. Not very complex on the mouth but fresh and very easy to drink, the wine is red fruit driven and very well balance.

¡Viva España!

Spain won the world cup this year. Ok fine, fine we already won it to. So after their football it’s time to look after something very nice that they do: WINE. Spain is one of the top world producers of wine together with Italy and France. Wine is part of the culture like most Mediterranean country but in Spain it’s something different: first because they make cocktail with it (Sangria, Tinto de Verano…) and then because it's come with every meal (nearly !!). Wine in Spain is synonymous of diversity, they grow vine in nearly every area from the Oceanic Weather of Galicia to the deserted one of Andalucía. This difference of weather and soil make so many different wines and add to that the way they made it. Of course you all know the famous Rioja but there is so many more wine in Spain that worst to be tries.

Collecion 125 Blanco 2006, Bodegas Chivite
DO Navarra
This 100% Chardonnay from Navarra, an appellation just on the side of rioja, is made like a white Burgundy. And we have to say, it’s very well made a nice bright gold color. On the nose it’s fully buttery with nice flavor of pineapple, cinnamon and saffron. The palate is very clean quite smoky, long after taste and the spice come back at the end.

Itsasmendi No 7 2007, Bodegas Itsas Mendi
DO Biskaiako Tsakolina
This wine is made in “Pais Basco” (Basque Country) in north of Spain near Bilbao. Here they made a dry white from a grape call Hondarribi Zuri (I admit it’s difficult to pronounce but it’s difficult to write it to). This wine have a very pale yellow color, the nose is full of white flower aromas and spice. On the mouth it seems a very refreshing white wine with clean acidity and long lasting aromas of white fruit and flower.

El Tresillo 1874 NV, Emilio Hidalgo
DO Jerez-Xérès-Sherry
When we talk about Spanish white you have to talk about Xérès. For the “aficionados” of oxidized wine this is for you. This one is an Amontillado, its mean is been first aged under “flor” then exposed to oxygen. Its make wine of mahogany color, with fragrant aromas of dry fruit and almond. On the palate you feel directly the nervousness of the vine. A big acidity and aromas of nuts and cook butter invade your mouth.

Clos Mogador 2005, Cellers Clos Mogador
DOCa Priorato
It’s maybe one of the most French of Spanish wine but it still have is typicity. A very well extracted wine from mostly Grenache. The color is deep, intense, inky we must say. On the nose a diversity of flavor are present from blackcurrant to tobacco and spice. It’s a full body wine, very present in the palate tannins are big but flavor are round by oak. Smokiness, licorice and leather are the final notes.

Cabrida 2006, Celler de Capçanes
DO Montsant
For me some of the best Grenache are made in Spain. And this wine is part of it, from 100% “Garnacha” (That’s how they call this grape in Spain), it developed typical aromas of mint, eucalyptus and red fruit. The color is a beautiful dark ruby. And the palate is smooth with spice and mint flavor. Tannins are present but not stifling. Final is long and intense.

Hécula 2005, Bodegas Castaño
DO Yecla
Another appellation who merits to being knows. This wine is from Monastrell a grape call Mourvèdre in France. With a deep red color and violet reflect, it’s develop aromas of jammy red berries with a hint of spice. Licorice and blackberry are the driving fragrance on the mouth. Tannins are rounded and silky. The wine is long lasting to.