News of one of our favourite producers – Vincent Roussely

 Vincent Roussely with two handfuls of 

Pineau d'Aunis picked on Saturday

News of one of our favourite producers – Vincent Roussely:

'Last Monday (18th September) on our way to the Central Vineyards we dropped in to see Vincent Roussely at his winery in Angé. Vincent was well into his 2017 harvest, having started on 4th September, with all his Sauvignon Blanc now picked. 

"The Sauvignon Blanc has great potential," enthused Vincent. "The potential alcohol is between 13.5% and 13.7% with 5.0 acidity. In terms of volume 2017 is much better than last year when we were badly frosted – making only 9 hl/ha. This year we are at 35 hl/ha I am happy with that." 

Vincent is organic, so accepts that his yields are likely to be well below the level that producers who use a range of chemicals on their vines can expect to achieve. 

He is waiting for his Cabernet to ripen properly.'    

 Vincent in his cellar at Angé with his amphore

 Sauvignon Blanc in the amphore 

 Vincent with his series of small vats that allows 

him to vinify small parcels of his vines separately

 Vincent has been very go-ahead with wine tourism 

– this is part of his shop

A selection of local goats' cheese (chèvre)
Sauvignon Blanc is a great match

 More shelves and a pink couch for the boss's siesta

RSJ Spring Wine Offer: Stunning Sauvignon + Chinon from a new star

 Vincent Roussely, Domaine Roussely, AC Touraine

  

‘Stunning Sauvignon’

£120.00 per case

 

We have put together a mixed case featuring 3 different styles of Loire Sauvignon from 3 of our favourite growers – all ideal for drinking this Spring and beyond!

 

6 bottles 2014 Touraine ‘Le Clos’ Domaine Roussely Vincent Roussely

Vincent is a dynamic young vigneron based at Ange in Touraine. He did part of his training in the New World and came back to take over family vineyards and works organically. This wine has a lovely freshness and ripe rounded fruit. His wines have been hugely popular since we started importing from him 4 years ago.

 

3 bottles 2013 Sancerre ‘Les Pierris’ Roger Champault et Fils 

Roger’s sons, Laurent & Claude, have taken over the running of this family property at Champtin in Sancerre and have scaled new heights with this delicious wine full of ripe fruit and a lovely balance.

 

 

3 bottles 2014 Pouilly Fumé, Domaine Treuillet Sébastien Treuillet

Sébastien has only a few hectares of vines but is rapidly establishing himself as a real star in this famous appellation and his wines regularly pick up numerous awards and commendation at wine fairs. This wine has a lovely clear cut minerality and is beautifully balanced.

•••

 

Jérôme Billard@RSJ in 2013

Chinon from a new star

£130.00

 

We have now been working with outstanding young vigneron, Jérôme Billard for a couple of years. After training at Chateau Pétrus [Pomerol] and Dominus in California , Jérôme came back and transformed his family vineyard at Domaine de la Noblaie in Chinon. He works organically and makes wonderful wine – we offer a selection of his cuvees, 1 white made from Chenin Blanc and 4 different reds from Cabernet Franc as follows:

 

3 bottles 2013 Chinon Blanc

3 bottles 2013 Chinon Domaine de la Noblais

2 bottles 2011 Chinon ‘Les Chiens-Chiens’ 

2 bottles 2012 Chinon ‘Les Blanc Manteaux

2 bottles 2012 Chinon ‘Pierre de Tuf’

 

To order please contact:

tom.king@rsj.uk.com

RSJ Restaurant, 33 Coin Street , London, SE1 9NR

Tel: 020 7928 4554

Winemakers' dinner: Jérôme Billard & Vincent Roussely: 26th June

We still have a few places left for this event:

Wine Tasting & Dinner at RSJ Restaurant

Tuesday 26th June 7.15 pm

 £48.50

Jérôme Billard & Vincent Roussely

We are delighted that Jérôme Billard from Domaine de la Noblaie in Chinon and Vincent Roussely from Clos Roussely in Touraine, two of the most talented young vignerons in the Loire , have agreed to come over and and present their wines.

This is the first visit to RSJ by Jerome who has more than 18 hectares in Ligre and works organically, making stunning red and white Chinon. He trained at Château Pétrus and also in California before returning to the family Domaine and has taken it to new heights.

Vincent showed his wines here at a very successful evening a couple of years ago and he makes wonderful Sauvignon, Gamay and Côt. He trained in South Africa, Australia and California and likewise makes his wines organically. Since we have been importing them they have gone from strength to strength

They both speak very good English and it is sure to be a terrific evening.

These wines will be accompanied by a 3 course dinner.

For bookings please contact:

RSJ Restaurant

33 Coin Street

London

SE1 9NR

Tel: 020 7928 4554

E-mail: tom.king@rsj.uk.com

Winemakers' dinner: Jérôme Billard & Vincent Roussely: 26th June

Wine Tasting & Dinner at RSJ Restaurant

Tuesday 26th June 7.15 pm

 £48.50

Jérôme Billard & Vincent Roussely

We are delighted that Jérôme Billard from Domaine de la Noblaie in Chinon and Vincent Roussely from Clos Roussely in Touraine, two of the most talented young vignerons in the Loire , have agreed to come over and and present their wines.

This is the first visit to RSJ by Jerome who has more than 18 hectares in Ligre and works organically, making stunning red and white Chinon. He trained at Château Pétrus and also in California before returning to the family Domaine and has taken it to new heights.

Vincent showed his wines here at a very successful evening a couple of years ago and he makes wonderful Sauvignon, Gamay and Côt. He trained in South Africa, Australia and California and likewise makes his wines organically. Since we have been importing them they have gone from strength to strength

They both speak very good English and it is sure to be a terrific evening.

These wines will be accompanied by a 3 course dinner.

For bookings please contact:

RSJ Restaurant

33 Coin Street

London

SE1 9NR

Tel: 020 7928 4554

E-mail: tom.king@rsj.uk.com

Touraine East and West – report on tasting

2009 Les Pichiaux, Touraine Sauvignon, Noëlla Morantin 

Monday’s tasting and dinner presented a ‘natural wine’ challenge in the shape of Noëlla Morantin’s 2009 Touraine Sauvignon ‘Les Pichaux’ (£12.95)

Overall the theme was Touraine East and West, although the balance of wines was rather more east (6) to west (3).

2010 Le Clos, Touraine Sauvignon, Domaine du Clos Roussely

The aperitif was Vincent Roussley’s 2010 ‘le Clos’ Sauvignon Blanc (£8.75). This is a modern Touraine Sauvignon with attractive grapefruit and other citric flavours, some palate weight and the quite marked acidity in the finish, which is characteristic of the 2010 vintage. Vincent’s wines continue to be consistently good and offer very fair value.  

Noëlla’s 2009 Sauvignon caused the assembled tasters to lose their bearings with little or none of the stereotypical characteristics of Sauvignon Blanc. Instead ‘Les Pichaux’ has some oxidative and leesy characters from its long fermentation and maturation.  For me Noëlla’s wines fall well within the acceptable side of my continuum of drinkability. However, the vast majority present weren’t convinced.

I kept some of Les Pichaux for a good hour and it certainly changed in the glass with the oxidative character lessening. Instead developing an aroma of bread pudding. I fancy that this may well need to be decanted. Clearly some experimentation is required.

2010 3 Coteaux Chinon Blanc, Baudry-Dutour

Then we moved onto a trio of Chenins. The 2010 screcwapped 3 Coteaux Chinon Blanc (£11.95) from Baudry-Dutour is light and lemony with an austere finish – probably good with shellfish. 

2010 Les Dix Arpents, Domaine de la Taille aux Loups

Jacky and Joëlle Blot’s long and minerally 2010 Les Dix Arpents Montlouis, Domaine de la Taille aux Loups was many people’s favourite white. Although this is the Blots entry level Montlouis it still underlined the quality of the wines they are making.  

2009 Vouvray Champalou

The 2009 Vouvray Sec from Domaine Champalou (£11.95) was the richest of the whites tasted showing the fuller character of the 2009 vintage and also doubtless having a little more residual sugar than the other whites. It attracted some followers, although Le Dix Arpents was judged to be the complex wine. 

 

2009 Racines, Bourgueil, Frédéric Mabileau

Frédéric Mabileau’s 2009 Racines Bourgueil (£13.75) comes from a one hectare plot on clay and gravel at Chouzé-sur-Loire, a commune by the Loire and to the south of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. Frédéric’s grandfather planted the vines here over 45 years ago. It has attractive spicy, youthful fruit with some opulence. Best drunk I think over the next three or four years rather than for long aging, where Frédéric’s L’Eclipse Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil from the limestone coteaux is a much better bet if looking for a wine to lay down. 

2008 KO, Thierry Puzelat

Thierry Puzelat’s 2008 KO Vin de table Français (£13.75) proved to be popular with its sous bois and farmyard character. I suspect that a number of Australian winemakers, looking for squeaky clean wines would dismiss this as technically faulty. However, it think it works and is drinking well now. The wines sold under the Thierry Puzelat name are négociant wines made from grapes bought from producers who have a similar approach to organic viticulture as Thierry. The Domaine du Tué-Bouef is the family estate in Les Montils, where Thierry and his elder brother, Jean-Marie, work together.  

1997 Cuvée Prestige, Domaine du Bourg, Jean-Paul Mabileau

The 1997 Cuvée Prestige, Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil from Domaine du Bourg, Jean-Paul Mabileau, Frédéric’s father had aged well with its sweet evolved fruit – an elegant, complex and delicate wine. Often when tasting Jean-Paul’s wines when they were young, particularly when tasted alongside Frédéric’s they seemed rather thin and weak. But they had a deceptive power with the ability to take on more weight with a few years in bottle and to age well. This 1997 is showing well now and, although I don’t think it will get better, it will still last a few more years.

2008 Anthologie du Clos, Vincent Roussely

We finished with the 2008 Anthologie du Clos from Vincent Roussely (£9.95), which is a blend of Cabernet Franc and Côt. Like several 2008s it is quite edgy at the moment needing more time for the acidity and tannins to soften down. It also needs food and showed well with the tasty game casserole served as main course.     

  

   

Frédéric Mabileau and Vincent Roussely@RSJ Restaurant 11th May 2010

L-R: Fréderic Mabileau, Nigel Wilkinson (RSJ), Natalie Mabileau and Vincent Roussely

Frédéric Mabileau

Natalie Mabileau

Vincent Roussely

The third in the series of producer tastings to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the RSJ Restaurant in London's Waterloo. Last night it was a double bill Frédéric and Natalie Mabileau (Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Bourgueil, Anjou and Saumur) and with Vincent Roussely (Clos Roussely, AC Touraine).

It was another excellent evening with all of the wines showing well   

Aperitif 
1) 2009 Rose ‘Osez’ Rosé de Loire Frédéric Mabileau      £8.95

100% Cabernet Franc.

    
White:

Tasted on their own 

2] 2008 Sauvignon, ‘L’Esprit du Clos’, Vincent Roussely       £9.85

Old vines, barrel fermented.

3] 2002 Sauvignon, ‘L’Esprit du Clos’, Vincent Roussely        N/A

Old vines, barrel fermented. 

4] 2007 Chenin Blanc,  Saumur, Frédéric Mabileau       £17.45

Grapes come from Le Puy Notre Dame, handpicked two passges through vines. Fermented in 600 litre barrels. 2007 was the first year made exactly 60 years after Frédéric's grandfather made the domaine's last white from Chenin Blanc planted in Saint-Nicolas. 

Cured salmon with a crab and watercress salad

Served with first course 
5] 2009 Sauvignon ‘Le Clos’, Touraine, Vincent Roussely       £8.50

From younger vines, desigend to be a young and fresh wine.

6] 2009 Chenin des Rouillères, Anjou, Frédéric Mabileau      £9.95           

First vintage from Chenin planted four years on sand and gravel just to the west of Saint-Nicolas.

Red:

Tasted on their own 

7] 2008 Touraine Gamay, ‘Canaille’, Touraine, Vincent Roussely     £8.50
Canaille translates as outlaw, or rebel – someone standing apart. This Gamay has more weight and chaarcter than many Touraine Gamays.
                                                                        
8] 2000/2005 ‘Anthologie’, Touraine   Vincent Roussely   N/A
2000 was Vincent's first vintage back in Touraine after having made wine in Australia, South Africa and California. The 2000 included a little Gamay in with the normal blend of Cabernet (the majority) and Côt.

9] 2008 Bourgueil  ‘Racines’   Frédéric Mabileau    £13.25  
Frédéric has one hectare in Bourgueil planted on clay and gravel. 100% Cabernet Franc as are all his Saint-Nicolas wines.                    


10] 2008 St Nicolas de Bourgueil  ‘Eclipse’   Frédéric Mabileau    £18.20
Fred's most structured and ageworthy wine. Comes from old vines planted on the clay and limestone coteaux. Should last a good 10-15 years.                       

Roast English saddle of lamb

Minted Jersey royals, carrots, mange tout, purple sprouting broccoli,

lamb jus

Served with main course 
11] 2007 ‘Anthologie’ Touraine, Vincent Roussely,  £9.85
Good effort from a difficult year for reds.

12] 2008 St Nicolas de Bourgueil, ‘Les Rouillères, Frédéric Mabileau   £10.30                                     Fine balance of fruit and freshness.                       

Chocolate and hazelnut torte

with raspberry ice cream