2010 Salon des Vins de Loire: caption contest

To mark a very successful 2010 Salon des Vins de Loire – there will be some delicious 2009s – we thought we should run a caption contest with the opportunity to win a bottle of Régis Neau's Crémant de Loire, Domaine de Nerleux – ideal for celebrating the RSJ's 30th Year!

Photo taken during the return journey from the Salon yesterday

Captions of no more than 20 words are invited. Please send your entries to Tom King at tom.king@rsj.uk.com. Closing date for submissions is Sunday 21st February. Nigel Wilkinson and Tom King are the judges and their decision will be final and without appeal. The winner will be announced on Tuesday 22nd February. The winner's bottle of Crémant msut be collected from the restaurant.

Report on Saumur tasting: 19th January 2009

The Château de Saumur from the centre of the town

The RSJ’s 2009 events programme started last night with a successful tasting and dinner partnered with nine wines from Saumur.

Régis Neau, Domaine de Nerleux Crémant de Loire

Guests were welcomed with a glass of Régis Neau’s Domaine de Nerleux Crémant de Loire (£9.75 a bottle retail). This creamy and lemony sparkler is an RSJ favourite: we get through about 150 cases a year both in the restaurant and in private sales. Made from 70% Chenin Blanc and 30% Chardonnay, the Crémant de Loire appellation was introduced in 1975 and modelled on the same strict conditions that govern Champagne. Indeed in some respects the conditions for Crémant are stricter, especially in terms of amount of grapes that can be produced.

We then tasted three Saumur Blancs – all made from 100% Chenin Blanc:

2007 Régis Neau, Domaine de Nerleux £7.50
2007 Insolite Thierry Germain, Domaine des Roches Neuves £12.95
2005 Antoine Foucault Domaine du Collier £15.95

Partnered with panfried scallops, cod branade and beurre blanc.

The two 2007s were typical of the vintage with very clean, precise flavours and quite austere; something that makes them attractive to lovers of Loire wines but which others may find too lean. The lemony Régis Neau is probably best as an aperitif. Insolite showed the mineral character that Thierry Germain is now wants, which is a very different style from the much richer style of Insolite that he was making during the 1990s and in the early part of this decade.

2007 Insolite, Thierry Germain, Domaine des Roches Neuves

As the son of Charly and Françoise Foucault, Antoine comes from a famous family. The wines (Saumur and Saumur-Champigny) of Charly and his brother, Nadi, are now much sought after on both sides of the Atlantic. Antoine set up on his own in 1999 with 5.5 hectares of vines on the hill of Bréze, which includes a plot called La Charpentie where the vines are around 100 years old. His wine-making cellar is in a large limestone cave under his parents’ home in Chacé.

Antoine’s 2005 divided opinion – for some it was the best white, others were not impressed citing an earthy flavour. This and Insolite were both a bit cold when they were served and showed better as they warmed up a little. Among the doubters some felt that it showed better with the first course rather than on its own. It is also a white that could benefit from being given time in a decanter or carafe. Equally you should be able to keep this for at least five years and probably longer.

2005 Antoine Foucault's Domaine du Collier

Next we tasted two Saumur-Champignys as an interlude between the first and main course:

2006 Jean-Pierre Chevallier, Château de Villeneuve £9.95
2005 Philippe Vatan, Château de Hureau £10.95

Both wines were true to their respective vintages. With Jean-Pierre’s 2006 showing some of that refreshing edginess that is often typical of Loire reds. Although 2006 is a good vintage, its potential was undermined by wet weather at the end of the harvest that forced producers to pick in great haste to beat widespread outbreaks of rot. It is Jean-Pierre’s policy to only make his top reds in vintages when he is fully satisfied that the quality is good enough. In difficult or average vintages, such as 1998, 2004, 2006 and 2007 he doesn’t make the Vieilles Vignes or Grand Clos and instead everything goes into the ‘domaine’ wine, making them both remarkably good wines for the vintage and great value.

2005 Château de Hureau

2005 was a very good vintage and the Vatan domaine wine is wonderfully seductive with plenty of black fruits and is drinking very well now.

They were followed by three Saumur-Champignys served with the main course:

2005 Clos des Châtains Régis Neau, Domaine de Nerleux £11.95
2005 Vieilles Vignes Jean-Pierre Chevallier, Château de Villeneuve £12.50
2002 Marginale, Thierry Germain, Domaine des Roches Neuves £17.95

Roast guinea fowl breast and confit leg with braised shallots, grapes, new potatoes.

All three showed well with Thierry Germain’s 2002 Marginale the current star showing what a lovely vintage 2002 – not a heavyweight but beautifully and seamlessly balanced. Unfortunately the one of the bottles had a cork problem that became more evident as the wine warmed up and opened up.

2005 Vieilles Vignes Château de Villeneuve

Jean-Pierre Chevallier’s Vieilles Vignes is all delicious, silky fruit at the moment. With more bottle age it is likely to develop more complexity. Régis Neau’s Clos des Châtains comes from a parcel of old vines on the western side of the hillside of Saint-Cyr overlooking the Thouet Valley. Less silky and more edgy than the Villeneuve, this is always very consistent and good value.

2005 Les Châtains Régis Neau, Domaine de Nerleux

Dessert: Apricot tart, rum and raisin parfait, strawberry, kiwi and passion fruit salsa

Sunrise over the Loire@Saumur

Saumur tasting Monday: 4 places left

Four places left for the Saumur tasting and dinner on Monday (19th January) starting at 7.30. £45 per person.

Saumur consistently produces some of the best reds and whites of the Loire and we will be showcasing some of the best.

Although the list of wines has yet to be finalised, this is what we will be tasting with some minor tweaks still possible.

We will kick off with a welcoming glass of Régis Neau's Crémant de Loire, the RSJ's best selling sparkling wine.

Then we'll have three Saumur Blancs – three from these four:

2007 Régis Neau, Domaine de Nerleux
2004 Antoine Foucault Domaine du Collier
2007 Insolite Thierry Germain, Domaine des Roche Neuves
Les Cormiers, Jean-Pierre Chevallier, Château de Villeneuve

Followed by five Saumur-Champignys:

2006 Jean-Pierre Chevallier, Château de Villeneuve
2005 Philippe Vatan, Château de Hureau
2005 Clos des Châtains Régis Neau, Domaine de Nerleux
2005 Vieilles Vignes Jean-Pierre Chevallier, Château de Villeneuve
2002 Marginale, Thierry Germain, Domaine des Roche Neuves

Menu:

Fresh scallops with a cod branade

Duo of roast guinea fowl with a confit guinea fowl leg

George's pudding surprise


To book your place please contact Nigel or Tom on 020-7928 4554.

Harvest news from Saumur

(3 October 2008)

Looking towards the church of Souzay-Champigny
and Château de Villeneuve (right)

Jean-Pierre Chevallier

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

What they are picking: botrytis affected grapes

What's being left to pick next week:
perfect bunches for a great dry white

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

Thierry Germain (Domaine des Roches Neuves)
We saw Thierry on Thursday afternoon. He was hoping to start on Friday (3rd) if the weather holds. His Chenin is between 12.5%-13% potential and between 6.5 and 7.5 acidity. “The acidity levels are dropping,” said Thierry. He intends to start on his Cabernet Franc next Wednesday. “They were at 12.2% potential last Friday with the acidity at 5.5.”

Cabernet Franc in one of Thierry's vineyards (2.10.2008)

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

We went with Thierry on a quick drive to look at his vines. This took in a visit to his small parcel (15 ares – 0.15 ha) francs pieds vines (ungrafted vines) planted using the old system of échalas (cultivation around a pole). Thierry’s 15 ares are planted with Cabernet Franc to the equivalent density of 10,000 vines per hectare – the average density in the region is 5500 per hectare. He is very excited as he will get the first crop off them this year as they were planted in 2004/05. “I love their purity of flavour – their freshness,” says Thierry. “The flavour is totally different to grapes from grafted vines.” This fruit will be vinified separately in 400 litre open topped barrels. Thierry hopes to get a few vintages from them before the vines are destroyed by phylloxera. The soil is sandy clay over limestone, so with luck it may take a little while for the phylloxera to get at them. “I’ve long had a dream to cultivate vines using this old system (échalas) that you’ll find in parts of Burgundy.” It can also be found in the Mosel.

Thierry in his ungrafted vineyard of Cabernet Franc

Thierry also confirmed that there will be no Marginale 2007 as the vintage wasn't good enough. Instead it will be blended into the other cuvées. Jean-Pierre Chevallier has come to a similar decision for his 2007 reds – there will be no Grand Clos or Vieilles Vignes 2007. As in 2004 and 1998 all will go into the straight Saumur-Champigny, which will be bottled in early 2009. On previous experience this should mean that the Villeneuve 2007 will be extremely good for the year and remarable value.

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

Antoine with his 2006 Domaine du Collier Saumur Blanc

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



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

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

We currently have both the 2004 Saumur Blanc Domaine du Collier and the 2004 Saumur Blanc La Charpentrie from Antoine Foucault on the restaurant list.

Régis Neau, Domaine de Nerleux

Our last visit on Friday (3rd) was to see Régis. From having been a glorious morning the sky was now covered and threatening rain. There’s good news for RSJ customers, who enjoy Régis’ ever-popular Crémant de Loire.

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

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

Will be reporting from Sancerre, Pouilly etc. early next week.