RSJ Wine Offer: February/March 2016

The village of Champtin 

– home of the Champault family

RSJ  Wine Offer February 2016

We have put together a selection of wines from two of our favourite growers in the Eastern part of the Loire, Sébastien Treuillet & the Champault family:

 

The Eastern Loire Case        £144.00
3 bottles 2014 Pouilly-Fumé  Domaine Treuillet 
3 bottles 2014 Sancerre Blanc ‘Les Pierris’ Domaine Champault 
2 bottlles 2014 Menetou Salon Blanc ‘Le Clos’ de la Cure’ Domaine Champault 
3 bottles 2014 Sancerre Rouge ‘Les Pierris’ Domaine Champault 
1 bottle 2012 Sancerre Rouge ‘Côte de Champtin’, Domaine Champault [50YO vines] aged 12 months in oak

Pouilly-sur-Loire

  

Frédéric Mabileau listening to his wine fermenting 

Frédéric Mabileau [from St Nicolas de Bourgueil] is recognised as one of the great wine makers in France .

He works biodynamically and his wines are universally popular and such is the global demand they are getting more difficult to acquire. We have however been working with him since he started in 2003 and happily he continues to supply us with our requirements.

Frédéric Mabileau Case     £144.00 
3 bottles 2014 St Nicolas de Bourgueil ‘Les Rouillères’
3 bottles 2014  Anjou Cabernet Sauvignon 
2 bottles 2013 Bourgueil ‘Racines’  [old vines] aged 10 months in oak 
2 bottles 2013 St Nicolas de Bourgueil ‘Coutures’ [old vines] aged 10 months in oak 
1 bottle 2014 Chenin des Rouillères 
1 bottle 2011 Chenin du Puy [old vines]  aged 22 months in oak

To order please contact:
tom.king@rsj.uk.com
RSJ Restaurant
33 Coin Street
London SE1 9NR
Tel: 020 7928 4554

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

RSJ Summer Sauvignon Special

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 Sauvignon Blanc and a few raindrops

 

Mixed case offer: £120.00 per case

We have put together a mixed case featuring 4 different styles of Loire Sauvignon from 4 of our favourite growers – all ideal for drinking this Summer and beyond!

3 bottles 2012 Touraine ‘Le Clos’  Domaine Roussely, Vincent Roussely

Vincent is a dynamic young vigneron based at Angé 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 3 years ago.

3 bottles 2012 Sauvignon, Domaine de Bablut, Christophe Daviau

Christophe was one of the first vignerons in the Loire to work organically and he has since started working biodynamically. Christophe also had a spell working in Australia in the 1990’s. This Sauvignon has a lovely refined elegance.

3 bottles 2012  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 2012 Pouilly Fumé, Domaine Treuillet, Sebastien Treuillet

Sebastien has only a few hectares of vines but is rapidly establishing himself as a real star in this famous appellation and this wine has picked up numerous awards and commendations at wine fairs and tastings this year.This wine has a lovely clearcut minerality and is beautifully balanced.

To order please contact: 
tom.king@rsj.uk.com 

RSJ Restaurant, 33 Coin Street , London , SE1 9NR
Tel: 020 7928 4554

Sébastien Treuillet: profile of our producer of Pouilly-Fumé

Sébastien Treuillet in one of his parcels of vines in AC Pouilly-Fumé

Sébastien Treuillet is the first in his farming family to be a vigneron, previously they have been cereal producers. Indeed Sébastien still looks after 140 hectares of cereals in addition to his 12 hectares of vines. The majority of his vines are in the Pouilly-Fumé appellation but he also has 3.5 ha in the Coteaux du Giennois and 2 hectares of vin de pays. 

"I started to get into vines and wine when I was around 15 as I had a friend in Sancerre whose family were vignerons and I would go and stay there," Sébastien explains. "After working in Sancerre for Pierre Dézat (Verdigny) and then the Champaults (Champtin) I started up on my own in 1991."  

He has a number of different parcels on different soils – argile-kimmeridgean, sandy soils as well as some caillottes – limestone dominated with very little soil. On the argile-kimmeridgean soils Sébastien is unusual in using the Courson-Royat pruning system, which he finds keeps the yields down, whereas on his more sandy soils he has the Guyot system, which is classic in this area (see photo above). 

Vines pruned using the Courson-Royat system 

Recently Sébastien has been able to plant vines at Villiers where a considerable area of potential vineyard has become available in the north east of the appellation not far from the well established Château Favray. He is one of a number of vingnerons, including Alexandre Bain, who are now planting there. Much of this new vineyard is bare limestone – cailottes. 

 Bare limestone soil@Villiers 

Eight day old vine amongst the rocks 

Back at Sébastian's winery in Fontenille we tasted the recently bottled 2011 Pouilly-Fumé. "I haven't need to chaptalise since 2004," says Sébastien with some pride. "This 2011 reached 13% natural alcohol on an average of 60 hl/ha." This grassy 2011 has attractive weight and richness – very much in the style of 2011 – but with some freshness in the finish. We then moved onto the 2010, which is again characteristic of this vintage, much more austere and leaner with a long, precise and clean finish. Once again I think 2011 will be an easy vintage to sell because it is more flattering, while Loire fanatics are likely to prefer the austerity of 2010.   

Sébastien Treuillet

Fontenille

58150 Tracy-sur-Loire

Tel: 03.86.26.17.06

Email: domainetreuillet@orange.fr 

  

   

  

Central Vineyards tasting and dinner: Monday 12th September

Some of the vineyards of Sancerre viewed from the town looking towards Chavignol

We will be tasting the following wines. Menu to follow soon.

Aperitif:

2009 Esprit du Clos, Touraine Sauvignon, Vincent Roussely

Whites:

2010 Menetou-Salon, Champault

2010 Reuilly Les Lignis, Les Desmoiselles Tatin

2010 Quincy Ballandors,  Jean Tatin

2010 Pouilly-Fumé,  Sebastien Treuillet

1999 Château de Tracy, Pouilly-Fumé

Reds:

2009 Reuilly 'La Commanderie', Les Desmoiselles Tatin

2010 Sancerre Rouge, Les Pierris, Champault

Perpetuelle  Champault

Sébastien Treuillet: 2010 Pouilly-Fumé

 

The RSJ has recently started to import and list this Pouilly-Fumé from Sébastien Treuillet. Sébastien is a small producer from near Tracy-sur-Loire, who apparently has just three hectares of vines – some in the PF appellation as well as some in the nearby Coteaux-du-Giennois.  

We met him because he shares a stand at the Salon des Vins de Loire with the Champaults our Sancerre suppliers.

The 2010 is best not drunk too chilled otherwise its weight and length will be hidden. It has a complex and aromatic nose – some gooseberry, grapefruit and other ripe citric notes – allied with weight and length. Certainly a well-made Pouilly-Fumé.

I plan to be in Sancerre/Pouilly towards the end of August, so may well get the opportunity to visit Sébastien Treuillet then.

Address: 12 Route de Boisfleury, Fontenille, 58150 Tracy-sur-Loire. 

Tel: 03.86.26.17.06

Autumn at RSJ Restaurant: Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé etc. 12th September

Wine Tasting with Dinner [3 courses]

Starts 7.15pm

 

Monday 12^th September    ‘Eastern Delights’                                   £48.65

 

 

 

We will be looking at both red and white wines from the eastern end of the Loire  and tasting wines from Reuilly, Quincy, Pouilly, Menetou Salon and Sancerre where Sauvignon and Pinot Noir can be found at their most enticing.

We will feature wines from the Tatin family, the Champault brothers and a new discovery, Domaine Treuillet in Pouilly as well as other distinguished names,

including Chateau de Tracy 1999.

 

 

For reservations please contact:

 

tom.king@rsj.uk.com

 

Tel: 020 7928 4554

 

RSJ Restaurant

33 Coin Street

London

SE1 9NR

 

20th July: ‘Summer Spectacular’ tasting

Wines to be tasted:

Nigel will be making his final selection over the weekend. However, these two are definite:

The late Didier Dagueneau in September 2007

2004 Pur Sang 2004, Pouilly-Fumé, Didier Dagueneau

Christophe Baudry@the Baudry-Dutour winery

1989 Domaine de la Perrière, Chinon, Jean and Christophe Baudry

Both wines are in magnum

The menu:

Salmon ravioli with baby spinach and pea velouté

Roast saddle of Suffolk lamb
Fondant potatoes, baby carrots, French beans
Red wine jus

Lemon curd tart with Chegworth Valley strawberries and clotted cream.

Montlouis: new name on the list and other recent additions

Stéphane Cossais
(Click on name above for more details from Jim’s Loire)

Not José Mourinho but Stéphane Cossais

We think Montlouis is currently one of the Loire’s most exciting appellations. Much of the excitement comes from a series of outsiders who have set up here. We are delighted to have the stunning 2005 Le Volagre from Stephane Cossais (wonderful purity – almost Burgundian in flavour, balance and weight) on the restaurant wine list for £35.95. Nigel will be ordering shortly some Montlouis from Stéphane’s mate Frantz Saumon.

Didier Dagueneau: September 2007

Other new arrivals include 2004 Buisson Renard Pouilly Fumé (£45.99) from the late Didier Dagueneau and from François Cotat in Sancerre 2004 Les Mont Damnés and 2004 Le Cul de Beaujeu both at £35.95.

Didier Dagueneau dies in air accident

Didier at Saint-Andelain September 2007

Didier, perhaps the most famous and certainly one of the Loire’s best producers, was killed yesterday (17th September) in a microlite aircraft accident in the Dordogne. He was 52. Didier made his reputation with his Pouilly-Fumés, which completely transcended this all too often disappointing appellation. Later he bought a vineyard in Jurancon and then a small parcel of vines on Les Monts Damnés in Chavignol. It is believed that he had recently bought more vines in Sancerre.

Didier died when his microlite (ULM) stalled just after take off some 50 metres up and crashed to the ground and was engulfed in flames. The accident happened some 35 kilometres east of Angoulême.

Our condolences to Didier’s family.

Super Sauvignons tasting & dinner

(15 September 2008)
Our autumn season of tastings kicked off with a very successful tasting of Sauvignon Blanc. With the exception of the aperitif – a Sauvignon from Anjou – all the wines came from the Loire’s central vineyards, the home of Loire Sauvignon Blanc. This was a rare opportunity to see how well these wines age as we tasted wines back to 1989. With the notable exception of the 1997 Château de Tracy, the wines had lasted well and generally were remarkably youthful for their age. As well as the wines, the quality of the cooking, particularly the main course of a trilogy of fish, was much applauded. Chef Alex was congratulated on getting the timing absolutely right – not easy when serving some 25 people at the same time. "I've really enjoyed myself – everyone is so friendly and relaxed," said someone attending their first RSJ tasting.

Unfortunately only the first three wines are still available.

Aperitif:
1] 2006 Sauvignon de Bablut £7.85
Christophe Daviau VDP du Val de Loire

From Brissac-Quincé in Anjou, some weight, easy drinking Sauvignon softer acidity than generally found in the wines from further east.

Then:
2] 2007 Quincy, Domaine des Ballandors £9.75
Jean Tatin & Chantal Wilk

Racy, lemony typical of the clean, precise flavours of 2007. Jean and Wilk’s wines tend to take on weight after a few months in bottle.

3] 2006 Menetou Salon ‘Clos de la Cure’ £9.75
Roger Champault et Fils
Disappointing: quite fat but dumb – lacked zip.

4] 1999 Sancerre (in magnum)
André Dezat
Opened up in the glass, citric and mineral, still youthful. Well liked by many of those present.

5] 2000 Pouilly Fume ‘La Rambarde’
Domaine Landrat-Guyollot
Showing well – yellow plum on nose, some weight with racy acidity in the finish.

First course: warm goats cheese, roasted peppers & ciabatta crostini

Badly oxidised 1997 Château Tracy

6] 1997 Pouilly Fumé, Château de Tracy
Comte Henri d’Assay

Both bottles badly oxidized. Served it anyway as an example of oxidation. Not clear whether corks were to blame or whether the fault lies elsewhere. Is this a similar problem to that suffered by some top end Burgundies from the same period?

7) 1996 Sancerre Dominique Midgeon
Last minute additional to replace oxisided Tracy. Still very youthful, quite lean.

8] 1997 Sancerre ‘Les Culs de Beaujeu’ François Cotat
Powerful, rich fruit matched by balancing acidity in the finish. Very good match with the fish.

9] 2004 Quincy, Cuvée Sucellus Jean Tatin
Tasted on its own the oak was not yet fully integrated leading one to wonder whether there was enough concentration to carry the wood. However, it was much improved with the fish and a particularly good match with the salmon. Sucellus was the Gaullish god of agriculture, forests and alcoholic drinks.

Main course: scallop, monkfish & salmon
Cress, crushed new potatoes
Peas & broad beans
White wine veloute

Jean Tatin's Cuvée Sucellus

10] 1989 Cuvée Pierre ‘Vendange tardive’ N/A
Joseph Balland Chapuis

Something of a curiosity. Not especially sweet with some honeyed and barley sugar flavours. Predictably overwhelmed by the dessert. Although it comes from Sancerre it can only be called a vin de table français as the Sancerre appellation is only for dry wines.

Dessert: spiced orange cake with plums & whipped yogurt