On the Road with the Grape Guy

Details

Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

(April 28, 2022) … Two thematic tastings under one roof with a look at Touraine and Saumur wines.

Some quick facts about Touraine
-    5000 hectares stretch out both sides of the Cher and Loire rivers
-    Encompasses 139 towns
-    500 winemakers
-    Making 28,000,000 bottles annually
-    59% white wines – 22% red wines – 8% rosé – 11% sparkling
-    Top white varieties: Sauvignon Blanc 43%, followed by Chenin (7%) and Chardonnay (3%)
-    Top red varieties: Gamay 21%, followed by Cabernet Franc (10%) and Cot (Malbec 8%)
-    Only 20% of the wine is exported; and while 80% remains in France – 50% are direct sales to the consumer
-    Top export markets are the UK (36%), USA (21%), Netherlands (16%), Belgium (7%) and Canada (5%)
-     Touraine has 5 geographical denominations:
      -Amboise / -Azay-le-Rideau / -Chenonceaux / -Mesland et -Oisly

And now, here are the wines from both tastings …
(because of the quantity of wines on offer during this tasting I used my Good / Good+ approach for scoring, I also where available, list the varieties that make up the wine – and a few of the really good(+) ones  even got some notes)

Maison Laudacius Jardin Des Rois Fb Rosé ... Good
40% Cabernet Franc, 5% Grolleau, 40% Gamay, 15% Pinot Noir

Domaine Mérieau 2018 J'ose Les Fines Bulles - Blanc ... Good
60% Menu Pineau, 10% Chenin, 30% Chardonnay

Domaine De La Renaudie 2021 Touraine Sauvignon - Blanc ... Good
100% Sauvignon        

Domaine Jacky Marteau 2021 Touraine Sauvignon – Blanc ... Good
100% Sauvignon        

Domaine Chainier 2021 Château De La Roche - Blanc ... Good
100% Sauvignon

Domaine Des Echardières 2021 Touraine Sauvignon - Blanc ... Good
100% Sauvignon

Domaine Pascal Gibault 2021 Touraine Sauvignon - Blanc ... Good
100% Sauvignon

Château De Fontenay 2021 Le Sauvignon - Blanc     
100% Sauvignon - Guava and grapefruit with a supple palate and long finish ... Good+

Vins Beaujardin 2021 Moulin Des Aigremonts - Blanc ... Good
100% Sauvignon

Clos Roussely 2020 Le Clos - Blanc
100% Sauvignon - Floral and yellow grapefruit cocktail ... Good+

Domaine Sauvète 2021 Méli Mélo - Rosé ... Good
50% Pineau D'aunis, 50% Cabernet Franc        

Domaine Sauvète 2020 Les Gravouilles - Rouge ... Good
100% Gamay

Domaine De Fontenay 2019 La Réserve De Jean - Rouge ... Good
Cabernet Franc, Côt

White Saumur and Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame: Two Facets of Saumur Wines  

Domaine Des Garennes 2020 Empreinte - Blanc ... Good
Chenin 100%

Domaine Du Moulin De L’horizon 2020 Mélodie - Blanc ... Good+
Chenin 100%

Château De Targé 2019 Les Fresnettes - Blanc ... Good
Chenin 100%

Domaine Arnaud Lambert 2018 Coulée De Saint Cyr - Blanc ... Good
Chenin 100%

Domaine Arnaud Lambert 2018 Clos De La Rue - Blanc ... Good
Chenin 100%

Domaine Du Vieux Pressoir 2019 Origine - Rouge
Cabernet Franc 100% - Structured and smoky, with earthy, black cherry, subtle woodsy notes, and mild flavour of coffee powder on the finish ... Good+

Domaine Saint Landor 2019 L'Obligé - Rouge
Cabernet Franc 100% - Fruit forward with lots of red berries: strawberry, raspberry, and hints of mocha - silky mouthfeel with an elegant finish ... Good+

Domaine Du Moulin De L’horizon 2019 Virtuose - Rouge ... Good
Cabernet Franc 100%

Mélaric 2018 Clos De La Cerisaie - Rouge ... Good
Cabernet Franc 100%

Manoir De Tête Rouge 2018 Enchentoir - Rouge ... Good
Cabernet Franc 100%

Domaine De L'enchantoir 2018 Pied À L'etrier - Rouge ... Good
Cabernet Franc 100%

Domaine De L'enchantoir 2017 Clos Du Petit Chavannes - Rouge ... Good
Cabernet Franc 100%

Immersion: Saumur-Champigny

Another walking tour … this time it’s a partial walk along the VVR Route (Vignes Vins Randos) as we check out some of the vineyards around Saumur and taste a number of wines at stops along the way. We find a wine producer who has built their prodcution area right in the rocks; and here is where I also taste one of the best Cabernet Franc’s I taste throughout the whole trip – hint: it has something to do with wolves.

Langlois-Chateau 2020 Domaine
Fruit driven due to the stainless steel, along with subtle herbal characteristics.  (*** ½)

Château De Chaintres 2020 Vieilles Vignes
Gentle spice and black fruit; notes of vanilla, black cherry and black raspberry on the mid-palate - complex and tasty.  (****)

Domaine De La Bessiere 2018 XL
Light, fresh, and easy drinking: big red fruit with a medium-light spiciness.  (*** ½)

Alliance Loire - Robert & Marcel 2019 Les Vignoles
Smooth and silky; blackberry and cassis, along with subtle pepper and round tannins which prove to be non-aggressive on the finish.  (*** ½+)

Domaine De La Perruche 2020 Terroir de Craie
Steel tanks were used in the making of this wine - fresh dark fruit oriented, nice complexity.  (*** ½+)

Domaine De Rocheville 2019 Le Prince
Herbal and red cherry; a nice expression.  (*** ½)

Domaine De Nerleux 2018 Les Loups Noirs
Vines planted back in 1997, 70% of the wine spends 18 months in oak, 10% new, the other 30% remains in stainless steel and is then back-blended into the wine to create a fruitier character; the result is a wine of wonderful depth and character: dark berry fruit, nicely spiced with hints of vanilla. The dark fruit comes across as cassis and blackberry – this wine just sings in the mouth.  (**** ½)

Gatien Deze 2020 Les 2 Vents
Light and airy with gentle herbaceousness, done all in stainless - pretty floral notes on both the nose and palate.  (*** ½+)

Château De Targé 2020 Le Clos Saint Pere
Light and fresh - with a chill this would give rosé a run for its money: cherry and decent acidity; chill and enjoy.  (*** ½+)

Domaine Ratron - Clos Des Cordeliers 2018 Cuvee Prestige
Mineral, blackberry and black cherry, pleasant across the palate.  (*** ½+)

Château De Villeneuve 2020 Domaine
Light with red berry freshness, plus it had some black cherry and black raspberry backing it up on the finish.  (*** ½+)

La Seigneurie 2018 Vielles Vignes a Pierrot
Vines were planted in 1963 at 110m ASL, highest level in the region, and less than 1 km from Castle Saumur: plenty of cassis and blackberry.  (*** ½+)

Sparkling Wine Evening
                                    
A walk around tasting of sparkling wine; dinner was al fresco in the backyard of the winery / event space; and ended with a fireworks display: bubbles, “BBQ” and big bangs – what more could you ask for.

Here I used my Good / Good+ system to rate the wines; and in some instances the make up of the cuvee was provided (so I included that as well):

Orchidees Ackerman (Brut) ... Good
Orchidees Royal 2017 (Brut) ... Good+
Loire Propriete Dunmacus Vignerons (Brut Rose) ... Good    
Loire Propriete Dunmacus Vignerons (Brut) ... Good
Grenelle 2013 3/7.7.4 (Brut Nature) ... Good
cuvee: Pinot Noir, Pineau D'aunis, Cabernet Franc
Alliance Loire De Chanceny Rose (Brut) ... Good
cuvee: Cabernet Franc
Alliance Loire 2015 De Chanceny Impetus (Brut) ... Good
cuvee: Chenin, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc
 Alliance Loire 2015 De Chanceny (Brut Nature) ... Good
cuvee: Chenin, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc
Langlois Langlois Blanc (Brut) ... Good
cuvee: Chenin, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc
Langlois Langlois Rose (Brut) ... Good+
cuvee: Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir
Langlois 2016 Quadrille (Extra Brut) ... Good
cuvee: Chenin, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc
Bouvet Ladubay 2018 Tresor (Brut) ... Good+
cuvee: Chenin, Chardonnay
Bouvet Ladubay Excellence Rose (Brut) ... Good
cuvee: Cabernet Franc
Lacheteau Lacheteau Tete De Cuvee (Brut) ... Good
cuvee: Cabernet Franc
Lacheteau Château De Montgueret ... Good
cuvee: Chenin, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay
Lacheteau Château De Chanteloup ... Good
cuvee: Chenin, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay
Lacheteau Château De Chanteloup Rosé ... Good
cuvee: Cabernet Franc
Gratien Meyer Flamme Rosé ... Good    
Gratien Meyer Diadème Rosé ... Good

• Sparkling Wine,
• Loire,
• Loire Valley
• Touraine

• Prev
• Next