Berserker Wine Exploration Week 2/21-28/2010: LOIRE WINES

WINE TALK
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Go back on Hiatus with your buddy Levi.

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I’m in. [wink.gif]

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My inner pedant demands release!

Grapes come in varieties, not varietals.

There. I feel better.

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Does that mean you’re going to drink some Loire wines and post a note or two? [drinkers.gif]

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I have Sancerre, Menetou-Salon, Vouvray, Savennières, Montlouis-sur-Loire, Muscadet-Sèvre et Maine, Muscadet-Côtes de Grandlieu, Crémant de Loire, Chinon, and Bourgeuil standing at ready.

Fire the starting pistol!

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+1 !

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Awesome. Starting pistol will fire at 12:01 am PST on the 21st of February…or this Sunday!

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And I have Coteaux du Layon, Sancerre, Bourgueil, Montlouis-sur-Loire, and Muscadet Sevre et Maine!

BRING IT!

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Blow me . . . . [swearing.gif]

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Not even with your mom’s mouth!

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Thanks man. She’s dead.

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Doesn’t count, Serge, and no cheating.

We’re going to go through this together, starting on the 21st…

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Thanks Serge,… grouphug

and me and nathan are joking…we are sick f***s.

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Lyle, nice map - where would Muscadet be produced, somewhere near/in the Pays Nantais?

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An easy way to divide things up, if you wish to, would be

  • Sauvignon Blanc (Pouilly Fumé, Sancerre, etc.)
  • Chenin Blanc (Vouvray, Savennières, etc.)
  • Muscadet
  • Reds
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or this.

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The Wikipedia introduction does not do justice to the subject, in particular the red wines. It even talks more about Gamay in Touraine than Cabernet franc.

I think that most Loire lovers consider that Cabernet franc makes the outstanding reds in the region. The best appellations for these are Chinon, Bourgueil and Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil in Touranine and Saumur-Champigny in Anjou. They are capable of very fine quality and can age gracefully for 20+ years from suitable sites and vintages.

Wiki is wide of the mark in stating that Saumur-Champigny is similar to Saint-Nicolas de Bourgueil; the former’s wines come from much warmer and heavier soils with a lot clay and tend to be fuller bodied and more tangy and tannic. The soils at Chinon, Bourueil and St.Nic Bourgueil are more varied with quite light, supple and early drinking wines coming from sandy gravel areas nearer the rivers and more robust, structured and longer ageing wines coming from the heavier calcareous and clayey soils on the slopes. St. Nic Bourgueil has overall the lightest soil and wines.

Some very good Cabernet franc based reds are found in the Anjou, Anjou Villages and Saumur appellations with a proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon being allowed. They tend to be more rustic than the above appellations but the best are full of flavour and very enjoyable. I don’t think Cabernet franc is authorised on its own in the Touraine, Touraine-Amboise, etc. appellations.

I drink Loire wines, both red and white, regularly, e.g. a smooth rich Saumur-Champigny last night, have a lot of TNs and will see what I can find which may be of interest in this thread.

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I’ll be sure to chip in with something (pro’ly red) for this thread…and this is a great idea Tony

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Welcome Tim, glad you signed in! I think this is going to be fun, your knowledge of the Loire will be much appreciated I am sure.

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So kind of surprised no talk as of yet of Couly-Dutheil or Nicolas Joly. I would love to hear what Nathan thinks of these producers. I was planning on opening a 1999 Clos de l’Echo and a 2001 Clos de la Coulee de Serrant this week for Loire week. Thoughts?