Sitting here at my eat-in kitchen bar. Just got home from a very long day of court and dinner with clients. Walk in the door at 10, wide awake. I was, everyone else in my house, including my beloved golden retriever, is dead asleep. I’m wired. I need a drink.
I just got in another case order from Weygandt, a retailer that carries some of the geeky Loire reds that I adore. Warren convinced me to try the Franc de Pied by Thierry Germain, even though I had poo-pooed some prior vintages of the base domaine. This wine has me rethinking this estate.
This wine has a remarkably nerdy, buzzy intensity about it, an intensity of flavors and energy that I really think is pronounced in the FDPs. I see it in Baudry, Joguet, Plouzeau, and here. Leaving aside that this wine is entirely too young to fully appreciate, I had to pop and pour in the sake of science. The color of these FDPs almost always surprise me, there is a brightness, a neon purple that appears so unnatural but is pretty to see. The attack on the palate is intense, tart red fruits, subtle streaks of green, ash, bell pepper and closing with bitter pomegranite pit. Some darker fruits seem to emerge as well. These are all initial, almost stream of consciousness thoughts as I sit here trying to unwind, bored 'cause everyone else is asleep. Figured I’d get this thread going for tomorrow, where I hope to better evalute this young, interesting wine.
So far, though, I like what I am seeing. Anyone else pop some Cab Francs from this estate recently? Would love to hear some thoughts, especially on the premium cuvees.
Here’s my note on the 2012 Memoires. I picked up some of the FdP recently too.
2012 Domaine des Roches Neuves (Thierry Germain) Saumur-Champigny Les Mémoires- France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur-Champigny (1/11/2015)
From 110-year-old vines (50% original rootstock). For the sake of science, I opened one of these now. Almost purple in colour. The nose is incredibly muted, and there are only some slight aromas of bell pepper and earth. I feel that there might also be a bit of cherry as well, but right now, the nose is not showing anything at all. The palate is also very restrained and not giving anything up, though I’m not sure behind what the flavours are hiding. There’s the typical cabernet franc greenness, with a good amount of earthiness and a slight hint of cough syrup on the finish. On the other hand, this wine is a real textural pleasure – unctuous but with none of that high-alcohol, fruit-bomb garbage that accompanies most wines of this texture. Lovely acidity and freshness combined with that rich texture… I just wish that there was more to the palate, but I’m going to give this the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to being so young. I’ll revisit this note over the next day or two. This has significantly loosened up after one day. There’s a bit of a blackcurrant and plum character that comes through now on the nose in addition to all the peppery aromas. The fruit is also a bit more prominent on the palate now, with some blackberry character. The tannins, somehow, seem to have hardened a bit, but this is a much better drink on day 2 and I’m very optimistic about its ageability. I’m ticking the score up a notch. (93 pts.)
had one over 2 days.
was for me at second day a really good fruity,fresh,spicy Loire wine.
And yes color was really neon purple.
2013 L`echelier(note translated…?)
Dark red with purple. Offensive deep raspberry, cherries,( with more time) more black fruity, hint of pepper , slightly floral , spicy, liquorice, always ethereal.
Very round, medium bodied , fleshy, balanced, silky texture , smooth tannins integrated , pure, good acidity.
Long fruity , slightly ethereal finish. A very nice intensively fruity , round , elegant CF.
A wine that certainly has a lot of potential and can easily be 10+ years, but already a lot of pleasure.
Saved 2/3s glass for this third day. This is a pretty wine. Love the spicey, tart red fruits and the intensity on the palate. A medium-weight wine, tangy, some citrus notes developing, ashiness and smoky. A fun wine. Not cheap, not a QPR, but a very solid, interesting wine.
sounds good,think also is a interesting wine.
Many from this wines comes around second or 3. day and so gives so many different notes(only my opinion)
when one taste this wine over 2 hours or so,thats gives not a really impression from this wines.
Had a 2011 Philippe Alliet Chinon Coteau de Noiré over 2 days
begin was really with many leather,furfural and this way,but with more air a really good characteristic black fruity,licorice,spicy,many tobacco,good deep, with more tannins Loire wine.
But must have sure 5+years,so i opened a 2009 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée.
Bob, what Loire red wines have you found in Alberta? I can’t think of one red myself. I scored a single Baudry Chinon Croix Boissee 2010 (will wait years before drinking if I have the drinking window right) from Martin Steinley when I was in San Diego in May last year. He’s an ex-Albertan. All the Loire reds I read about on WB, mostly from Robert Alfert posts of course, I can’t find on the liquorconnect website. Futile. Frustrating.
Sorry if I’m not familiar with the shipping laws, but can’t you just have these wines shipped from the U.S.? I buy most of my Loire reds from DC, NYC and some Baudry from Martin. Florida is as bad as Alberta when it comes to geeky wines.
I checked in on the '10 Croix Boissée recently (I have less of the '09 so holding off on that one):
2010 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée- France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon (11/28/2014)
Decanted 3 hours before drinking. Smells like smoky-sweet bbq, earth, and brooding dark red fruit; fairly tight, but with potent brightness shining through. Delicious fully ripe yet very fresh and tart berrylike fruit on the palate, sappy, with earthy meaty depth, and sandpaper-like tannins that need some significant time. Nice streak of tea/vegetation in the background, coming out more in the finish, along with stony, earthy minerality. Not at all mature, but quite enjoyable, and fun to get a glimpse of where it’s headed.
Robert, definitely can’t ship wine in from the US. Not even from another province. I wish Martin (along with his wine) would move back to Alberta. I was in his storage facility in SD and what a stash of wine he has. Most of what I can’t get here. I had a very hard time selecting what I wanted. But believe me, my suitcase was over the 50lb limit when I left him.
Wow, 2009 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée is with enough air(second day),really a burner.
Had not really many wine in this price class,that are so good.
Had last bottle February 2014 but this bottle is a step higher.
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