TN: Winex Tasting - Loire Valley Primer

LOIRE VALLEY PRIMER - Wine Exchange - Orange, CA (7/9/2009)

This was an interesting tasting with some appellations and varieties one does not come across everyday. One thing that was quite apparent is the wide array of unique wines coming out of this vast region. After a tasting like this you can readily see just how complex the Loire Valley is. I hesitate to think how long it will take to get a grasp on all the appellations, grape varieties, terroirs, and producers represented in this part of France.


Melon de Bourgogne

• 2007 Gilbert Chon Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Selection Vielles Vignes Clos de la Chapelle - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine
  Pale yellow with a vibrant mineral infused nose showing notes of citrus, stone fruits, slate, and flowers. Quite steely and slightly earthy in the mouth with obvious mineral character, though lacking substantial fruit presence. Pleasant, minerally, and approachable; exactly the type of experience you look for in good Muscadet. (86 pts.)

Sauvignon Blanc

• 2007 Xavier Frissant Touraine Les Roses du Clos - France, Loire Valley, Touraine
  Pale gold with a very unique and interesting nose that has aromas of melon, kiwi, and lime. The palate is high toned with nice acidity, bracing minerality, and flavors of lime and other citrus fruits. Quite unique with excellent character at this price point. This wine is 100% Fié Gris (aka Sauvignon Rosé). Suffice to say this varietal was a first for me and certainly a great experience. (88 pts.)
• 2008 Domaine du Adéle Rouzé Quincy - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Quincy
  Very pale platinum tone in the glass along with some spritz. The nose is very grassy in tone with a hint of sulfur, although there are aromas of apricot and chalk. The palate shows more of the same with grassy flavors of stone fruits and minerals leading to a slightly abrupt finish. Certainly unique but I think this wine needs time to come together. 87+ (87 pts.)
• 2006 Claude Michot Pouilly-Fumé Les Berthiers - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé
  This wine is so delicate and so understated on the nose that you just get lost trying to find specific aromas. I did get impressions of white flowers, strawberries, and citrus. The palate opens up with attractive mouth feel and like the nose has tremendous elegance and restraint. The flavors are quite mineral infused and include oyster shell and citrus. This was the most subtle yet seductive dry white of the tasting for me. (89 pts.)
• 2007 Gerard & Pierre Morin Sancerre Vieilles Vignes - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
  Pale yellow and very intriguing on the nose with aromas of bees wax, cantaloupe, preserved lemons, and honeysuckle. The palate yields superb texture, fresh acidity, and a great finish. The flavors like the nose are very complex including notes of citrus, flint, and honeydew. This is a very unique wine and the best dry white of the tasting in my opinion. (91 pts.)

Pinot Gris et Romorantin

• 2008 Denis Jamain Reuilly - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Reuilly
  This stuff is very interesting, it is a pale yellow pink wine made from Pinot Gris. The nose comes across as a combination of a red and a white with aromas of soft red berries, orange, cinnamon, and herbs. The flavors are attractive and unique with a slight rustic tinge to the spice and red berry character. This offers more complexity and individuality than most rosé type wines you come across. (89 pts.)
• 2007 Pascal Bellier Cour-Cheverny - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Cour-Cheverny
  This has a crazy raspberry seltzer explosion on the nose along with tinges of rustic earth, minerals, and mint. The palate is more restrained with a slightly stalky herbed quality to the sweet berry fruit. The finish is short but this wine has enough unique qualities to make it enjoyable. (87 pts.)

Chenin Blanc

• 2007 Sylvie Thermeau Savennières Moulin de Chavigné - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières
  When I first smelled this wine I had a feeling it would be polarizing. First off the nose is just crazy with rustic reductive and burning fabric aromas. The palate does yield sweet melon and white cherry flavors along with orange on the finish, but like the nose there is tremendous earth and smoke infusion throughout. I can appreciate the style and quality (and I do like it) but what a crazy dirty wine. 87? (87 pts.)
• 2007 Domaine des Aubuisières Vouvray Cuvée de Silex - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
  An attractive nose with sweet citrus and stone fruit aromas supported by flint and minerals. The palate is slightly off dry with flavors of stone fruits and good mineral infusion. Not a lot of complexity showing but pleasant enough. Sort of reminds me of a halbtrocken styled Riesling from Rheingau. (87 pts.)
• 2007 Champalou Vouvray Cuvée des Fondraux - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
  Tropical honeyed tones to the aromas which include tangerine, raspberry, kettle corn, and slate. The palate is semi sweet and somewhat simple with slate infused berry flavors. I was hoping for more character on the palate from this wine but it is a solid effort nonetheless. (88 pts.)

Rosé et Vins Rouge

• 2008 Clos de La Briderie Touraine-Mesland - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Touraine-Mesland
  Very soft pink in the glass with primary aromas of bubblegum, raspberry, and grapefruit. The palate shows a refreshing sweet and sour contrast to the flavors of raspberry, grapefruit, and watermelon. The fruit is slightly more candied than I would like to see but all in all this is quite an attractive rosé. (87 pts.)
• 2006 Francois Crochet Sancerre Rouge - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre Rouge
  Bright red purple throughout. The nose is pure yet stemmy with aromas of wild cherry, slate, and smoke. The palate yields nice grip, good acidity, and approachable yet chewy tannins. There are slight hints of bubblegum and cherry flavors but the fruit is hard to get a handle on at this stage. I hope this gains additional fruit, complexity, and suppleness with age. 87+? (87 pts.)
• 2006 Domaine Gouron Chinon - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon
  Brilliant dark red purple in the glass. The aromas are very pure and berry driven including notes of blackberry, black currant, and violets. The flavors are fresh and grippy with kind of a berry fruit drink quality. This is certainly approachable but obviously well structured with sweet firm tannins. Somewhat primary now but a stunning value at this price point. (89 pts.)
• 2006 Domaine de Pallus Chinon Les Pensées de Pallus - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon
  Vibrant ruby purple to the rim. Right away you can tell the nose is superb as it is very pure and understated but the aromas just waft out. Currant leaf, boysenberry, roses, black raspberry, and underlying minerals. The palate has wonderfully perfumed red berry fruit with subtle earth and mineral nuances to the cherry laced finish. The firm tannins are sweet and fresh giving this wine great balance, structure, and poise. This is an awesome wine and easily the best of the reds in my opinion. (92 pts.)
• 2007 Catherine et Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Galichets - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil
  This offers loads of currants, berries, flowers, minerals, and leaves on the perfumed nose. The palate is very structured with attractive yet gripping tannins which buttress flavors of currant essence and minerals. Not especially approachable at this stage but should be spectacular with some time. 90+ (90 pts.)

Le Vin Doux

• 2004 Domaine des Baumard Coteaux du Layon Clos de Sainte Catherine - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon
  Brilliant light gold in the glass. Quite honeyed and opulent on the nose with oily aromas of apple, honeysuckle, and slate. The palate is very supple and glossy with flavors of honey, apricot chutney, botrytis, and plenty of mineral essence. This wine is well balanced with admirable complexity and restraint. (92 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Wow, nice work, Dustin!

I didn’t take as detailed notes, but I did have a few favorites, and some surprises.

I found the Xavier Frissant Touraine ‘Les Roses du Clos’ 2007 to have a nose full of cat pee and grass, with some lemon and sweet citrus on the palate - good acidity, but I’m averse to cat pee, so I couldn’t get into it.

The Adele Rouze Quincy 2008, however, was more to my liking. Diesel, apple, and cinnamon on the nose, nice mouthfeel, and just a bit of sweetness. I picked up a bottle on the way out.

The Sancerre from Gerard & Pierre Morin had this odd ash thing going on in the nose - like BBQ ashes or something. Strong minerality also came through, very high acid.

I was enjoying the Champalou Vouvray ‘La Cuvee des Fondraux’ 2007, but it’s level of sweetness started getting to me, as it carried through on the finish.

The Domaine Gouron Chinon 2006 was quite enjoyable, but for what I had perceived as some malolactic fermentation - whether it had it or not, I do not know. I enjoyed the green papper, tannins, with a palate of black cherry, minerals/rocks, and some fresh soil. For $11.99, had it not been for the malo component, I would have bought several.

The highlight for me was, as with several others, the Baumard Coteaux du Layon ‘Clos Sainte Catherine’ 2004 - I’d like to see how this late harvest wine lasts, but it is fully enjoyable at present, and for $20 for a 750ml, it was a screaming deal.

Very good tasting… I’ve already consumed a bottle of the Muscadet (which I liked way better than Dustin… or maybe I’m just an easier grader) and of the Frissant. Not the level of cat pee on this that you find on Aussie versions; in fact, this is very subdued. What both of these wines had was high acid that makes them great refreshing summer wines.

Let’s hope Dustin breaks out of his shell and joins us at one of the OC OLs… good palate and he’d be a good fit…and he looks exactly like in the avatar.

Todd: Thanks for posting some of your impressions. I thought the Adele Rouze Quincy was good and quite unique but brutally young. I could easily see it improving with some time… I actually saw visible spritz in my glass as I tasted it so maybe it opened up later in the tasting. I have to agree with you on the Baumard, a very complex and balanced wine with plenty of potential… look forward to revisiting that one down the road. What did you think of the Termeau Savennieres? That thing was gnarly but I still dug it.


James: Very good to meet you at the tasting. That Chon Muscadet is a great wine and yea I was probably a little hard on it but it just didn’t seem to have as much density as some of the other whites such as the Frissant. I think Muscadet in that style is a wine that would sing with food… steely minerality without overbearing fruit distracting the food. Oh and that’s not me in the avatar… but ehh it’s close enough.


Thanks for the replies guys.

Sorry I didn’t get to meet you Dustin. I’ll blame VP Dietz for not introducing us. Here is my impressions looking back over my notes.

• 2007 Gilbert Chon Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Selection Vielles Vignes Clos de la Chapelle - France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine
  Tight nose. Elegant soft palate with an oily feel and some minerals with the fruit hiding a bit. Not the taught focused wines I usually like from Muscadet but still nice.
  
  
  
• 2007 Xavier Frissant Touraine Les Roses du Clos - France, Loire Valley, Touraine
  Smells like a litter box full of pee with some flowers thrown in a vain attempt to cover the smell. Green with herbals and more cat pee. Big finish but…
• 2008 Domaine du Adéle Rouzé Quincy - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Quincy
  Diesely oily nose with notes of lime and a slate quality. Tight and concentrated in a sappy way with some minerals. Good stuff and in need of some unwind time.
• 2006 Claude Michot Pouilly-Fumé Les Berthiers - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé
  Heavy nose with lime and cat pee. Rough finish but some slate nose. Like the Muscadet, lacked the focus I like from wines of this region.
• 2007 Gerard & Pierre Morin Sancerre Vieilles Vignes - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
  Nose of veggies and green beans. Tart mineral water lacking fruit expression. Picked a bit early me thinks.
  
  
  
• 2008 Denis Jamain Reuilly - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Reuilly
  Slightly pink in color evidently from some skin contact. Tight rocky nose. Very lean with some minerals. A different expression of Pinot Gris than I am used to and I liked it some. [/b]
• 2007 Pascal Bellier Cour-Cheverny - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Cour-Cheverny
  Very aromatic wine with some herbals. Flowery sweet fruit reminiscent of Viognier.
  
  
  
• 2007 Sylvie Thermeau Savennières Moulin de Chavigné - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières
  This was much different than any Savennieres I have had before or any dry white for that matter. The nose confused me smelling like maybe some boytritis was present or possible very ripe fruit. Maybe some oxidation? Round and waxy palate brings me back to boytritis…but in Savennieres!!! Luckily I had a great example later in the evening at Todd’s.
• 2007 Domaine des Aubuisières Vouvray Cuvée de Silex - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
  Sulfur gun flint on the nose. Very dry balanced and well fruited. Finish is a bit rough but I think this needs more bottle time.
• 2007 Champalou Vouvray Cuvée des Fondraux - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
  Nose shows boytritis. Little bit of residual sugar here on a tight narrow palate. Very pretty and clean, focused. Probably the best wine of the tasting to me thought Vouvray isn’t high on my list of favs. Lay this down for 10 years.
  
  
  
• 2008 Clos de La Briderie Touraine-Mesland - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Touraine-Mesland
  Sharp nose of berry soda. Lean yet juicy. Sweet tart berry melange. Nicely zingy and lively. I hate the term ‘summer quaffer’ but this is good one for just that.
• 2006 Francois Crochet Sancerre Rouge - France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre Rouge
  Big rich nose. Rich and tannic with primary grapey fruits that are not expressive. Drying finish. Surprisingly rich for a wine of the type but when will they get around to ripping out the Pinot in Sancerre and planting more SB? Maybe some Chardonnay?
• 2006 Domaine Gouron Chinon - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon
  Soily nose with some slight notes of peppers. Bell peppers on the palate with plenty of tannin. Nice example of a basic Chinon. Needs rest.
• 2006 Domaine de Pallus Chinon Les Pensées de Pallus - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon
  Reductive stank followed by some potting soil notes. Brightly fruited with lot’s of berry notes and on the lean side. Very fruity for Cab Franc and probably made for a more modern audience. Not the best use of the grape and region.
• 2007 Catherine et Pierre Breton Bourgueil Les Galichets - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil
  Big aromatic and very complex nose. Very well balanced with some nice florals. More in line of what I expect from the region also in comparison to the last wine. Easily the best red on the day and maybe the best wine. Seems more for the short term being as open as it was. Picked up some of this.
  
  
  
• 2004 Domaine des Baumard Coteaux du Layon Clos de Sainte Catherine - France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Coteaux du Layon
  Smells like a Riesling to me. Balanced and lightly expressive. Good dose of RS, more than I expected for an 04. Very nice for the type but still not in my wheel house. A bargain at $20 though.

Posted from CellarTracker

Cris… I don’t even know why you bother drinking wine… you like so little…

But his dislike of wine really helps his post count.

Just sayin’!

Hey… I’m up to 53 or something… like I said, you could help a brother out by tacking on tres ceros to give me some street cred, but noooooooooooo. You’d rather dink around with a server, seeing just h o w s l o w y o u c o u l d m a k e i t go

Obviously it was slow enough to keep you from posting.

Perhaps we should switch back!

Well if you like everything then you can stick to the grocery store. And you never know what to like until we tell you at the end of the tastings.

There’s a LOT of wine out there. It pays to discriminate or you end up with crap in your cellar you never want to drink…but that never happens to you right?

I bring my crap to drink with you at Houstons or Gulfstream or at the house… haven’t you noticed? [middle-finger.gif] 1982 LLC, 1991 Monte Bello, 1947 Lopez de Heredia, and I could go on and on.

Do NOT mention Miner…

I’ll bring some unknown appellation cheapies next time so you will have something to like.


FWIW, last years Loire tasting at WineX was much better. This one was scatter shot.