MoFo
Badass!
Those guys are clearly not mild mannered small town attorneys.
MOFO
Dead serious. And they use that acronym. And have for years. Used it when I was out on San Fran back at the start of my career. Best. Name. Ever. For a law firm.
So quick notes on 96 Joguet clos de la dioterie. If you have 'em time to do the deed. Tannins fully resolved, fruit is just a bit ripe but still lots of aromatics on swirl, not a trace of heaviness, good complexity, love the 12.5.
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I couldn’t agree more - the exceptional run of vintages since 2014 have produced wonderful entry-level wines, including from the co-ops (I’ve had several from the one you mention). The QPR is just stunning. And yes, there are so many to choose from.
I think there’s another reason for Loire reds suddenly attracting more interest - tastes have changed. With very few exceptions, Loire reds are light years away from the sweet, even syrupy, oak-heavy, high alcohol stuff that was in vogue a few years ago. Most of the good producers are organic or bio-dynamic and their wines have fresh, crunchy fruit that is what people like nowadays, especially younger drinkers. Drinking a Roches-Neuves after just about any St.Emilion is a refreshing revelation.
Richou is a producer I haven’t heard of before. Can you provide some info and say a little bit about general style, by any chance? What are the price points like? Worth searching for if not available locally? Always happy to learn about new producers.
This thread is making it very hard to avoid opening a 2014 Guiberteau Les Motelles that I bought recently from a local restaurant’s wine list. I’ve had their (lovely & crystalline) Chenins before but never a red offering.
I’ve only had the base wines (white and red). The red (2015 or 2016), I have to say, just did not show well when I opened it, about 6 months ago. Came off as in your face and unintegrated. Better on day 2, but still not a great experience. So I’d respectfully counsel waiting.
That said, there are definitely people on here with more experience with Guiberteau than I’ve had, including the “cru” bottlings, so hopefully they’ll chime in.
Oh wow! I admittedly am no expert on aged Cab Franc - I’ve probably had literally fewer than 5 bottles with more than three or four years’ age - but that’s a bit disconcerting.
I think they’re probably just fairly structured wines that need some bottle age to unwind and integrate. I wouldn’t stress about it; I’d use it as an excuse to go shopping for some younger drinking bottles 
Agreed. The 15 blew us away.
Troy—have you tried the Les Poyeaux? They’re kind of pricey by Loire cf standards, but I might be inclined to put a couple more in the cellar based on the domaine wine.
I have 3 bottles on order from Envoyer. Last time I looked they had a few more on the website.
I had a bottle of the Le Clos Guillot on Friday. Zero Brett; medium weight and acid, on the palate wild raspberries, slightly sour cherries and all of these and green brambles on the nose. Like tasting a country lane in summer, thoroughly enjoyable. Not saying you are anything other than correct in your assessment of the bottle you drank, just that it ain’t necessarily so.
Nice post, Jonathan. I think Guillot is awesome in this vintage. It’s normally my third fave of the three top cuvees in the Baudry line-up, but in 2015, it’s tops now for sure. Perhaps Croix Boisse edges it with time. And yes, like you note, any bottle can have brett.
Look what you (and this thread, again) made me do! From the same restaurant’s list, along with a couple of Beaujolais.
2016 - my first Guion as well.
Good choice! I’d humbly suggest lots of air exposure before drinking.
Be sure to post a note.
Domaine Richou is a great producer based in Anjou; here’s a bit about them from the US importer’s page: https://vintage59.com/our-portfolio-2/richou_anjou/ Wines are around $25-30 retail, and up from there for the top cuvees, but very reasonably priced for what they deliver.
Style-wise: for me, the wines combine the freshness you’d expect with a dense core, a meaty/fleshy mouth-filling flavor. No brett in any bottles I’ve had, all superbly clean in a way that allows the fruit to shine. Notably, they often have a good percentage of Cab Sauv blended with the Franc, a full 20% in their entry-level; of course plenty of other producers do this, but they do it in a way that really and truly clicks. They open slowly, and and become unexpectedly and delightfully full given a bit of oxygen.
Quick disclaimer, I’m perhaps biased as I sell their wine in my state…but then again, I only sell it because I think it rocks! I’ve seen their basic Anjou turn heads on beginners and long-time Loire fans alike.
So in the interests of science opened a 2016 Baudry les clos Guillot. Savory and delicious. Needs many years obviously, but what a wonderful core of pure rich savory cabernet franc with a firm acid frame. Not an ounce of heaviness. Really distinctive and delicious. Happy Saturday.
After pondering that bottle of the domaine wine for another day, I just ordered a couple of the Poyeaux 2015. I’ve already got a bit of the 16. Really need to open one ASAP once they arrive. High hopes for these.
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