Oh yea this is total comfort food for a rough day, mine started at 3:30 AM. Several crises to manage. Figured that I needed to grab something that would make me happy. Rougeard makes my happy.
Decanted, been enjoying for a couple hours. I will readily acknowledge that you should hold off another 5 years. I know that. I said that when I popped one in 2020 and dropped a note. But I will also say, this wine is flat out delish, especially as it is starting to unfurl and evolve into this wonderful herbal savory thing that one expects from a classy Loire Cab Franc.
The nose is a bit muted at present. Not an expressive note just yet like the 2005 Les Poyeaux that I had a month or so ago, but still, has all the hallmarks of what I want in Loire CF: Savory herbs, mint, tobacco leaf and a hint of bell pepper. Palate is impeccably balanced, such a great balance of red fruits and savory things, some rich wet deep soil, starting to integrate into something silky, sexy. All folded into a balanced structural substrate of both acids and tannins.
Unmistakably, unabashedly, Cabernet Franc. Nobody does it like Rougeard. Well, there is Cheval Blanc . . . .
Rougeard market dynamics fascinate me. Never having had one, I wonder/have to ask: with this being their entry-level bottling and all, is it truly better than pretty much every other Loire Cab Franc out there? After all, it is more expensive than nearly ever other one ā¦
any clue about the '06 Poyeux and Bourg? Theyāre the only two Iām holding, and only a single of each; I splurged for them a few years ago, and that purchase, from a value appreciate perspective, is proving to have been a good one ā likely will be the only time I ever buy Rougeard ā and Iād like to pop those bottles as close to the ideal time as possible.
Chateau Yvonne doesnt suck and its generally $50 to $65 a bottle. Entry level Collier is no slouch either but both cant touch Rougeard when Charly made it. 2016 and beyond Rougeard could be another story.
The 2006s are drinking very attractively! Bourg really began to integrate its oak a few years ago and now dominates. Even if Iām more of a Poyeux-sympathizer in theory.
Brian, I had the 2005 Poyeaux a month ago, it was spectacular. Given that reference point, I would have assumed that 2006 was approachable, and now we see Williamās post. Iām glad you bought those, as I believe it is these two cuvees they will demonstrate to you where Rougeard is in the so-called hierarchy. These can be amazing wines, and generally well outperform their peers. That said, it is generally hard to justify the price of Les Clos if you are paying that with the expectation that is is that much better than its peers. You buy it because it is Rougeard and gives you that glimpse to the style. Les Poyeaux is the sh*ts!!!
10-4 re: 2016+ Rougeard ā a wait and see approach seems prudent.
With Yvonne and Collier, are you talking reds, whites, or both? Iāve not yet had a Yvonne; the only Collier I had was the entry Saumur Blanc ā '16, I think ā I thought it was good, but I prefer cheaper versions from Guiberteau and Boudignon, and thatās not even taking price into consideration.
Have you had a Gauthier / Bel Air āClos Nouveauā yet? The only one Iāve had thus far ā the '16 ā essentially had me soiling myself, and immediately from the first sip, at that. I would love to hear from someone who likes that wine, and has also had Rougeard, and hear their opinions re: comparison between the two. The way it struck me strongly conjured thoughts of how people frequently describe Rougeard.
Drinking a 2019 Breton Franc de Pied next to the remainder of the 2014 Rougeard from last night. This Breton is nice, but this is where you see how Rougeard out-classes.
Brian have you had any Joguet Chene Vert? Also top of the Loire CF food chain for me.
Iāll try and keep it shortā¦ Incidentally, Iāve had a lot of Baudry (Grezaux, Croix B, and Franc de Pieds 2011, the latter a wonderful wine), Thierry Germain (Franc de Pieds 2014), Breton (FdP 2018) over the last two weeks, and Iāve also had a line-up of Clos Rougeard (le Clos 05 and 08, les Poyeux 07 and 08), all over the last two weeks. Much as I love all of these other winesā¦ CR (especially the Poyeux) is to me simply in a different category. Iāve been drinking CR for over twenty years now, have spoken to people, have read up on it, and I still donāt quite know why, but I know that to me it is definitely different and better than anything else that Iāve ever had from the Loire. Iāve also decided that itās about time for me to stop trying to rationalise the fact. Yes , it is better than anything else there, and no, there is nothing else like it, at least for the time being.
Donāt think so; certainly not recently. I think Iāve recently seen that bottling at one of my locals ā Iāll grab a bottle next time to check it out.
With the caveat that I havenāt drunk as much Rougeard as Alf (though Iāve had my share), Iām going to disagree with this assertion. For me, though Poyeux is a step up from the Clos, the gap between Les Clos and any other Loire Cab Franc (that Iāve discovered so far) is greater than the gap between Clos and Poyeux.
