I have never found the 07 Raffault over-ripe like I have so many other wines and regions in 2007 France. I have bought, and consumed, over a case.
OK. I think I had some '07 Raffault at some point, but I don’t really have a sense of that vintage, or '14, in the Loire. Sounds like '14 might have been warmer relative to the norm than it was in Bordeaux. Is that right?
Actually, to me, that statement would be more correct for 2015. The ripeness in 2015 is close to perfect, producing absolutely delicious wines, rounder and deeper. The Baudry Clos Guillott was quite seductive. The 2014 vintage was excellent, something I would label as a classic vintage. The wines had a greater range of red to dark fruits, higher acid, and are more aromatic than 2015. It’s a wonderful duo to buy, but I bought more deeply in 2014.
Now what the weather patterns were exactly, I cannot tell you. I suspect 2015 was warmer, but I do not know that for a fact. I am only describing how I perceive the wines, and I have had a lot of both vintages. To me, 2014 and 2015 is like 1989 and 1990 all over again.
I lost my Rougeard allocation after the 2011 vintage, but I am likely to buy 2014 in the after-market regardless of price. This will be my splurge. Rougeard sold to Bouygues in 2017. The 2014 vintage is that good.
Just remember that I am saving a magnum of the 2007 Raffault just for you when you get your butt to New York.
Jay I keep telling you to stop being cheap! You are likely worth gazillions, billing at $1000+ per hour. If you want to lure the esteemed country squire into your pampered hood, I expect - nay, I demand - double Maggies of 86 Mouton. Step it up!!
I cannot compare 2014 with 1989 (don’t remember drinking 89s young). But, I have had a couple of 2014s side-by-side with 2015s. The 2015s were the riper vintage, but I have liked, at least in these couple of occasions, the 2014s much better. Really elegant wines with long finishes.
The 89s were very big wines young and many showed some alcohol. (I didn’t like them young.) The 14s are much leaner – nothing like 89 – and I, too, like the 14s.
The 1989 Raffault I had was a rich wine, but did not seem to have too much alcohol. I thought it was well balanced.
2014 was the last vintage Charly put into bottle, so it has a nostalgic element too.
Sorry… early morning brain fart. I was referring to '89 Bordeauxs (which seem to have turned out well). Yes, the '89 Raffault Picasses is kind of legendary.
My (not terribly informed) sense has been that Loire reds do better in years that might be riper in Bordeaux than I’d prefer, like '89. But I’m not sure how closely the vintages are correlated in the two regions. 2014 wasn’t particularly warm in Bordeaux, and Raffault’s 2002 was quite good.
Robert,
What 2014 Loire reds have you bought?
In 2014, the weather was cold and bad until late August, when there were five or six weeks of dry, warm weather, which saved the vintage. Without that, it would have been a bad one.
2015 was a lot warmer and although there was a bit of rain in September, it had no adverse effect on the reds which were harvested in good conditions in early October.
2016 suffered from frost damage but had otherwise perfect conditions, I believe.
2017 suffered from frost again, but was another great year for reds.
2018 sounds even better, except for the high levels of alcohol.
So rich pickings to be had!
From memory:
All Baudry cuvees
Raffault Les Picasses
Breton Franc de Pied
Germain Franc de Pied, Memoires and Clos de l’Echelier
Plouzeau Franc de Pied and various other cuvees
Guion Cuvee Prestige
And I know a few others, need to check.
As opposed to Marx who has mooched and consumed over a case.
No, but I don’t believe it’s on the market yet (not on their website anyway).
Thanks
Ha! In your dreams . . . or in mine.
Another mention in this thread about alcohol in red Loire wines. I so rarely find it a problem, which is a major plus. 2015 was excellent in the Loire and too hot for me in Beaujolais. Don’t even mention warm vintages south of Limoges and Lyon (yes, there are always some exceptions if you search hard enough).
Seems like the French are going to need to do more work on little known terroirs (i.e.: Alpine and Pyrenean Reds) to satisfy the AFWE.
Raffault Les Picasses continues its streak as a terrific value!
RT
Ha ha - I’m not sure I qualify as an AFWE! But yes, there can be high alcohol wines in the Loire - Clos de L’Echo regularly clocks in at 14° or more, even 15° for the 2005. Chris Kissack predicts that others will be at 14 or 14.5° in 2018, maybe higher, because of a difference between technical and phenolic ripeness. It’s just a point to look at for those who like me blithely assumed that Loire reds were never that alcohol-heavy, if you don’t like that.
Thanks. I managed to pick some up here in the U.S. for $20 each.