This is going to ruin my reputation, but . . . will this do:
2007 Catherine et Pierre Breton Chinon St Louans
I bought it from Pierre Breton when he was at Zachy’s and we spent the afternoon chatting about The Loire about 10 years ago. He signed the bottle for me. He also signed and gave me this poster, which I finally brought to have framed just last week. Do I get extra credit for the autographs?
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PS - How long should I decant the 2007 Breton?
The Huet petillant is widely available and can be excellent. Definitely worth looking for both that and the Foreau.
Hallelujah and thanks, Jay. Cool story and wine poster, BTW. No bonus for the autograph, but remember to post a pic of yourself with the wine along with the TN and all sorts of bonus $ will ensue. Appreciate you being a good sport. With the generous extra contributions from Robert A and Frank this will earn $$$$ for the Semper Fi Fund.
Thread drift . . .
Jay’s poster image generated this flashback to a photo taken several years ago of me with some friends. Nothing to do with Loire wines, but to make it a bit “thready” and not total nonsense, I will donate an extra $10 to the Semper Fi Fund for the first post to correctly identify the city where the photo was taken. Cheers.
With the caveat that I am not necessarily religious when it comes to posting my TNs on CellarTracker, when I sort them by producer, Boulay, Pepiere and Chidaine are ranked 1st, 6th and 9th - we drink a fair amount of Loire whites in our house.
I can’t say the same about reds from the Loire, though, and the 2010 Baudry Chinon Les Granges will not be changing that consumption ratio at any time in the near future. I don’t score wines with my notes, but if I did and was honest in my usage of the 100 point scale, I would struggle to give this more than a 75. As I mentioned in my CT note, perhaps my palate just lacks the receptor for and appreciation of Loire reds (although I have enjoyed Boulay’s Cuvee Oriane once or twice, which I realize is a different grape). The nose is vaguely pleasant, but on the palate the wine comes across as shrill - not a lot of drinking pleasure provided at this time. Too young, or is it just a lousy vintage? I don’t know, but definitely not in my wheelhouse.
2014 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Franc de Pied Les Bournais - France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Montlouis-sur-Loire (12/14/2019)
Lemony, stony and a bit salty in the mid-palate. This actually feels like a rich Muscadet. Odd but satisfying.
Posted from CellarTracker
Posted from CellarTracker
It’s Chidaine Day!
Good to see you David & Kirk. Thanks!
Great minds…
Bob, our household is very similar to yours with the Loire whites. Pepiere, Sancerre (Boulay, Henri Bourgeois, Thomas-Labaille), and mixed Chenin rank as the top wines we currently hold and drink. I am just starting to dip my toes into Loire Cab Franc, but that Boulay Sancerre Rouge you mention would have been a good one for this week as it hits the bonus donation category “Neglected brother”. Really appreciate you joining in the spirit of the thread, Bob.
Cheers -Jim
Jim, If you can find a bottle of the 2005 Nicolas Joly Clos de la Coulée de Serrant that’s a wine I wish I had bought more of. It’s such a singular expression of Chenin Blanc. I’ve had other vintages where there were problems…but he seemed to nail it in 2005. Also, it’s really worth seeking out Guiberteau for reds & whites if you like the Loire.
Thanks for the tips, Kirk.
I’ll “pay you back” with a couple of Loire tips of my own. There is a modest Loire producer in Anjou, Domaine du Petit Clocher, who I am very fond of. Their simple Anjou Blanc (Chenin Blanc) can way outperform its modest label in successful vintages. The Anjou Village Rouge (Cab Franc) can also be very nice. These are not stars of the Loire by any means, but are solid and values. Relatively easy to source on winesearcher. I recommend the '18 Anjou Blanc for a test drive.
I’m not a big fan of the reds from Guiberteau. I find them good (as in nice but not wow) but way over-priced for the quality.
Jim, if my wine inventory system in the cellar was any better than the current “shit all over the place” state, I would have pulled a bottle of the Cuvee Oriane. I did look around briefly yesterday, but no luck in finding it.
However, from a “Dealer’s Choice” perspective, I did just pull the cork on a 1990 Baumard Coteaux du Layon. Fascinating wine - color-wise in the glass, this is just as dark bronze as the '90 Rieussec. Deep caramel notes on the nose, but still showing enough acidity to make this energetic/lively on the palate. I’m having it with some St. Agur Blue Cheese on toasted multi-grain bread, and this is a match made in heaven.
Thanks once again for your charity theme this week - without your “bonus suggestion”, there is no way I would have opened this bottle, and I am enjoying what could best be described as a rather hedonistic lunch!
I can damn near do both of these in one wine. I opened the red 2000 Henry Pelle Menetou-Salon Morogues “Les Cris” with a cheese plate. This bottle had a strong resemblance to a good Haute Cotes wine that is a couple of years past best drinking – some sous bois, fading dried cherries, and enough acidity to cleanse the palate and give definition to what flavors are there. My previous bottle of this, 3-4 years ago, showed much better, enough so that I thought it would be safe to hold my last bottle a few more years. I don’t know if I just made a poor assessment, or if it’s just bottle variation, but this bottle definitely would have been better 5 years ago.
Great, Great , Great !!! Those older sweet Chenins turn to “the dark side” pretty quickly and, yours is almost 30 years old,I can only imagine the color. - Wow ! Very pleased to hear you are having a great lunch of the Coteaux du Layon with the St Augur. You made my day, Bob! Thanks
Lee, Great that you opened the Menetou-Salon (Pinot Noir). Sorry it seemed a little past prime for you, but thanks for giving it a go this week! Cheers.
When I was a working stiff, part of the organizational/human resources plan involved an employee setting annual objectives at the beginning of the year and then having achievement against these objectives a part of their end of year performance review and ultimately their salary increase and any bonus. I learned to play that game well.
I bought this wine in anticipation of hosting this thread. I set up a bonus challenge that I would meet by opening this wine. Though I have been retired for several years, some MO’s persist.
2018 Domaine Pepiere “La Pepie” Cot
Cot is Malbec. In addition to the more well known Argentinian wines, it is grown for wine around Cahors and also in the Loire Valley. In Muscadet, Pepiere makes a Cot which surprised me. The wine itself is pleasantly surprising. Deep dark ruby red like the Argentinian, but the fruit is fresh, dry, and slightly tart. Acid in moderation. Reminded me a little of some Beaujolais actually. Very drinkable. 12% alcohol. A pleasant unpretentious wine.
P.S.
-This post qualifies for one of the “Pepiere complements” bonuses as a non-Muscadet Pepiere
-Surely, some WB out there can claim the other “Pepiere complements” bonus by opening and posting on a non-Pepiere Muscadet ?
