I have already posted notes about some Loire Chenins in Wine Focus. Here are some other wines consumed on the trip.
Hôtel la Cognette at Issoudun
I can strongly recommend this establishment to those who like inventive cooking with an authentic regional accent together with historical and literary associations. This hotel/restaurant was frequented by the 19th century French novelist, Honoré de Balzac, who set one of his novels, La Rabouilleuse, in Issoudun. It had a seamier reputation than just gastronomy in those days. http://www.la-cognette.com/
Reuilly “La Cognette” 2006 – Domaine Claude Lafond – House wine on sale for € 8 in the hotel’s shop.
A deliciously crisp, aromatic and slightly creamy Sauvignon blanc; 15/20.
Sancerre (rouge) 2005 – Domaine Lucien? Crochet (sorry ; there are at least 3 different Crochet estates)
Brilliant light/medium colour and similar weight with delicious pinot noir aromas and grip. A wine like this would be despised by the Parker school but it has a very real gastronomic place; 15.5/20.
Hôtel le Prieuré at Chênehutte-les-Tuffeaux near Saumur
This is a Château/Hôtel superbly situated on a cliff overlooking la Loire. The cooking is good but more conventional than at Issoudun as is its stylishness.
Savennières Château de Chamboureau 2003 – see Wine Focus
Saumur-Champigny 2005 Château de Villeneuve Jean-Pierre Chevallier
His basic cuvée but showing remarkable depth, richness and velvet together with an untypical “sweetness”; 15.5/20 marked down for the “sweetness”.
Domaine René-Noël Legrand – Saumur-Champigny
This estate is an old favourite of mine. I know no other wines which are so instantly recognisable with their deep colour (not much less “black” than Cahors), their aromas of raspberry, plum and clay, their savoury acid flavours and their firm tannins. They are not particularly flattering in their youth (les Lizières 2006 is an exception), need a few years to open up but stay vigorous for many years. For this reason, coupled with Legrand’s distaste for the commercial side, these wines are not as well known as they deserve and are excellent QPR.
This was my first visit for 6 or 7 years and Legrand seems to have slowed down somewhat but remains as articulate and as full of insights as ever. He is muttering about imminent retirement and lack of succession (3 daughters not showing much interest at present). What a shame if this tradition is not perpetuated! Wines from estates like Villeneuve, Hureau, Roche Neuves and Rougeard are excellent, more flattering young, more polished and probably more consistent but I find them less distinctive.
(Notes are from memory. Legrand used my price list with notes to make up my order.)
Les Lizières (matured in “cuve”) 2006 (€ 6) was expressively fruity with an earthy tang and soft tannins. Nice drinking now but Legrand thinks it will improve and last well; 15.5/20 already.
Les Terrages (matured in “cuve”) 2005 (€ 6.50) was firmer with somewhat stiff tannins at present; 14.5/20 + potential.
La Chaintrée (matured in barrels of 2 to 8 years old) 2005 (€ 8) was more generous, flattering on the palate than Terrages showing complex savoury fruit and good structure; 16/20 + potential.
Les Rogelins (matured in new and 1 year old barrels for 18 months) 2005 (€ 14) is Legrand’s top cuvée. I fear that he has got this one wrong. There is impressive matter which is completely dominated at present by dry caramel notes. He is confident that all will integrate in a year or so; I bought 3 bottles to see what happens but am not very confident; 12/20 with ? potential.
Les Rogelins (12 months in new and 1 year old barrels) 2004 (€ 12) showed little wood, aromas of sour cassis and plum, a lot of matter, savoury, acid flavours and marked tannic structure and was markedly less flattering than the 05 Chaintée but I liked it (Germaine did not and it is not Legrand’s favourite); 15/20 now with ++ potential.
La Chaintrée 2002 (€ 7.50) is now ready to drink. Not so big but more typical than the 05s, softer and more flattering and elegant than les Rogelins 04, it showed delicate raspberry and red fruit, gently earthy minerals and good length; 16.5/20.
One wine from each of 95, 97, 99 and 01 was listed and I suspect that there are other vintages available if one twists Legrand’s arm. I still have a reasonable stock of 97s, 96s, 95s and a wonderful 89, which are all still in their prime. However, an 85 is going down-hill and Legrand says that he has sold off his 82s for a symbolic Euro each for the same reason; my last bottle about 5 years ago was still delicious; I wonder if he did not act hastily on the basis of one or two bad bottles; of course, yields were higher then and I noticed that he used shorter corks than more recently.
I thought that Legrand’s wines were only available in France and at one Belgian supermarket but he tells me that he sells small amounts to California (a certain M. Sullivan), Quebec and Hong Kong. Another Belgian importer is folding up.
Back at home
The wonderful “bar de ligne” (line finished sea bass) cooked in a Champagne sauce was bought in Lisieux in Normandy so I stretch a point in including its accompanying wine here.
Les Monts Damnés – Vin de table – 1998 – François Cotat, Chavignol
This is a Sancerre which was refused the appellation because of excessive RS. 10 years later, that seems absurd. The RS is now scarcely perceptible except as unusually rich support for the palate; otherwise the wine shows the usual Cotat density of crisp fruit and minerals, great complexity and length and is only marred from perfection of its kind by a slightly excessive tart greenness on the finish; 16.5/20. Maybe the dish was not ideal for it but it is hard to see what would work better.