WTN: 2004 Domaine de Bellivière Coteaux du Loir

[David M. Bueker]

2004 Domaine de Bellivière Coteaux du Loir Hommage à Louis Derré
Like a number of French reds in 2004, this smells like someone crushed out a cigar in the glass. Yes there's some red fruit in there, but the ashen character carries forward to the parched palate that has tannins that can be most politely described as chalky. The angular finish is more acute than right.

Sorry to hear that, this is one of the estates I hope to visit in June...

2004 Domaine de Bellivière Coteaux du Loir Hommage à Louis Derré
Like a number of French reds in 2004, this smells like someone crushed out a cigar in the glass. Yes there's some red fruit in there, but the ashen character carries forward to the parched palate that has tannins that can be most politely described as chalky. The angular finish is more acute than right.

Your note reads like a red wine so I guess that this is a Pineau d'Aunis cuvée. (I didn't realise that "Coteaux du Loir" included reds.) That type of taste is quite common in a lot of 2004 whites as well. Eric Nicolas attributes it to the drought of 2003. I like it better than you do but would hesitate to offer a glass of a 2004 like this to guests.

Don't be deterred, Oswaldo, from visiting Bellivière by this 2004 peculiarity. The wines are usually brilliant.

[David M. Bueker]

Oswaldo,

Tim's right, you should not feel negative about visiting. This cigar ash element is something I have found in 2004s from the Loire, Beaujolais, Burgundy, etc. I don't mind it much if it's not too prevalent. Unfortunately some wines are more marked by it than others. I have not seen it in other vintages from the places where I have noted it in 2004s.

Eric Nicolas attributes it to the drought of 2003.

This cigar ash element is something I have found in 2004s from the Loire, Beaujolais, Burgundy, etc..

Interesting idea about after-effects on the vines from 2003. Any correlation between the intensity of this ash flavor in 2004 and the intensity of this 2003 drought?

Any correlation between the intensity of this ash flavor in 2004 and the intensity of this 2003 drought?

Nicolas says that there is a correlation.

This cigar ash element is something I have found in 2004s from the Loire, Beaujolais, Burgundy, etc. I don't mind it much if it's not too prevalent. Unfortunately some wines are more marked by it than others. I have not seen it in other vintages from the places where I have noted it in 2004s.

You want cigar ash, try the Côt from Clos Roche Blanche from 2004. Has it in s-p-a-d-e-s. Actually, no. A spade is too small. Has it in shovelfuls.