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WTN: Loire Valley Wines

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Jenise

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WTN: Loire Valley Wines

by Jenise » Tue Oct 16, 2018 2:25 pm

So the Dorks got together to drink wines from the Loire Valley and were joined this month by Warren Taranow who some of you may know from Wine Berserkers. Unfortunately I wasn't able to transcribe my notes before leaving for Europe, so the trail on some of my impressions is a bit cold--feels like a lifetime ago. Three wines poured I took notes on but somehow never got the information from the bottle--kind of hard to drink, taste, pass, write, eat etc all at the same time, and I invariably miss a few and I'm too busy to chase the bottles that didn't get passed to me after the reveal.


2007 Domaine Huet Vouvray Pétillant Cuvée Huet Brut Chenin Blanc
WT's. Five weeks have passed since I took notes which seem to indicate that I found the bubbles a bit underwelming even for an 11 year old wine. Also noted bitter almond notes on the finish.

NV Domaine Brazilier Coteaux du Vendômois Brut Methode Traditionnelle Pineau d'Aunis
Tim's. Fruity with some RS, but not lacking complexity or refinement. Especially for $8/bottle.

2009 Domaine de la Fontainerie Vouvray Pétillant Brut Chenin Blanc
Vic's bottle. "Dandelion and Colman's mustard" say my notes. And "good acidity for a warm vintage." I wrote that over a month ago with indicating whether or not any of this is a compliment. I'm guessing not.

2014 Domaine Pierre Luneau-Papin Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine LE « L » D’OR Melon de Bourgogne
Tim's. Seaspray, parmesan rind, citrus, melon, the whole package. Fabulous.

2015 Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Sauvignon Blanc
Bart's. Wow. Super intense with serious weight and concentration. OFS.

2016 Marc Brédif Vouvray Classic Chenin Blanc
Gabe's. Very pale. Pear-apple fruit with exotic background notes; exciting on the palate.

2015 Jonathan Didier Pabiot Pouilly-Fumé Sauvignon Blanc
Bart's. Pineapple, honey, apricot and green apple skin. Great mouthfeel and long finish--a great wine.

2015 Domaine Masson-Blondelet Pouilly-Fumé Les Angelots Sauvignon Blanc
My last bottle, an orphan I didn't realize I had another of. Happy find, best showing yet. Kaleidoscopic complexity with some enticing green bell pepper notes this time. Everyone declared it a "baby Dagenau".

Here was a wine from Bart who always makes smart choices. "Excellent, broad shoulders, wow, amazing for the vintage, must have picked early"...but I didn't catch it's name.

2011 Stéphane et Vincent Perraud Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Selection des Cognettes Melon de Bourgogne
Doran's. Pithy with gunpowder notes, very dry with good minerality.

2016 Tortoise Creek Wines Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Le Charmel Muscadet Sevre et Maine Melon de Bourgogne
Mark's. Very peachy, sweet and new worldy. Plenty of fruit and very little minerality or other Muscadet typicity. Thumbs down.

2014 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Franc de Pied Les Bournais Chenin Blanc
WT's. Golden color. A fascinator of rich undertones, precise acidity and a little of that wool sock thing Chenins can do. Everyone agreed it doesn't quite taste like Vouvray--but wasn't criticism.

2015 Domaine Des Augustins Vouvray Silex Chenin Blanc
Doran's. Excellent wine, though drinks more like a Savvennieres than a Vouvray to my tastes. Cheesy with rainier cherry overtones--a little odd at first but it grew on me and in the end I wanted more.

1991 Caves São João Bairrada Reserva Quinta do Poço do Lobo Red Blend
Doran's. Poor notes from other CTers not validated by this excellent bottle. Youthful and amazing, would never have believed the age--nor the price tag, just $15, paid this year.

2015 Domaine Gerard Fiou Sancerre Rouge Terroir Silex Pinot Noir
Tim's. Pinot Noir all day, very very good.

2015 Tissot (Bénédicte et Stéphane / André et Mireille) Arbois Amphore Trousseau
Mine. Like I said, short on Loire reds at the moment so I thought this would be a fun ringer. Crab apple cinnamon, someone said 'dill' which I don't get at all, Christmas candle and orange peel. Drinks like an older Loire Pinot. Mark's WOTN.

2009 Domaine Bernard Baudry Chinon La Croix Boissée Cabernet Franc
Mine. Gamey and ripe black fruit nose, meaty/animal notes on the palate. Huge body and sturdy tannins. Not at all typical Loire CF but fun for what it is and popular at the table.

And here's something novel. Doran apparently passed a Cab Franc that we all liked quite a bit "for an entry level Loire CF". I didn't catch the name but my note includes this, in quotes, meaning someone else said it and at the time I thought it was terribly relevant: "Cab Franc f-ed with me." No idea.

2009 Lucien Crochet Sancerre Rouge La Croix du Roy Pinot Noir
Vic's. Heavenly nose of plums, tomatoes and a little funk, instantly recognizable as pinot noir. On the palate, more plums, green olives and drying tannins on the palate. Loved it, but drink up, it's time.

2016 Château de Coulaine Chinon Cabernet Franc
Mark's. Very young, macerated grapey nose, fresh and juvenile on the palate. Too young for me to appreciate.

One of Tim's wines floated by. It was Cab Franc but didn't impress most as CF because of the unusually big body and ripe fruit. No idea what it was, though.

1990 Couly-Dutheil Chinon Clos de l'Olive Cabernet Franc
WT's. What? This beautiful wine's a 1990 and there's only been one Cellar Tracker TN on it EVER? [dumbstruck] Anyway, pretty tertiary with loads of spice on warm roasted red peppers. A true testament to longevity, and a favorite of the night.

2016 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Cabernet Franc
Gabe's. Mixed comments from the table: durable, average, good entry, hot finish.

1996 Château Larmande St. Émilion Grand Cru Red Bordeaux Blend
Mine. So I was leaving for ten days in St. Emilion and didn't have a lot of red Loire around, so this seemed like a fun addition to the night--en pointe for me and Bob if no one else. Deliciously imperfect mature claret. Taupe-y light red color with some orange hues. The merlot really shows on the nose with notes of powdered sugar donuts and violets, and the fully tertiary maturity brings some interesting green olives to the mid palate and finish.

1959 Moulin Touchais Anjou Blanc Chenin Blanc
WT's. tawny color. Super tart, incredible acid, under bottled white cherries (a flavor of my childhood), apricots, pear-apple and vanilla bean. No noticeably botrytis. Tons of resonance in every sip.
My wine shopping and I have never had a problem. Just a perpetual race between the bankruptcy court and Hell.--Rogov
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David M. Bueker

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Re: WTN: Loire Valley Wines

by David M. Bueker » Tue Oct 16, 2018 3:36 pm

2014 François Chidaine Montlouis-sur-Loire Franc de Pied Les Bournais Chenin Blanc
WT's. Golden color. A fascinator of rich undertones, precise acidity and a little of that wool sock thing Chenins can do. Everyone agreed it doesn't quite taste like Vouvray--but wasn't criticism.


I've had that wine, and my reaction was "so what."
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ChaimShraga

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Re: WTN: Loire Valley Wines

by ChaimShraga » Wed Oct 17, 2018 3:34 pm

Vacheron is major leagues.
Positive Discrimination For White Wines!
http://2GrandCru.blogspot.com

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