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July Wine Focus: Loire Whites

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July Wine Focus: Loire Whites

by Robin Garr » Thu Jun 30, 2011 11:39 am

Added: Since this thread is already getting started, let's just use it to start our July Wine Focus. Gentlefolk, pull your corks!

I think David got a consensus with this suggestion last month:

David M. Bueker wrote:So how about "Wines of a Century" as June, then we move on to Loire whites for July?


Hearing no objection, let's start uncorking ...

Loire Whites

from Muscadet to Vouvray to Pouilly-Fumé and everything else that's white from the region - where, of course, most of the wine is white. :)
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by Lou Kessler » Thu Jun 30, 2011 7:58 pm

Robin Garr wrote:I think David got a consensus with this suggestion last month:

David M. Bueker wrote:So how about "Wines of a Century" as June, then we move on to Loire whites for July?


Hearing no objection, let's start uncorking ...

Loire Whites

from Muscadet to Vouvray to Pouilly-Fumé and everything else that's white from the region - where, of course, most of the wine is white. :)

Is David B. leaving town? If you don't like Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire your palate contains a serious cavity. :( OH well none of us are perfect. :wink:
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by Robin Garr » Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:38 pm

Lou Kessler wrote:Is David B. leaving town? If you don't like Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire your palate contains a serious cavity. :( OH well none of us are perfect. :wink:

Two words: Chenin Blanc. 8)
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by Lou Kessler » Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:42 pm

Robin Garr wrote:
Lou Kessler wrote:Is David B. leaving town? If you don't like Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire your palate contains a serious cavity. :( OH well none of us are perfect. :wink:

Two words: Chenin Blanc. 8)

Do you have to give up one to drink the other? NEVER!!!! To the wine barricades!
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by Dale Williams » Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:44 pm

Robin Garr wrote:Two words: Chenin Blanc. 8)


Four more: Melon de Bourgogne, Romorantin.

I agree Davd is horribly flawed in his dislike of SB, but it's not polite to point out others' flaws (oh, wait, I shouldn't have....) :)

Actually, I think he does like Dagueneau
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by Robin Garr » Thu Jun 30, 2011 8:48 pm

Dale Williams wrote:Four more: Melon de Bourgogne, Romorantin.

I wish I could add Pineau d'Aunis, but even if it's light, I don't think I can get away with calling it white.
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by Bob Parsons Alberta » Thu Jun 30, 2011 9:07 pm

Talk about good timing, Chris Kissick has just updated the Loire 2009 vintage. Here is an excellent piece of writing.....>

http://www.thewinedoctor.com/tastingsfo ... 2009.shtml
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by James Roscoe » Thu Jun 30, 2011 9:32 pm

I believe they grow some Chardonnay in the Loire too, if I am not mistaken.
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by Lou Kessler » Fri Jul 01, 2011 1:31 am

Robin Garr wrote:
Dale Williams wrote:Four more: Melon de Bourgogne, Romorantin.

I wish I could add Pineau d'Aunis, but even if it's light, I don't think I can get away with calling it white.

Your old "buddy" Dressner brings in some really tasty Pineau d'Aunis. Light but oh so tasty, it shimmers across your palate.
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by Rahsaan » Fri Jul 01, 2011 5:58 am

Finally a topic where I can contribute. And as it happens, last night I had the 2009 Pierre Bise Savennières Clos le Grand Beaupréau. With Pierre Bise no longer imported to the US (at least to my knowledge) it has been harder to follow his recent developments in style and vineyard acquisition. So when I see bottles on my European travels I usually buy a few. I must admit that I have not been impressed with what I sensed was a move towards heavier and riper styles (and which he openly admitted was his goal when we met in 2005).

But things evolve from year to year and this is my first 2009 wine from him and it is very elegant despite being ripe. There is plenty of round fruit and you won't go lacking for mouthfeel (or alcohol - 14%) but there is also a crystal crisp mineral elegance cutting through. I'm guessing this is shutting down as the fruit is not as expressive or honeyed as some earlier notes suggest. But it will be interesting to taste in the future.

I have a 2007 on deck for tonight as a comparison.
Last edited by Rahsaan on Sat Jul 02, 2011 5:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by Bob Parsons Alberta » Fri Jul 01, 2011 9:39 am

Rahsaan, I seem to remember that you have great Muscadet expertise! Any chance of a Pepiere note?

I see Robin wrote..."where, of course, most of the wine is white". Many folks do not know that the Loire Valley produces a lot of red. Take a look at Jim Budd`s blog when you have time.

http://jimsloire.blogspot.com/
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by Rahsaan » Fri Jul 01, 2011 10:48 am

Bob Parsons Alberta. wrote:Rahsaan, I seem to remember that you have great Muscadet expertise! Any chance of a Pepiere note?


No Pepiere on hand at the moment and am on my way to Germany on Sunday so don't anticipate much Muscadet being drunk during July. Oh well.
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by Dave Erickson » Fri Jul 01, 2011 11:00 am

Got your Pépière note right here: http://www.winemule.com/2011/04/new-wave-aged-muscadet.html

While I'm thinking on it, here's one from the "wine review as dialog" days, featuring two Puzelat wines, one white, one red. http://www.winemule.com/2010/02/hangin-at-usual-suspects-10.html
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by Dale Williams » Fri Jul 01, 2011 2:32 pm

James Roscoe wrote:I believe they grow some Chardonnay in the Loire too, if I am not mistaken.


Yes, but I think it can only be Vin de Pays, or used in a blend for Cremant de Loire or Anjou blanc. Loire Chardonnay is not something to seek out. :)
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Re: July Wine Focus: Loire Whites

by David Creighton » Fri Jul 01, 2011 5:12 pm

you missed a grape! Sauvignon Gris - also called Fie Gris. some grown in loire, cote d'auxerre and bordeaux. hard to get right. there is a particularly nasty one in the portfolio of a well known berkeley wine merchant/importer. at its best, i love it; but to be truthful; i've had two really excellant examples and keep hoping for more.
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2007

by Rahsaan » Fri Jul 01, 2011 6:09 pm

Rahsaan wrote:Finally a topic where I can contribute. And as it happens, last night I had the 2009 Pierre Bise Savennières Clos le Grand Beaupréau. With Pierre Bise no longer imported to the US (at least to my knowledge) it has been harder to follow his recent developments in style and vineyard acquisition. So when I see bottles on my European travels I usually buy a few. I must admit that I have not been impressed with what I sensed was a move towards heavier and riper styles (and which he openly admitted was his goal when we met in 2005).

But things evolve from year to year and this is my first 2009 wine from him and it is very elegant despite being ripe. There is plenty of round fruit and you won't go lacking for mouthfeel (or alcohol - 14%) but there is also a crystal crisp mineral elegance cutting through. I'm guessing this is shutting down as the fruit is not as expressive or honeyed as some earlier notes suggest. But it will be interesting to taste in the future.

I have a 2007 on deck for tonight as a comparison.


In comparison, the 2007 Pierre Bise Savennières Clos le Grand Beaupréau is more in line with the smattering of bottles I've had in recent years. Golden, sunny, thick, and tilting towards plodding. Evolving slightly and as the fruit recedes with age there is a bit more mineral distinction than my memory of the 07s. But this is nowhere near as compelling or as delicately arranged as the 09, so I would much rather investigate that further. If only I had the time!
Last edited by Rahsaan on Sat Jul 02, 2011 5:35 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by Bob Parsons Alberta » Fri Jul 01, 2011 9:37 pm

Dave Erickson wrote:Got your Pépière note right here: http://www.winemule.com/2011/04/new-wave-aged-muscadet.html

While I'm thinking on it, here's one from the "wine review as dialog" days, featuring two Puzelat wines, one white, one red. http://www.winemule.com/2010/02/hangin-at-usual-suspects-10.html


Dave, great write-ups on Pepiere and Puzelat here for you....>

http://www.thewinedoctor.com/loire/pepiere.shtml

http://www.thewinedoctor.com/loire/thierrypuzelat.shtml
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Re: July Wine Focus: Loire Whites

by Tim York » Sat Jul 02, 2011 5:45 am

Most people here probably know that, as a wine region, the Loire valley is far from homogeneous. It can be more accurately described as four distinct regions. Moving from east to west there is the “Centre”, where for whites Sauvignon blanc is king and for reds Pinot Noir; then there is “Touraine”, where Chenin blanc predominates for whites and Cabernet franc for reds with some original grape varieties and combinations appearing in some of its eastern appellations like Cour-Cheverny. “Anjou-Saumur” uses similar grape varieties to Touraine but the whites in particular have their own style. Finally the “Pays Nantais” close to the Loire’s estuary is most famous for Muscadet produced from the Melon de Bourgogne grape. The distance from Nantes to Cosne-sur-Loire (near Sancerre) is about 440 km by road and further by the river because of its long loop north though Orléans with the climate become progressively more continental as one moves further from the Atlantic near Nantes. Here is a crude map of the Loire valley’s principle appellations http://www.terroirs-france.com/vin/loire_carte.htm .

The two most similar of these regions are “Touraine” and “Anjou-Saumur” and to many Loire lovers they represent the heartland for Loire wines. In passing I mildly reprove Robin for saying of the Loire “where, of course, most of the wine is white". I hazard a guess that at least as much red is produced as white in Anjou-Saumur and Touraine, although it can be argued that more of the whites from Chenin are truly world class than the reds from Cabernet franc. Even in the “Pays Nantais”, reds are produced, e.g. Coteaux d’Ancenis, while in the “Centre” some producers are getting increasingly ambitious with Pinot Noir reds and some Pinot Noir based rosé is truly celestial.

All this is an introduction to my first Loire white of the month, a chenin derived dry wine from Vouvray in Touraine. In a recent post on a divine Vouvray demi-sec, I threw out the observation that, for me, Vouvray is at its best balanced with some residual sugar and this sec does not make me change my opinion.
Vouvray sec 2000 – Domaine du Clos Naudin, Philippe Foreau – Alc. 13%. The nose showed attractive aromas of wax, fine minerals and white fruit with the usual touch of quince. The palate was bone dry and medium bodied with crisp acidity and a lot of nervous tension in counterpoint to the aromas which continued from the nose and to some rounder and warmer undertones. Length was good and the finish was quite structured with saline notes. I found the wine a touch too crisp and tense to be an ideal pairing for sea bass and sadly I had none of the same region’s goat cheese to hand because I know from experience that would have been ideal; 16/20+.
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Re: July Wine Focus: Loire Whites

by Dan Smothergill » Sat Jul 02, 2011 11:34 am

David Creighton wrote:you missed a grape! Sauvignon Gris - also called Fie Gris.


and Noble Joue (sort of white) from Esvres.
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Re: July starts tomorrow! Next Wine Focus is ... Ta Daa

by Dave Erickson » Sat Jul 02, 2011 11:40 am

Bob Parsons Alberta. wrote:
Dave Erickson wrote:Got your Pépière note right here: http://www.winemule.com/2011/04/new-wave-aged-muscadet.html

While I'm thinking on it, here's one from the "wine review as dialog" days, featuring two Puzelat wines, one white, one red. http://www.winemule.com/2010/02/hangin-at-usual-suspects-10.html


Dave, great write-ups on Pepiere and Puzelat here for you....>

http://www.thewinedoctor.com/loire/pepiere.shtml

http://www.thewinedoctor.com/loire/thierrypuzelat.shtml


Ha! I read Kissack just about every day. When my blog grows up, I want it to be just like his. :mrgreen:
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Re: July Wine Focus: Loire Whites

by Bob Parsons Alberta » Sat Jul 02, 2011 12:02 pm

Nice one Dave, always a great read eh. Wonder how he fits all this writing in with his doctors duties in a hospital?

Here is a good article on Sancerre look-alikes from Virginia Moore!

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink ... alley.html
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Re: July Wine Focus: Loire Whites

by Bob Parsons Alberta » Sat Jul 02, 2011 12:23 pm

WTN: NV De Chanceny Cremant de Loire Brut (Loire Valley, France)

Under $20 and well liked at a recent tasting downtown, my notes were hard to read but think I wrote.....>

A pale yellow wine with tiny bubbles, this Cremant de Loire Brut is rounded and delicate with a fine, nervy, complex nose and the freshness of an unusual blend..... Chenin Blanc, floral Chardonnay and fruity Cabernet Franc from 20- to 30-year-old vines. Nice entry, excellent acidity it evolves gracefully across the palate with nice aromatic persistence in the mouth and lingering notes of fresh peaches and pear.
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Re: July Wine Focus: Loire Whites

by ChaimShraga » Sat Jul 02, 2011 12:35 pm

Bourillon d'Orleans, Vouvray, l'Indigene Sec, 2005

This is always the Vouvray that stumps me. The nose has the trademark "bafflement" effect of a good Chenin, with those minerals and nuts that are hard so for me to place. The palate has good acidity but is all angles and high notes, and hardly any bass notes. Taken as a whole package, I just can't get into it, despite the interesting aromatics. But it's clean and pure, I'll give it that.
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Re: July Wine Focus: Loire Whites

by Tim York » Sat Jul 02, 2011 1:35 pm

ChaimShraga wrote:Bourillon d'Orleans, Vouvray, l'Indigene Sec, 2005

This is always the Vouvray that stumps me. The nose has the trademark "bafflement" effect of a good Chenin, with those minerals and nuts that are hard so for me to place. The palate has good acidity but is all angles and high notes, and hardly any bass notes. Taken as a whole package, I just can't get into it, despite the interesting aromatics. But it's clean and pure, I'll give it that.


There were some middle and bass notes in mine from Foreau - "some rounder and warmer undertones" - but I know what you mean. I like it, but prefer the greater but never cloying richness of Foreau's and Huet's demi-sec. Have you tried any of these?
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