89 points
Muscadet, Loire. 12%
I’ve not heard of this producer before but apparently they have been around for 11 generations and there is a glowing endorsement from Robert Parker on the back no less.
Very much what I’d hope for in a Loire Muscadet. Savoury minerality. Not quite as striking as some mineral bombs, nor as racey as others. But good stuff. I continue to wonder why the world overlooks Muscadet.
84 points
Anjou. 13%
I don’t think I have tried Anjou Blanc before, though I have had many nearby Chenin Blancs.
This is a bit disappointing. Green acid dominates. Leave for 3 years at least.
88 points. 13.5%
Very dry. Some oxidation from oaking, but searing acid too. Flavoursome but I really don’t think Chenin Blanc benefits from this much oak.
91 points
Serve & Maine, Loire. 12.5%
Muscadet is usually thought of as cheap supermarket wine, useful dry white to wash down Oysters. But here is another profound Loire Muscadet. And 8 years old too!
In perfect condition, I guess it’s been in a cold Loire cellar. Impossible to guess the age by the nose.
Perhaps the creaminess on the palate gives it away but this is still fresh. Quite intense, juicy. Exciting wine.
88 points
Vouvray, Loire, France. 12.5%
After the musty cork breathes off (but not corked) this is a honied varietal Chenin Blanc. Very pleasant if a little unexciting.
91 points
Muscadet Sevre et Maine, Loire. 12%
A light gold colour, certainly more advanced than Guy Boossard’s wines but in the same very high quality range. Ripe fruit within a mineral framework. Great complexity for so young a wine. Great enjoyment. Seriously good wine.
89 points
Loire, France. 12%. Sec.
Golden colour of course. A honied aged dry Vouvray but with an astringent acid spine. Not full bodied. Flavoursome complex. Despite the lovely weight and charm the acid makes it best enjoyed with food. It has charm but with never be luscious.
UPDATE. Some bottles better than others. One had nice creamy luciousness. 91 points.
Reports are that they are already harvesting in the Loire, strange since when I was there in August it was a damp miserable Summer. This is all because of the weather way earlier when the grapes were first forming.
What sort of wines will this bring, hot weather early on bringing forward the harvest, and then a cool damp (not heavy rain) ripening period ?
Bordeaux also will be an early harvest. It too had a cool Summer. But once again September seems better (so far), will some last minute sunshine do any good ? If it rains what will this mean ? Either way I find it hard to be optimistic about the 2011 vintage.
84 points
Chinon, Loire. 13.5%
This 100% Cabernet Franc is the sort of high quality red wine associated with the Loire until recently when aided by global warming some producers turned up the ripeness and intensity. This is more luncheon claret. Not green but soft and charming.
Silly heavy bottle. Drink now.
87 points
Savennieres, Loire. 13.5%
Demi sec and all the better for it. For a start it lowers the alcohol. Most other Savennieres are 14.5% on the label. I even saw, but would not buy, one listed as 15.5%!
Good flavor and some charm. Drinking well now or over next 5+ years.
83+ points
Fiefs Vendeens, Loire. 13%
85% Pinot Noir and 15% Cabernet Franc. It’s a fairly simple cherry Pinot upfront but backed by quite a lot of tannin and a savory finish.
Biodynamic, which is very popular in the Loire, as are stupid wasteful heavy glass bottles.
85 points
Anjou-Villages Brissac, Loire. 13.5%
Big vinous wine, ripe fruit but encased in tonnes of acidity and tannin though these are ripe tannins. Some lurking unripeness too and bret. This is wild stuff.
89+ points
Saumur Champigny, Loire. 13%
Dark young wine. Fine oak nose. Very pure fine. Bordeaux like but with Loire freshness. Great potential. Exciting but rather mouth puckering at the moment with tannin and some youthful acid too.
85 points
Savennieres, Loire. 14.5%
Surprisingly advanced, oxidized even, for 5 years old. Nice honied blossom character though. Finish is hot with alcohol.
Drink now.
87 points
Savennieres, Loire. 14.5%
Whoa. Intense ripe concentrated wine. Good but the hot slightly sweet finish gives it away and eventually the alcohol palls. I prefer my Chenin Blanc a little more gentle and charming. This is too like a Rhone white.
85 points
Anjou Villages Brissac, Loire. 14%
For a difficult vintage here is another Loire red with dense dark colour and 14% alcohol. Quite a hard savoury wine, not green but without ripe flavours and tannins. If given this blond I’d more guess it were Malbec (from the Sud Ouest not Argentina) than Cabernet.
Leave for 3-5 years.
82 points
Bretagne, France. 12%
Pleasant savory in a dilute style. Some charm. Very low price 3 euro.
87++ points
Anjou, Loire. 13.5%
I’m very unaccustomed to drinking wines this young but after being open for a day it was sufficiently approachable. Lovely dark crunchy fruit like something fresh off a tree (not vine).
I didn’t realise it was 90% Cabernet Sauvignon, only 10% Cabernet Franc. Quite a surprise given the impressive ripeness.
Ripe, fresh vinous acidity and tannin, clean and vibrant. Bordeaux look out, I don’t see many wines like this at this price. I need more Loire reds in my cellar.
Drink 2015-2020.
Update: WineDoctor has a profile on this estate.
91 points
Savennieres, Loire. 13.5%
A very enjoyable Savennieres. Clear somewhat forward Chenin Blanc fruit, yet enough natural vibrant acidity and oddles of minerality. Not marred by noticeable alcohol like some Savennieres.
Drink over the next decade.
91+ points
Vouvray, Loire. 13%
I really did not expect this wine to be drinking as well as it should. I love Vouvray but not when it is young tight and acidic. This is just starting to reveal its charms.
Good ripe fruit but still in a mineral rather than fruit driven style. Alcohol is in check. It’s really positioned well to become a superb Vouvray and soonish too. Try again in 2013.
88 points
Loire. 12%
Perfectly acceptable Chardonnay. Fine light with finesse.
Probably should come as no surprise that the Loire can do good Chardonnay. The price (5 Euro) is a surprise though, a pleasant one.
They should be able to export lots of this.
90 points
Loire. 12.5%
More lucious than sweet. Almost spirit like concentration yet still graceful. Showing some fragility, more than I expected so drink now.
Very good but slightly less exciting and fine than expected.
91 points
Vouvray, Loire. 12%
I’m giving this lower points than I’d expect. It’s certainly a lovely luscious wine. Sweet bit not a dessert wine. Still with fantastic acidity. It’s concentrated almost spirity but with low alcohol.
It’s just that the lovely acidity and gentle sweetness overwhelm. It seems to lack minerality and aged characters.
Lovely elegant despite the concentration but a bit simple.
89+ points
Vouvray, Loire, France. 12%
I’m not sure where I purchased this, I think it was for a modest price. I had no great expectations and on opening it seemed to be a mildly sweet, only mildly acidic wine without great concentration. Over the next two nights (under winesaver) it improved with the minerality becoming more pronounced. Lovely Chenin Blanc, sufficient acidity and just a perfect slight touch of residual sweetness. Good stuff, drink now and until 2014.
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