Loire trip 2022

Loire, France
Tasted Wednesday, June 15, 2022 - Sunday, June 19, 2022 by ThijsV with 298 views

Introduction

Annual wine trip, this time to the Loire, focused on the Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc area. Visits to 1) Taille aux Loups (and Domaine de la Butte) in Montlouis 2) Domaine Huet in Vouvray 3) Domaine Roches Neuves in Varrains 4) Domaine Guiberteau in Mollay 5) Domaine Joly in Savennieres and 6) Domaine Belargus in Val du Layon.

It was ridiculously hot, between 39 and 42 degrees Celsius, which made management of bought bottles an important part of the trip

Flight 1 - Domaine Taille aux Loups - Jacky Blot & JP Blot (11 Notes)

Before the tasting we visited their monopole Clos de Mosny vineyard together with JP. He showed how they graft, select, prune etc.

Flight 2 - Domaine Huet at Vouvray (9 Notes)

After the tasting we visited the sparkling cellars, which are just behind the tasting room

Flight 3 - Restaurant Vincent, cuisinier de campagne (2 Notes)

Great restaurant in a very relaxed garden around the mansion. An amazing wine list and an even more impressive underground cellar, which used to be a quarry

  • 1995 Château de Suronde Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru 90 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru

    (6/16/2022)

    As aperitif at Vincent, Cuisinier de Campagne, a wunderful restaurant in the Loire (learned about it by the book by Rajat Parr), which had just received its green michelin star. The wine resmbles an old rielsing auslese; a lot of linoleum, but still fresh

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  • 2010 Vincent Dauvissat (René & Vincent) Chablis 1er Cru Vaillons 93 Points

    France, Burgundy, Chablis, Chablis 1er Cru

    (6/17/2022)

    Restaurant purchase at Vincent, Cuisinier de Campagne in the Loire Valley. From his (large) natural cave under the restaurant, so the label was pretty torn, but the wine inside was not. Apparently Vincent has a rather large Dauvissat allocation each year, which allows him to have people enjoy these older bottles at very reasonable prices in his restaurant. Deep lemon in color, with some flintiness, dried apple, fresh green apple, melon, some vegetable notes. High acidity and medium+ finish

    92/93, because of the setting, the higher of the two

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Flight 4 - Domaine Roches Neuves (8 Notes)

Great tasting room, with bottles from great producers from around the world. The highlight though were the kilometers long underground natural cellars with vintages going back several decades!

Flight 5 - Domaine Guiberteau (9 Notes)

  • 2021 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Rouge Les Moulins 89 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur

    (6/17/2022)

    [At Domaine Guiberteau] Very expressive and very fruity, almost maceration semi-carbonique like. Red fruit driven (red cherry, raspberry). Medium acidity, medium- tannins, medium+ finish. Destemmed, 3-4 days cold maceration, 6 months stainless steel

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  • 2020 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Rouge 90 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur

    (6/17/2022)

    [At Domaine Guiberteau] A bit more structure than Les Moulins, nice combination of black and red fruit. Medium acidity, medium- tannins, medium finish.
    This is a blend of different parcels. 5-6 days maceration, partly old wood, partly stainless steel. Spends 11 months in (old) barrels

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  • 2020 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Bizay Les Chapaudaises 91 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur

    (6/17/2022)

    [At Domaine Guiberteau] Red fruit (cherries), black fruit (blue berry and blackberry), some spiciness. Medium+ acidity, medium+ tannins, medium+ finish. Lovely wine

    Single vineyard wine, from 76 year old vines on 20 cm top soil with limestone underneath. 11-12 days maceration in 50% wood, 50% stainless. Then 11 months in foudre

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  • 2019 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Les Arboises Brézé 93 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur

    (6/17/2022)

    [At Domaine Guiberteau] Pencil lead, toast, red and black fruit, some floral notes. Silky texture, great wine. 60% of the harvest was lost due to frost in 2019

    From 65 year old vines. Two weeks maceration. 2 years in 50% new wood and 50% old wood.

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  • 2021 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Rosé 88 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur

    (6/17/2022)

    [At Domaine Guiberteau] Pale pink, like a Provence rosé. Fruity, but not too fruity, straw berry, raspberry some black currant. High acidity, medium finish

    This is the first vintage of their rosé, made with the direct pressing method. No MLF

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  • 2021 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc 88 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur

    (6/17/2022)

    [At Domaine Guiberteau] Citrus, grapefruit, lime, white flowers. High acidity, medium finish. 50% foudre, 50% stainless steel. 6 month aging

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  • 2020 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Clos de Guichaux 91 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur

    (6/17/2022)

    [At Domaine Guiberteau] Citrus, apple, melon, a spicy note. Much rounder than the Domaine CB, lovely. High acidity

    From 2003 vines, 11 months in old barrels

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  • 2020 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Les Moulins 91 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur

    (6/17/2022)

    [At Domaine Guiberteau] Melon, some peach notes, high acidity, medium+ finish. 11 months in old barrels

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  • 2019 Domaine Guiberteau Saumur Blanc Brézé 92 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur

    (6/17/2022)

    [At Domaine Guiberteau] I’ve tasted the 2015 and the 2016 of this cuvée and the 2019 is as impressive. The oak is not yet fully integrated, pear, melon some fennel. High acidity, medium+ finish. 92/93

    2 years aging in 50% new and 50% old barrels from the Blois forest.

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Flight 6 - Restaurant Abbaye Fontevraud (2 Notes)

One Michelin star restaurant, where the tables are set around a 15th century cloister

  • 2017 Brendan Stater-West Saumur Blanc Les Chapaudaises 91 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Saumur

    (6/18/2022)

    [Restaurant Fontevraud L’abbaye *] - After tasting de Cab Franc from the same vineyard at Guiberteau, we’ve order this Chenin from the other half of the vineyard. The restaurant is in the cloister of the 12th century abbey and this wine fitted perfectly that evening. Reminded me of the Breze

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  • 2012 Terre de l'Elu Anjou L'Aiglerie 91 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou

    (6/18/2022)

    [Restaurant Fontevraud l’abbaye *] The recommendation of the sommelier on our request for a Cab Franc with some age and it did not disappoint. In earlier reviews tannins were harsh and overwhelming , but by now they were very well integrated. Almost text book aged Cab Franc by now

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Flight 7 - Domaine Joly (4 Notes)

A rather short tasting, but the possibility to buy a lot of old vintages; the oldest I bought was ‘89. Their mansion is within the Coulée de Serrant vineyard, which is really impressive

Flight 8 - Domaine Belargus (5 Notes)

Franck (the sales director of their small team of 5) took all the time of the world to show us their important vineyards (the 3 in Quarts de Chaume and Treilles). We also met Ivan, the owner. The possibility to taste from their barrels was truly special! Unfortunately they are so successful that there were hardly any wines to buy at the domaine. Thank you Franck!

  • 2021 Domaine Belargus Anjou Roueres 93 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou

    (6/18/2022)

    [At Domaine Belargus] - Barrel sample - More honey, grapefruit, rich and full. Mouth coating

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  • 2021 Domaine Belargus Anjou Les Quarts 95 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou

    (6/18/2022)

    [At Domaine Belargus] - Barrel sample - Incredible, so rich, full and yet so lean and precise

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  • 2021 Domaine Belargus Savennières Les Ruchères 91 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières

    (6/18/2022)

    [At Domaine Belargus] - Barrel sample - Tension, concentration and length. 91/92

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  • 2021 Domaine Belargus Anjou Treilles 94 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou

    (6/18/2022)

    [At Domaine Belargus] - Barrel sample - On the nose it is still tight with grapefruit, citrus, pear, but at the palate - BOOM - what an explosion of aroma’s and what a depth!! Even at this very early stages deep stone fruit, pepper, saltiness, tropical notes. I can’t wait how this will be in bottle and how it will develop. Now already 94, but soooo much upside. Just an amazing winery, fantastic wines and great people. The highlight of our Loire trip. 94+++

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  • 2020 Domaine Belargus Anjou Treilles 96 Points

    France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou

    (6/18/2022)

    [At Domaine Belargus] - Barrel sample - After Franck took all the time to show us the vineyards (including this one, Treilles), we tasted the 2020 barrel sample. This vineyard was recreated by Jo Pithon based on a picture he saw of the place from mid 1900: a vineyard which had become a forest. He recreated this steep and south facing vineyard (we went to the top with 42 degrees Celcius mid June).

    When tasting this wine from barrel I just couldn’t stop smiling: This was one of the best white wines I had ever tasted and it was still in barrel! I was so ecstatic that I even didn’t take real notes; it was clear this was the Wine of the Trip. Fantastic to see how wine can create emotional reactions. 96+

    The perfect wine for my 1000th CT tasting note!

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Flight 9 - Dinner and drinks at Angers (3 Notes)

Closing

An amazing trip wit great winery visits, and although difficult to pick the number one, Belargus was the absolute highlight.

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