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Mostly Young Loire Wines

K&L Wines, San Francisco

Tasted March 18, 2017 by drwine2001 with 378 views

Flight 1 - Whites (6 notes)

White - Sparkling
N.V. Domaine de la Louvetrie (Landron & Fils) Atmosphéres France, Vin de Table Français
Pale, light bubbles. Herbal. Light, crisp, just off dry, some orange and minerality. Good.
White
2014 Domaine Claude Branger Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine Terroir Les Gras Moutons France, Loire Valley, Pays Nantais, Muscadet de Sèvre-et-Maine
Pale yellow. Not sure if this is slightly corked. At any rate, muted and neutral in the mouth.
White
2008 Gitton Père et Fils Sancerre Silex Galinot France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Sancerre
Greenish yellow. Intense, grassy nose. Good texture, lots of earth, medium weight. Mellow fruit, bright lime finish. One senses this is nearing the end of its days, at least that is how this bottle tasted.
White
2014 Jonathan Didier Pabiot Pouilly-Fumé Cuvée Aubaine France, Loire Valley, Upper Loire, Pouilly-Fumé
Yellow/green. Strongly (disgustingly?) varietal aromatics of cat pee and cut grass. Light to medium weight. Bright acids, a tad of grapefruit, zippy, soil-filled finish. Dry. Good if you can get past the nose, but I had a hard time with this.
White
2015 Château d'Epiré Savennières France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Savennières
Full yellow. Cut hay. Medium weight, which makes it pretty light compared to other Chenins. All soil, minimal pear, sour finish. Your basic funky low end Savennières, meaning not very good. I've had way better from d'Epiré.
1 person found this helpful Comments (4)
White - Off-dry
2015 Domaine Huet Vouvray Demi-Sec Le Haut-Lieu France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
Medium yellow. Ridiculously pure pear aromas when compared to the fruitless wine that came before it. More typical glycerine Chenin Blanc weight and feel, although rather delicate, especially from a riper, richer vintage. Off dry, quince, soil, and uplifted orange acidity at the end, along with a fine, earthy finish. Classic Demi-Sec.
4 people found this helpful Comment

Flight 2 - Reds (5 notes)

Red
2015 Pascal Bellier Cheverny Rouge France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Cheverny
Light red. Very herbaceous-would have guessed Cabernet Franc rather than Pinot/Gamay. Some floral notes. Light and earthy with only a distant echo of red fruit. Not much to it.
Red
2015 Château d'Epiré Anjou Rouge Clos de la Cerisaie France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Anjou
Ruby center. Also quite herbal and olivy. Light, tart dark red fruit, good acidity, short. Bleh, although better than the Bellier.
Red
2015 François Chidaine Touraine Rouge France, Loire Valley, Touraine
Light ruby. Strong green olive scents. Medium weight, more texture than the 2 reds that preceded it. Soil, some red fruit, good acidic structure, tart, tannic finish. Needs a few years. Of these 3 wines that all retail for $14, this is the only one that delivers anything near $14 worth. Good.
1 person found this helpful Comment
Red
2011 Domaine du Bel Air (Pierre et Rodolphe Gauthier) Bourgueil Clos Nouveau France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Bourgueil
Light red. Charcoal, red fruit, and olive-nice Cab Franc nose. Medium weight, properly dry entry, but this is the most pliant, supple red so far. Long, dry finish, prominent acidity and minerality. Good, especially for a weaker vintage. Not weedy and underripe like many 2011 Loire reds.
Red
1989 Couly-Dutheil Chinon Clos de l'Echo France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Chinon
Light red with significant browning. Herbal aromatics with a background note of baked fruit. Light but lovely, elegant feel. Still has some fruit left, but this is attenuating and very secondary. Very good acidity for the year, drying tannins, and excellent minerality. I liked where it is now, but this is not a bottle to decant and aerate or hold on to.
2 people found this helpful Comment

Flight 3 - Late Harvest (1 note)

White - Sweet/Dessert
2015 Domaine Huet Vouvray Moelleux 1ère Trie Le Mont France, Loire Valley, Touraine, Vouvray
Medium yellow. Exhilarating aromas of bright orange complemented by a scooch of honey. Glorious round feel but certainly not overly sweet or unctuous. Pure, rich citrus, thin vein of soil, already harmonious and long. Like the Demi-Sec tasted, very elegant and restrained. Not as big or botrytized as classic dessert Loire vintages such as 1989 or 1996, but finely poised. Without doubt, the best wine of the bunch today.
3 people found this helpful Comment
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