Sarah Ahmed – The Wine Detective

Just following up on last week’s blog (here) with news of the Loire Cabernet Franc Ambassadors for 2010.  Below you’ll find a list of the 35 wines selected by me, Jamie Goode, broadcaster Joe Wadsack and buyers Christine Parkinson from Hakkasan and Nick Room from Waitrose from a total of 103 submitted.

Our brief, which reflects the aims of Interloire’s 5 year-old Loire Cabernet Franc project, was to select those wines best suited to the UK market, without compromising the unique terroir styles, and which we considered have the best commercial chances of success.  Trade visitors to the London International Wine Fair, from 18 to 20 May 2010, will have the opportunity to taste the Cabernet Franc Ambassadors, on stand G40/2.

Anjou Rouge

AOC Anjou Rouge, Château Soucherie, 2008

AOC Anjou Rouge, Château La Tomaze, 2008

AOC Anjou Rouge, Cuvée Iris, Domaine Sauveroy, 2009

AOC Anjou Rouge, Domaine Matignon, 2009

AOC Anjou Rouge, La Cerisaie, Domaine de la Bergerie, 2009

Anjou-Villages

AOC Anjou-Villages, Château des Vaults, Domaine du Closel, 2005

AOC Anjou-Villages, Château de la Mulonnière, 2008

AOC Anjou-Villages, Château de la Mulonnière, 2009

Bourgueil

AOC Bourgueil, La Godinière, Domaine du Petit Souper, J Verdier, 2008

AOC Bourgueil, Cuvée Chevalerie, Domaine de la Chevalerie, 2008

AOC Bourgueil, Tonnerre de Vignes, Cave des Vins de Bourgueil, 2009

AOC Bourgueil, Les Varennes, NAU Frères, 2009

AOC Bourgueil, Domaine de la Closerie, 2009

Chinon

AOC Chinon, Château de la Grille, Baudry Dutour, 2005

AOC Chinon, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine du Puy Rigault, 2007

AOC Chinon, Les Blancs Manteaux, Domaine de la Noblaie, 2008

AOC Chinon, Les Puys, Wilfrid Rousse, 2008

AOC Chinon, Clos du Plessis-Gerbault, Château de Vaugaudry, 2008

AOC Chinon, Domaine René Couly, Couly Dutheil Père et Fils, 2008

AOC Chinon, Cuvée du Domaine, Domaine Charles Pain, 2009

AOC Chinon, Roche de Feu, Alpha Loire, 2009

Saumur

AOC Saumur, Cuvée de Printemps, Domaine de la Paleine, 2008

Saumur-Champigny

AOC Saumur-Champigny, Château de Targé, 2008

AOC Saumur-Champigny, La Folie, Château Yvonne, 2008

AOC Saumur-Champigny, La Bretonnière, Langlois Château, 2008

AOC Saumur-Champigny, Clos des Châtains, Domaine de Nerleux, 2008

AOC Saumur-Champigny, Cuvée Réserve, Cave des Vignerons de Saumur, 2009

AOC Saumur-Champigny, Cuvée Yves Lambert, Domaine de St Just, 2009

Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame

AOC Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame, Domaine de la Paleine, 2008

Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil

AOC Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Cuvée de la Mineraie, Domaine Lorieux, J. Verdier, 2008

AOC Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Les Graipins, Famille Amirault-Grobois, 2009

AOC Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Le Vau Jaumier, EARL Taluau Foltzenlogel, 2009

AOC Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, L’Expression, EARL Taluau Foltzenlogel, 2009

AOC Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Les Quarterons, Clos des Quarterons, 2009

AOC Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Domaine Christian Provin, 2009

I couldn’t agree more with project consultant Sam Harrop MW’s opinion that, “generally speaking there was more purity, freshness and ripeness than in previous years. Another highlight was the texture of the wines and there were not many wines entered that showed the angular tannins that many of the judges expected.”  This was particularly true for the wines from Anjou, which have previously been nowhere near so well represented – the 2010 tasting marks an exciting watershed year for them and reinforces my “kind on the teeth, gentle on the gums”  finding at the Anjou-Villages Brissac tasting in the Loire in February (reported here).  That tasting focused on the Cabernet-friendly 2008 vintage and, later this week, I’ll be posting interesting notes of a vertical tasting of Domaine des Rochelles’ flagship Plus La Croix de la Mission from Anjou.  Onward, upward!