Sarah Ahmed – The Wine Detective

I’m told that the Loire has seen around 15% growth year on year of organically cultivated vineyards. Some 2,415 hectares of Loire Valley wines are now being worked organically by 205 domaines. And a number of them were at today’s Renaissance des Appellations’ tasting in Angers – if you like, the alternative “Salon” to the regular annual Loire trade fair which starts tomorrow.

Led by biodynamic guru Nicolas Joly of Coulée de Serrant in Savennières, the focus is on producers who, through minimal intervention in the vineyard and winery, let the Appellation do the talking. Though it’s not confined to Loire producers, they form the rump of this particular steak, with a significant number of unsulphured or very low sulphured so-called natural wines.

I confess, pour moi, the jury is still out on natural, unsulphured/very low sulphur wines – there are a number of wines here that I just find overly (sometimes terribly) oxidative. Yes, there are plenty of samey, industrial quantity fruit-focused wines, but oxidation has a “samey” effect too. However, a subversive element that I do like about this tasting is the tlc dished out to lesser known Loire varieties. Here are some of my favourites from today’s event:

Domaine de Briseau Patapon 2008, Coteaux-du-Loir AOC, 80% Pineau d’Aunis, 20% Cot (Malbec) – dry but vivid with white pepper-edged red fruits. Persistent and quite long, it has a subtlely smoky quality. It’s not about oak, which isn’t in play here – I guess it’s a terroir/mineral quality? Whatever, this is a silly smile inducing wine – good stuff!

Domaine de Briseau Les Mortiers 2008, Coteaux-du-Loir AOC, 100% Pineau d’Aunis and I’m surprised at its depth and colour, for which I’m admonished by winemaker, Christian Chaussard for mentioning Pineau d’Aunis and rosé in the same breath (Pineau d’Aunis tends to be rosé pale – at 15-20hl/ha, this is not pale). Old vine (35-55 year old) fruit makes for an intense but delicately spicy nose and palate – white pepper and cassia bark wed to well-defined red fruits; I really like the pomegranate pithy tannins and bright fruit.

Charlotte Battais Le Pente Grolleau Noir 2008 – Grolleau is the backbone of cheap (off dry to medium sweet) Loire rosé, but this cheeky dry red is bright’n breezy, with lively peppery red fruits. Pretty straight forward but well done and different.

Stephane Bernadeau Les Sans Soufre des Abstemes 2008 – a sulphur and carbonic maceration-free Gamay, Like Battais’ Grolleau, it’s the dryness that elevates this wine, albeit modestly. Wild berry and sour cherry with yes, hard to imagine, but trust me, this wine went there, a dry bubblegum quality – a fun wine and great alternative to Beaujolais.

Domaine de la Sansonnière Rosé d’un Jour 2009 – Mark Angeli’s 100% Grolleau Rosé Moelleux has a fair whack of residual sugar but, with no chaptalisation and low sulphur, this animated, sweet ripe red cherry table wine sings – it’s worlds apart from the standard Rose d’Anjou, hence the name….

All best

Sarah Ahmed
The Wine Detective