Sarah Ahmed – The Wine Detective

For the second year running, I was asked to participate on the Sauvignon Blanc de Loire Project Ambassadors judging panel and the results have just been announced (see the Sopexa press release below).

You can read more about the project here in a piece I wrote for Jancis Robinson’s website last year, but you’ll see it’s aimed exclusively at Touraine and Vins de Pays du Val de Loire wines, not Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé et al.  The brief is to select those wines  – “ambassadors” – that panel members felt were most appropriate for the UK market.

It’s a rigorous process and, in my opinion, one its best features – the provision of detailed, constructive feedback on each wine – goes to the heart of the project.  This is not just another competition, winner takes it all.  It’s about uplifting overall quality by sharing with producer participants those respects (stylistic or quality-oriented) in which their wines do or do not meet the expectations of the UK market.

I’ll be speaking with Sam Harrop MW (project consultant) about the results and will write about them at greater length afterwards.  Meantime, the ardent cross-referencers amongst you will notice that, though the field was bigger this year, there are fewer ambassadors than last year (23 this year, 29 in 2008).  For me, it reflects a tricky vintage, with volumes 39% up on last year and some pretty hot weather which served reds well, but less so aromatic and fresh styles of white wine.  I wasn’t as excited by Sauvignon Blanc at the Salon either.

Press release: “Twenty-three wines were selected on 18 and 19 February as this year’s Sauvignon Blanc de Loire Project Ambassadors. The wines, all from the 2009 vintage, were chosen by a panel of four UK wine professionals, led by Sam Harrop MW. The all-female jury comprised journalists Sarah Jane Evans MW and Sarah Ahmed, and buyers Christine Parkinson from Hakkasan and Cat Lomax from Direct Wines.

The panel chose the wines which best represent the quality and terroir of Sauvignon Blanc de Loire in a range of styles from tropical fruit, through to citrus and herbal, which they considered have the best commercial chances of success in the British market. The tasting is part of the Sauvignon Blanc de Loire Project which is run by InterLoire, is managed by a local oenological technical team and has employed Harrop as its international consultant. The main purpose is to create a better profile for Sauvignon Blanc de Loire, and to raise the region’s image in order to increase the perception and value of the wines on the UK market.

Both the AOC and Vins de Pays ambassadors will be shown at this year’s London International Wine Fair in May. The AOC wines have also been entered into the International Wine Challenge and will be available to taste at France Under One Roof.

Sauvignon Blanc de Loire Project Ambassadors – 2009 Vintage

AOC Touraine Ambassadors

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc Secrets de Chai 2009, Les Vignerons des Coteaux Romanais

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc Tonnerre de Vignes 2009, Les Vignerons des Coteaux Romanais

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc Sélection Château Ante Vinum 2009, Château de Quincay

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Domaine de Fontenay

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Domaine de la Renne

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Domaine Malet

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc Elysis 2009, SICA des Vignerons de la Vallée du Cher

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc – les Grenettes 2009, Domaine Beauséjour

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Domaine Frissant

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc Châteauvieux Cuvée 2009, SAS Pierre Chainier

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc – Famille Bougrier 2009, SA Bougrier

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Domaine du Haut Perron

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc 2009, Domaine Gibault

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc – Domaine Paul Buisse 2009, Domaine Paul Buisse

AOC Touraine Sauvignon Blanc – Cristal Buisse 2009, Domaine Paul Buisse

Vins de Pays Val de Loire Ambassadors

Vins de Pays Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc, Domaine Saint Roch, Bardon, 2009

Vins de Pays Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc, Domaine du Salvard, 2009

Vins de Pays Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc, Rémy Pannier, S.A. Ackerman, 2009

Vins de Pays Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc, Fauvette, S.A. Ackerman, 2009

Vins de Pays Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc, Domaine de la Houssais, 2009

Vins de Pays Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc, Privilège de Drouet, Drouet Frères/ Les Celliers de la Roche, 2009

Vins de Pays Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc, Désiré François,  Drouet Frères/ Les Celliers de la Roche, 2009

Vins de Pays Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc, Sauvage de la Brie, Auguste Bonhomme/ Les celliers de la Roche, 2009″