Vintage Update 2011 - Chateau d'Epiré

A visit to Chateau d'Epiré in Epiré, Savennières and Domaine Cady in St Aubin de Luigne showed us what a difficult year this is proving to be for Chenin Blanc. Luc Bizard walked around his vineyards with us and gave us an update. The Hu Boyau vineyard was harvested on September 2nd. Recent weather conditions forced them to sweep through and pick all the fruit in one pass. Other parcels such as that for the Cuvée Speciale remain on the vine athough they have passed through and cleaned up the rot that has set in due to the recent wet weather.

These grapes are looking pretty healthy, the vines have been opened up and leaf stripped to ensure plenty of air is drying up any excess moisture.

Lovely views from Savennières look over towards La Corniche Angevine and the vineyards of the Coteaux du Layon.

More healthy grapes from the same parcel which overlooks La Coulée de Serrant.

Grapes from a neighbouring plot owned by Chateau de Chamboureau.

We tasted the 2009s in the chai - interesting to note the differences between the Reserve du Maitre de Chai which has been aged in Acacia and has not been through malo, the Cuvée Speciale that has been aged in old chestnut and the Hu Boyau that has spent time in new oak. The wines have a lovely grapfruit mineral edge and plenty of obvious ageing potential. The acidity of the wine that has not been through malo is noticeably higher.

Luc anticipates passing through the remaining parcels in about a week's time. Meanwhile he was busy oxygenating his already fermenting wine from Hu Boyau in the winery.

Update from Cady to follow.

Vintage 2011 Update from Lionel Gosseaume - Domaine de Pierre

Quick update from Lionel Gosseaume of Domaine de Pierre in Touraine. We have been showing his wines to clients this season and they have proved a big hit. A young winemaker based in Choussy Lionel rents 9 hectares of vines locally and shares winery space with his brother and father. He started making wine in 2007.

'Les vignes vont très bien, merci ! Nous avons attaqué les vendanges samedi dernier avec les sauvignons qui seront terminés, pour moi, demain. C’est une vendanges qui ce sera concentrée sur quelques jours, très particulière. Je rentre des raisins de toute beauté. Je n’ai jamais vendangé de tels raisins depuis que je suis vigneron. J’espère que ça suivra derrière pour les vins ! je vais certainement ramasser mes gamays début de semaine prochaine. pour le moment, ils sont beaux eux aussi, pas de pourriture.'

The vines are very well thanks! We started harvest last Saturday with the Sauvignons which will be finished for me tomorrow. It's a vintage that will be concentrated around a few days, very unusual. I'm bringing in grapes that are of excellent quality - I've never harvested grapes like this since I became a vigneron. I hope that the wines will continue in the same vein! I'll certainly be harvesting my Gamays at the the beginning of next week - for the moment they are in great condition too with no rot.