Where we formerly lived in Belgium, there were numerous and frequent wine tasting opportunities with winegrower presence at wine merchants all round that small country. Here in Normandy, with one exception, I have found that I have to go to Paris for tastings (where the three and a half hour round train trip and €30+ fare act as a deterrent) and there I have only found huge tastings where rigorous selection is needed in order to cope.
This year I chose to attend le Salon des Vignerons Indépendants at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre. My selection concentrated on less familiar regions or previously untried vignerons. I was helped in my choice by suggestions from La Revue du Vin de France (RVF) and from blogging sommeliers.
The event was well organised with a view to facilitating sales. A delivery service (high tariffs) was available, trolleys were on sale or on loan and there was a point at which purchases could be picked up by car. I saw many people filling up their trolleys with cases and some were struggling with their loads towards the metro station.
Although I identified several good potential purchases, in the event I bought nothing. Aching feet and back were screaming for a rest and I was faced by two hassle filled alternatives for getting the wines home. The first consisted of hiring a trolley, pushing it round the stands to collect and pay for various wines followed by taking them to the transporter’s stand and completing paper work, etc. The second consisted on buying a trolley, doing the round of the stands and then wheeling the trolley to the metro, down the steps, onto the train, off the train, up the steps, through Gare St. Lazare, onto the train………I ducked both but am still regretting not having several of the wines, some of the Gaillac range in particular.
Chablis
Domaine La Meulière, Nicolas & Vincent Laroche
This domaine has nothing to do with the well-known Domaine Laroche or its former owner Michel Laroche. It is not completely unfamiliar because it was imported by a nearby wine merchant in Belgium. With one exception I thought this a good range and marked down for possible purchase Chablis “La Vigne aux Songes” 2014 (€12) and Chablis 1er cru Vaucoupin 2014 (€15). The Chablis 2015 (€10) was also very appealing but softer, less complex and mineral than the above 2014s.
Two other cuvées of generic Chablis from 2014 were presented. “La Gourmandise des Nymphes” was matured in acacia casks and I disliked the smoky aromas which they brought. “Fleurs de Chêne”, whose name says all, was mercifully free of obvious oak aromas and was quite complex and rich but I preferred the purity of “La Vigne aux Songes”.
Vaucoupin and Mont de Milieu, both 2014, showed a plus from their 1er cru status in the form of greater amplitude and length. The latter seemed a bit softer.
Alsace
Domaine Barmès-Buecher
I am on the look-out for a house Riesling but was put off by quite high prices here, though the quality is good.
I tried three Rieslings, all dry (Indice 1) but not bone dry –
Clos Sand 2013 (€19,50)– burnished, fruity and fragrant with backbone
GC Hengst 2013 (€25,60) – similar but more closed and backward
GC Steingrbler 2009 (€23,60) – deliciously open, fragrant and rich but well balanced by acidity
I also tried Pinot Noir VV 2012 where good fruit was spoilt for me by too much wood. The presenter hastened to say that he has since dialled back of the new oak and blamed his father, who was then still in charge.
Jurançon
Domaine Castéra
Good wines but they do not shake my allegiance to Camin Larredya, Charles Hours and Lapeyre and they are no better than the similarly or lower priced cuvées (c.€9) from Château Jolys and Cauhapé found at our local supermarket. However, much better QPR than the preceding Alsatian Rieslings.
Gaillac
Michel Issaly
Here were wines with real individuality and excellent quality made from exclusively local grape varieties, organic cultivation and low yields without wood ageing. I was very impressed by the vigneron’s presentation and approach. He is fully aware of and keen to avoid dangers such as brett and other flavour deviations lurking in ambush to a near “natural” approach.
Everything here is worth comment but I single out –
Le Clos Rayssac 2014 (R from Braucol – AKA Fer Servadou, Duras, Prunelard) (€11) – quite light and fruity with appealing metallic and minty streaks and slightly bitter finish
Origine 2015 (R from Braucol) (€22) – rich, savoury and structured
La Combe d’Avès 2010 (R from Braucal & Duras) (€17) – less savoury but fine, long and open for business
Les Cavaillès bas 2015 (dry W from Mauzac, Men de l’el, Oudenc) (€13) – rich, expansive
Le Vin de l’Oubli 2004 (dry W with a little RS from Mauzac matured under flor/voile like sherry) (€38) – delicious like vin jaune with more amplitude or leaner amontillado
Corsica
Domaine de Vaccelli, Ajaccio
Original Corsican flavours with very good quality here but discouraging prices and dour presenter.
IGP Juste Ciel (R from Grenache & Alicante) (€9) – attractively fruity and refreshing
Ajaccio Vacelli 2013 (R from mainly Sciacarello) (€20)– fuller, rounder, more serious fruity & fresh Ajaccio Vacelli 2015 (W from Vermentinu) (€21) – generous Mediterranean fruit but also fresh
Clos Fornelli, Tallone, east Corsica
Much warmer welcome here than at Vaccelli and gentler prices with good quality in an easier going style.
There were interesting contrasts here between grape varieties. The Sciacarello dominated Ma Robe d’Ange Rouge 2015 (€10) was softer and spicier than the Niellucciu dominated Cuvée Stella Rose Rouge 2014 (€15), which was fuller and fruitier with some grip.
In whites, the contrast was even greater. La Robe d’Ange Blanc 2015 (€10) from Vermentinu was softly fruity but fresh with some grip, while Chiosu Fornelli (€12) from Biancu Gentile, an almost extinct local variety, was much fuller and strongly backboned.
Savoie
Domaine Dupasquier
I have always enjoyed the wines from Savoie for their lively juiciness and mouth-watering acidity and the white here were good examples of that. (NB: varietal names are used here). I liked them all and thought them good QPR from Jacquère (€6) through Chardonnay, Roussette Altesse, to Roussette de Marestel (€12). The last was quite complex and rich with fine minerals, notes of honey and acacia as well as citrus fruit.
The red Mondeuse here was a little disappointing with smoke and prune notes which, for me, detracted from the nice northern Syrah like fruit.
Saint-Émilion
Château Mangot, Famille Todeschini
I am a bit underweight on right-bank Bordeaux, so I visited this unfamiliar estate on the RVF’s recommendation. I was not disappointed. The wines combined a quite modern fruitiness and early accessibility with freshness, good structure and restraint in oak flavours. All the cuvées are Merlot dominated except the last. I thought that the basic St.Émilion GC was the best potential buy.
Ch. La Brande – Castillon 2012 (€11,50) was quite soft and easy drinking
Ch. Mangot - St.Émilion GC 2011 (€19,50) was fruity and accessible with more structure than previous
- Cuvée Qunitessence St.Émilion GC 2010 (€36) was much richer and more concentrated
- Todeschini St.Émilion GC 2011 (CabF 40%, CabS 30%) (€46) showed Cab class and the most structure of all four.
Muscadet
Domaine Landron
An unfamiliar estate for me and excellent quality. Louvetrie (€7) and Clos la Carizière, both 2015, were already crisp and invigorating drinking whilst Les Houx 2015 and Le Filet de Breil and Haute Tradition (€18), both 2014, were more solid and closed needing more time for full expression.
Bourgueil
Catherine & Pierre Breton
The only stand I visited where both the appellation and the estate were already familiar to me. By this time my palate was getting jaded, particularly after the last two big wines from Ch.Mangot. The Breton estate has sites growing Cabernet franc at Bourgueil on three different soil types, namely sandy gravel, chalk and flinty clay. The first tends to give fruity, quite light and early maturing wines and the other two more structured wines suitable for ageing. With a less jaded palate, I would love to have lingered in order to tease out and attempt description of the differences.
For me the stand-out was Bourgueil La Dilettante sur le terroir Les Galichets (sandy gravel) 2015 (€14); it showed exuberant blood tinged red fruit, bright minerals and round body; absolutely delicious. 2015 promises to be an outstanding year for Breton’s wines. The Chinon Beaumont (chalk) 2015 (€14) was more subdued but had lovely rich round fruit. Their Vouvray La Dilettante et Pierres Rousses sec 2015 (€14) was expressive, full and mineral.
As we climbed up the terroir and price scale the wines became fuller, more structured and more backward. The range culminated with Bourgueil Les Perrières 2011 (€22), which showed impressive structure and aromas, including a charcoal touch, which should blossom fully with more time. To illustrate this the 1999 was also shown; it was a lovely fragrant mature wine.
The Breton wines were presented by a bright young lady whom I take to be the daughter of the house. She told me that the stage (théatre) was her profession but she seemed very well informed about the wines. I raised with her the disappointments expressed on this site; Bob’s with Trinch! 2009 and David’s with Franc de Pied 2010.
As someone else here said, she confirmed that Trinch! is meant to be drunk young and it is not surprising the 2009 is dull at best by now.
The bretty Franc de Pied is a more complicated issue. Breton’s grapes are cultivated organically and the methods in the cellar are low intervention with little or no use of sulphur. The bottles were therefore vulnerable to less than ideal transport and storage at some stage before they reached David’s cellar.
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), I would argue that French wines in the $20-$40 range in the United States represent a better value (at least for AFWE palates) than California wine in the similar price range.