Loire : The Best wines of the year

At the top. Wine growers from father to son since 1858. The winegrowing extends on 67 ha. You will like like us them Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine sur lie cuvée des Vieilles Vignes 2006, resulting from a gneiss soil, of good mouth, a distinguished wine, with the complex nose prevailed by the white flowers and the dry small fruits, of a nice persistence, dryness and melted at the same time, very delicate, perfect on shells as on a plate miller. Excellent Gros-Plant, lively and quite well-balanced, with the white fruit aromas, a beautiful length in mouth.

Sure value. This vine grower created his winegrowing in 1974 (9 ha including 8,30 ha of Pouilly-Fumé and 0,70 ha of the Pouilly-sur-Loire). Superb Pouilly-Fumé Les Cocques 2007, resulting from the slopes with flint of the hill of Saint-Andelain coming from flint and clay grounds which are at the top of the hillock of Saint-Andelain. This wine very elegant, is marked by its soil which transmits mineral notes to him, with the accents of citrus fruits and white flower, of powerful and persistent mouth, of beautiful robe, firm, very scented in mouth, of a nice finale to the palate. Pouilly-Fumé 2007, resulting from the clay-with-flints soil of the slopes of Saint-Andelain with these subtle notes of citrus fruits and hawthorn, is a wine mouthfull, all in typicity, combining savor and distinction.

A family estate (5 generations of vine growers) of 15 ha including 12 in production of Sauvignon, of 25 years Middle Age (certain vines are 60 years old). The grounds are composed of gravel-sand old alluvia on limestones and lake clays of Berry. Quincy 2007 is very successful, of powerful mouth, with the complex connotations where the flowers (hawthorn, broom) prevail, a wine rich and very harmonious in mouth, of a good balance. Beautiful 2006, with the nose flowered, suave and powerful, of a very beautiful aromatic persistence in mouth, with nuances of peach and lime, very quite well-balanced finally.

Incontestably at the top of first classified great wines. Exceptional Saumur brut white Saphir Vintage 2005, of beautiful yellow amber, with these typical green reflections, finely having a nice bouquet, full color, with elegant foam, a wine very well matured, generous and distinguished, as we like them, from persistent foam, very fruity, a Vintage of a beautiful aromatic complexity (brioche, peach). Saumur cuvée Trésor white 2006, aged in barrel, is a rare Vintage, associating roundness and nervousness, with the hazel nut nose, of foam abundant, dense, of full and scented mouth, a subtle wine, which associates structure and distinction, with the complex toast and dry fruit notes finally. The cuvée Trésor rosé deserves as much an order, with this subtle nose of ripe red small fruits (currant, blackberry), astonishing by its distinction and its fullness in mouth, of unctuous and very delicate foam, with the discrete notes of strawberry of wood finally, perfect on a tart. At their sides, this red Saumur cuvée Trésor (Cabernet franc), with first cask fermentation of oak new, a wine of powerful mouth, robust as it should be, all in nuances, rich and scented (fresh fruits, humus…), slightly peppered finally. Beautiful Crémant Excellence brut, full and distinguished, of golden robe, of a large smoothness, with the nose of flowers and small fruits dry, very harmonious with the palate, supple and persistent. Saumur Extra brut white Zéro 2005 is quite as attractive, fresh and fruity, with persistent floral notes, with toast the aromas and dry apricot, quite well-balanced in acidity, of a nice smoothness, robust, very accessible. Mouthfull, Nompareille Saumur white, which feels citrus fruits, of frank mouth, with prevailing of white flowers and hazel nut, combining structure and acidity, very fruity, all in elegance like Nonpareils Saumur-Champigny, with the subtle and intense nose at the same time, with these ripe cherry notes, of melted mouth, a wine of excellent evolution. Nonpareils Cabernet-Sauvignon and Nonpareils Merlot, with the aromas of black cherry and humus, associate aromatic concentration, richness of tannins and distinction. There is also this attractive Bourgueil Jean Carmet 2006, with these raspberry compote notes, typified, associating wealth and melted well of mouth, a wine charmer and greedy.

At the top. They are the monks franciscains who cultivated the first here the vine. Bought with the state by the family of Mme Amouroux at the time when all property of the religious communities were alienated, this field was already quoted among the most famous vintages for its red wine. Assiduity and love of the trade make it possible to the Ratron brothers to perpetuate this reputation. In Cordeliers (19 ha), the vegetative departure is early, and the frequent frosts of spring, it was necessary to equip the unit with the vines of a system of protective heating. The grounds poor and are drained perfectly, requiring vine suffering and efforts, to create the extreme smoothness of tannins. The yields are controlled by prunes and especially by the putting under grass between the rows which allows an optimal control of strength and absorption of the water excess. One understands better this superb Saumur-Champigny cuvée Prestige 2005, resulting from a soil argilo-limestone, characteristic of the Cabernet franc (manual grape harvest, sorting, specific wine making cold…), always very typified, with silky tannins, undergrowth and the ripe, attractive blackcurrant notes by its suppleness and its fruity, mouthfull, perfect on smoked ham. Tradition 2006, with the subtle nose, associates smoothness and concentration, with powerful and silky tannins at the same time, the intense nose. Another success, this Cabernet De Saumur rosé, beautiful color, mouth light and round at the same time, very out of structure, with the fruity complex where prevail the ripe fruits black, a wine generous and full with charm.

Winegrowing of 16,7 ha, where Jean-Christophe Mandard represents the 4th generation since 1870. The vineyard profits from varied planted grape varieties of 10 type of vines, planted on perrucheux grounds (clay-with-flints) and bournais. One gives pleasure with this Touraine rosé 2007, silver Liger 2008, and gold medal with the competition of the great wines of France, delicate and fruity, attractive by his color as by his behavior, of fond of delicacies mouth prevailed by apricot and the fresh flowers, spiced as one needs it, ideal on the poultry pots. Beautiful Touraine Gamay Vieilles Vignes 2006, a wine which combines powerfull and suppleness, rich and delicate, structured, very full and very scented, of harmonious mouth, with the aromas prevailed the cooked small fruits. White Touraine Sauvignon 2007, coming from a clay ground with silica and manual grape harvest, with the fresh fruit nose, is very charmer. Attractive brut Touraine Méthode Traditionnelle, scented (peach, fresh nut), very harmonious, full, very well-balanced, of persistent mouth with a light and long-lived foam, a perfect wine with aperitif as on exotic dishes. cellar tasting.

At the top of first classified great wines. A very likeable couple which celebrated tercentenary property in 2003. Marie-Claire Dumange likes to call the Field “my small paradise”. “There are kiwis, a quince tree, a large cedar which is drawn up proudly in the medium, it specifies. Inside the field, the 72 ares of vines planted on a soil argilo-limestone profit from a beautiful sunning. We are located on the plate above the village of Vouvray. The house that we live was built in 1702, it is a field of walls, which is rare in the area. On the architectural level, our house has very beautiful attic windows with candelabra, of which a date of XVe century. The property is in the middle of the vines, which is also a scarcity on the appellation. The vineyard counts a little more than 16,72 ha of vines of 30 years Middle Age, the grape harvest is manual for the still wines, and the reasoned fight is practiced. The wine storehouse, dug in micaceous chalk, was renovated, and the entirely modernized equipment.” The whole gives this superb Vouvray 2005 brut Méthode Traditionnelle Cuvée the Clos de L’Epinay 2005, gold medal with the competition of better wines of Région Centre Val de Loire 2008. A vintage resulting from the grapes from field of 72 ares, manual grape harvest, production of 6000 btles for the 2005, very distinguished, creamy, with the delicate bubbles and fruity discrete where are found honey touch and floral nuances. Remarkable Vouvray Cuvée Marcus 2006, very fruity, with the white peach scents with notes of dry fruits, a full and tasty wine, of a great delicacy, to open on a plate miller. The 2005 are marked by its freshness in mouth and its aromatic persistence, with the intense nose, an unctuous wine, of a nice complexity of aromas, to discover with aperitif, on a dessert as on a white sauce meat. Touraine rosé Cuvée Pauline Méthode Traditionnelle medium dry, all in aromatic persistence, with subtle nuances of rose and honeysuckle, is a lively and delicate vintage in mouth as it is necessary, frank and pleasant, very well balanced as this Vouvray Méthode Traditionnelle medium dry, with the notes of fruits fresh and acacia, of delicate and abundant foam, perfect on the desserts with the fruits. Taste also their Vouvray Méthode Traditionnelle brut, silver medal Mâcon 2008. rooms of hosts likeable, roomy and of great comfort, which is quite pleasant in the middle of the vineyard.