schiller-wine: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Tinel-Blondelet in Pouilly-sur-Loire, with Marlène and Annick Tinel

2024 Loire by ombiasy Wine Tours, led by Annette Schiller, took place from Sunday, June 9 to Thursday June 20, 2024. The tour started in Nantes and ended in Sancerre.

Program Sancerre

The Program in Sancerre was as follows:

Extensive Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Pellé in Morogues, Menetou-Salon, with Export Manager Pauline Guillot - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch - Menu du Jour: Entrée, Plat, Dessert - at Restaurant Fluteau in Morogues, Menetou-Salon - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Extraordinary Tasting and Cellar Tour at Domaine Alphonse Mellot in Sancerre, with Alphonse Mellot jun. - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Moulin des Vrillères (Famille Lauverjat) in Sury-en-Vaux, Sancerre, with Kevin Lauverjat - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Tinel-Blondelet in Pouilly-sur-Loire, with Marlène and Annick Tinel - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch at Restaurant/ Affineur Romain Dubois in Chavignol, with Gilles Dubois - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Domaine Henri Bourgeois in Chavignol - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Wine-pairing Dinner at Le Clos du Maréchal with the Wines of Vignobles Berthier, with the Owner/ Winemaker Clément Berthier and the Chef/ Owner Nathanael Fromant - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

At Domaine Tinel-Blondelet Marlène Tinel was our host, while her mother Annick Tinel was working in the cellar. During the cellar tour, we had a chance to talk a bit with Annick Tinel. She also joined us towards the end of the tasting.

Domaine Tinel-Blondelet in Pouilly-sur-Loire

Domain Tinel-Blondelet can look back at 400 years as a family winery. Annick Tinel is the 12 th generation managing the domaine. They farm a total of 37 acres in the Pouilly-Fumé, Sancerre, and Pouilly-sur-Loire appellations. Sauvignon Blanc is the main varietal here but Pinot Noir and Chasselas are also grown on the unique terroir, which has three different soil types: marl in Pouilly-Fumé, limestone and Silex in Sancerre. The vineyards are located near the Loire river which separates the Pouilly-Fumé and Sancerre appellations. All her vineyards have a perfect position: they are south-south west facing and the vines are on average 45 years old.

dbwineselection.com

Annick Tinel-Blondelet has managed the Estate since 1983, after earning her diploma in Viticulture and Oenologie in Beaune. She took over the Estate from her parents, Camille & Fernand. A winegrower family for more than 400 years, she represents the 12th generation.

Annick is passionate about nature, she aims to produce wines that match her personality: authentic, frank and full of vitality. Currently, the Estate stretches over 15 Hectares of winesdivided into 3 appellations: Pouilly Fumé, Sancerre and Pouilly sur Loire. As she cultivates her three grape varieties (Sauvignon, Chasselas and Pinot Noir), from three different terroirs (Kimmeridgian marls, Villiers Limestones, Silex)

Annick is driven by the desire to preserve the typicity of the wines. Their diversity contributes to the production of authentic wines, reflective of their origins. Great concern for the environment inspired a lutte raisonnée approach to viticulture; this method has been in place for numerous years in order to care for the vines, the biodiversity, and future generations. Finally, in order to manage and care for the vineyard, and to produce quality wines, the Estate possesses a modern, fully equipped cellar and Annick is surrounded by a serious and skilled staff.

Aufinity Imports: Domaine Tinel-Blondelet

More than 400 years of history and expertise is captured in each wine from Domaine Tinel-Blondelet. Representing the 12^th generation of winegrowers in her family, Annick Tinel-Blondelet aims to produce wines that match her personality: authentic, honest and full of vitality. Each cuvée matches a unique plot to preserve authenticity of terroir. The estate has been certified HVE (high environmental value) since July 2014. The cuvees of Pouilly Fumé come from vineyard plots in Pouilly sur Loire and Saint-Andelain, and the vines for the Sancerre are in Thauvenay, a small village in the southwest of Sancerre. Located on the hillsides along the Loire river, the southern facing vineyards are well exposed.

Land and Grape Growing: The 15 hectares of vineyards are divided into three appellations with three unique soils: Villiers limestone soils for the Pouilly Fumé, silex/flint soil for the Sancerre and Kimmeridgian marls in Pouilly-sur-Loire, a clay and chalky soil with fossilized oysters and ammonites. Certified HVE.

“The first word that comes to mind when describing the wines of Domaine Tinel-Blondelet is ‘lovely.’ Elegant and delicate with lingering ripe citrus notes, these are wines you want to sip all day. With Sancerre being known for excellent wines, the taste and quality of Annick’s wines put them right at the top.” – Robin

Arriving

Cellar Tour

Tasting

Bye-bye Marlène and Annick Tinel

Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours: Already Released and Forthcoming Postings

Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours (Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024)

Stopover in Frankfurt: 3 Nights at Zur Mainlust Desche Otto in Frankfurt/ Schwanheim - From Washington DC (USA) to Nantes (France) for 2024 Loire by ombiasy WineTours, led by Annette Schiller

Pitstop at Le Petit Sommelier, Standard (10.5/ 20 Gault&Millau) Food and Worldclass Wine List, Just Opposite of Gare Monteparnasse in Paris - From Washington DC (USA) to Nantes (France) for 2024 Loire by ombiasy WineTours, led by Annette Schiller

Dinner at L'Océanide (Bib Gourmand Michelin) in Nantes - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at L'Instinct Gourmand in Nantes, with Owner/ Chef Sylvain le Bras - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Guided Tour of Old Town Nantes - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at Iconic Brasserie La Cigale in Nantes - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tour, Tasting and Light Lunch at Vignobles Günther Chéreau, Château du Coing, in Saint Fiacre-sur-Maine, with Owner Véronique Günther-Chéreau - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Two Domaines under one Roof: Visit at Domaine Gadais Père et Fils and Domaine de la Combe/ Pierre-Henri Gadais in Saint Fiacre-sur-Maine, Muscadet Sévre et Maine, Pays Nantais, with Owner/ Winemaker Christoph Gadais - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at Restaurant Les Petits Près of Chef Samuel Albert (Top Chef France 2019) in Angers - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Château d’Épiré, AOP Savennières, Anjou, with Owner/ Winemaker Paul Bizard - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Barrel Tasting and Salon Tasting at Château des Vaults, Domaine du Closel in Savennière, Anjou, with Owner/ winemaker Evelyne de Pontbriand - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

In the Private Dining Room: Wine-pairing Lunch at Château des Vaults, Domaine du Closel in Savennières, Anjou, with Owner/ Winemaker Evelyne de Pontbriand and Owner/ Chef Arthur Favé of Restaurant Le Chenin in Savennières - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Guided Visit of Château Angers and the Apocalypse Tapestry (UNESCO) - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at Brasserie du Ralliement in Angers, Owned and Run by Top Chef France 2019 Samuel Albert - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Domäne Vincendeau in Rochefort-sur-Loire, Anjou, with Owner/ Winemaker Liv Vincendeau - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Wine Tasting with a Light Lunch at Domaine de la Soucherie in Beaulieu-sur-Layon, Anjou - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Tasting and Cellar Tour at Clotilde Legrand, Domaine Legrand, in Varrains, Anjou, with Clotilde Legrand - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Dinner at Restaurant L’Essentiel, Michelin-listed and Nestled at the Foot of Saumur’s Fairy-tale Castle - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Guided Visit at the UNESCO-classified L’ Abbey Royale de Fontevraud in Fontevraud - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours

Lunch in the Courtyard of Saumur's Fairy-tale Castle Château de Saumur - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours