This is the summary posting
of the tour. I also did more detailed postings for each of the events.
See the list of all postings at the bottom of this summary posting.
Annette
Schiller in her announcement: What
comes to your mind when you hear ‘Loire Valley’? Of course images of
glorious Châteaux pop up in your mind. Yes that is true and we will
visit some iconic château and dig deep into France’s history. However,
during this wine tour we also discover a magnificent, but often
overlooked French wine region and one of the most exciting best kept
secrets of excellent, high quality wines at very reasonable prices. The
Loire Valley wine region is a vast area and consists of several
distinct wine regions, each with its own characteristic grapes,
appellations, and wine style. We take you on a journey from the Atlantic
Ocean to the Auvergne mountains to explore this unique region. We learn to appreciate “Sancerre”, "Pouilly-Fumé", “Vouvray", “Chinon”, as well as many other not so familiar appellations.
ITINERARY
DAY 00: Friday, June 07
Annette and I left Washington DC (USA) by plane on June 3, spent 3 nights at our German home in Frankfurt, and continued on June 7 to Nantes by train.
We had a quick lunch in Paris.
See: 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
See: Dinner at L'Océanide (Bib Gourmand Michelin) in Nantes - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner at L'Instinct Gourmand
See: Dinner at L'Instinct Gourmand in Nantes, with Owner/ Chef Sylvain le Bras - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
The meeting point of the group was the Oceania l’Hôtel de France in Nantes, where we also spent the first night as a group. For most participants it was the second or even third night at the hotel.
Oceania l’Hôtel de France in Nantes is a stately, 4-star true Nantes institution in an 18 th century mansion perfectly situated right in the city center in the pedestrian area next to the Opera House of Nantes. The hotel has recently been completely renovated and very tastefully combines old world charm with contemporary off-beat twist.
Today Nantes is France’s sixth largest city with a population of about 320.000 in Nantes proper and roughly 1 million in the metropolitan area. The ancient gallo-roman city of Namnetus, founded at a narrowing of the Loire and the confluence of the Erdre and Sèvre Nantaise, owes its rise to its extremely favorable geographical location.
We started off exploring the Loire Valley wines in the Atlantic region of the Pays Nantais or Lower Loire, the easternmost and last Loire Valley wine region before the Loire River empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The Muscadet Sèvre et Maine wine-growing region is located on a southern slope, at the confluence of the rivers Sèvre and Maine. The soils are mainly different types of schist. This region is almost exclusively devoted to white wine, the “Muscadet” - made from the “Melon de Bourgogne”grape - with crackling acidity and sleek citrus fruit. These are sea-side wines with an emphasis on freshness and the perfect pairing with all sorts of seafood. I quote Flatiron Wines: “Oysters and Melon de Bourgogne: a magical pairing, the two together really are more than the sum of two.”
Our first stop was at Vignobles Günther Chéreau, Château du Coing, in Saint Fiacre-sur-Maine, AOP Muscadet Sèvre et Maine.
Our visit comprised a vineyard tour, cellar tour, tasting and light lunch at the winery. Aurore Günther-Chéreau was our host. Most of the time, her huge dog was also with us.
Vignobles Günther Chéreau is represented in the USA by Williams Corner.
See: 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
Domaine Gadais Père et Fils exists as a mixed farming estate since before the French Revolution. In 1947 Louis Gadais decided to concentrate only on wine production. In 1958 they wrote history when Franck Schoonmaker, an importer of high-quality French wines paid them a visit and started to import Gadais Muscadet wines into the US.
Today, it is Christoph Gadais, fifth generation, and his son Pierre-Henri Gadais, great-grandson of two brilliant Loire winemakers (Louis Gadais in the Muscadet region and Henri Bourgeois in the Sancerre region (whom we will visit on the last day of this wine tour)), who are running the domaine.
In addition, Pierre-Henri Gadais started his own domaine, Domaine de la Combe.
Domaine Gadais Père et Fils wines are imported by Peter Weygandt and Domaine de la Combe by terresblanchewines of Cason Love in Richmond, Virginia, a former employee of Peter Weygandt.
We
started with a vineyard tour, followed by a cellar tour. The visit
ended with a tasting of the wines of both estates. Christoph Gadais
joined us for part of the visit.
See: 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
See: Salons des Vins - all
with a Focus on Natural, Organic, Biodynamic and Low-intervention
Producers in the Loire Valley and elsewhere in France and Europe - in
February in Angers and Samour, Loire Valley, France (February 2024)
Day 03: Tuesday, June 11
Anjou-Saumur
Today, we scouted out the Anjou-Saumur wine region. The maritime influence fades and one can sense the shift towards a continental climate. Anjou and Saumur’s most famous grapes are Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet-Franc. However, we also tasted fantastic wines made from a range of other grapes mostly unfamiliar to us until now.
Two subregions meet and here are the most prominent wines of the regions:
Anjou:
dry white wines: Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc, where Savennières is the top region for Chenin Blanc; noble sweet Chenin Blanc along the Layon river, a tributary of the Loire;
red wines: Cabernet Franc, Gamay and blends; the well-known Rosé d’Anjou, mostly a blend of Cabernet Franc and Grolleau.
Saumur:
red wines from Cabernet Franc, where Champigny is the most prominent region;
and for the bubbles afficionados: Crémant de Loire.
In the morning we explored the AOP Savennières appellation.
The fact that great Chenin Blanc, bursting with power, depth, elegance, and freshness, are produced in the Loire Valley, in particular in Savennières, is not on everyone’s radar. These wines compete with the great Chardonnays of Burgundy. The reputation comes from some seriously strict regulations in the AOP Savennières concerning vinification: Chenin Blanc is the only grape allowed in the region, harvesting must be by hand, and mandatory low yields guaranty optimal flavor and ripeness in each grape.
Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Château d’Épiré, AOP Savennières, Anjou,
with Owner/ Winemaker Paul Bizard
Château
d’Épiré is one of the oldest and most prominent wine estates in the
Loire Valley. It was founded in the 17 th century and has never been
sold.
Originally the castle and wine estate belonged to the Pons de Las Cases family. (For the history buffs among us: after Napoleon was shipped to the island of St. Helena, he dictated his memoires to Emmanuel Pons de las Cases.) The widow of Emmanuel Pons de las Cases was childless and had no heirs. When she died in 1882 she bequeathed the castle and wine estate to her closest friend Théophile Bizard. He settled down in Épiré and continued with the wine production tradition.
Today the fifth generation, Paul Bizard manages the estate. They farm 25 acres in the best part of the Savennière appellation, planted with Chenin Blanc.
The small village of Savennières is perched on a rocky plateau 40 meters above the Loire river. The vineyards slope down in a perfect south-southwest exposure.
The estates winemaking and storage facilities are in a unique location: a half buried underground roman-catholic church, built in the 12 th century by Cistercian monks, serves as perfect facility. The one meter thick walls keep the temperature stable inside and year around.
Château d’Épiré produces 3 top dry cuvées, which are all quite different. The mainstream “Château d’Épiré” is fermented and matured in stainless steel. The “Cuvée Spéciale” comes from a ½ acre parcel of unusual black stones terroir and is fermented and matures in old barriques. The “Hu-Boyau” comes from the oldest plot and is fermented and matured for 9 months in 18 year old oak barrels undergoing malolactic fermentation.
Winemaker/ Owner Paul Bizard was busy in the wine cellar while we were there. After a peak at the winemaking facilities, an employee took us on quite long vineyard walk, where we had a magnificient view of the whole reagion. The visit ended with a tasting in the tasting room.
Château d’Épiré is represented in the USA by Kyrmit Lynch Wine Merchant in Berkeley.
See: Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Château d’Épiré, AOP Savennières, Anjou, with Owner/ Winemaker Paul Bizard - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
We
started out with a walk to the vineyards. We went back to the wine
cellar where we had a tasting from barrel. Then, we sat down in the
private library of Evelyne de Pontbriand for the aperitif with a tasting
of 3 wines. The visit ended with a high-end lunch hosted by Evelyne de
Pontbriand in her private dining room. The lunch will be covered in a
separate posting.
Domaine du Closel in Savennières, Anjou, is represented by Louis Dressner in the USA.
Château des Vaults, Domaine du Closel in Savennières, Anjou
Domaine
du Closel is located in the appellation of Savennières and produces
some of the most beautiful Chenin Blanc wines. The property, the
impressive Château des Vaults, was first mentioned in 1495. The château
we see today was rebuilt in the 19 th century and the park was created
in 1850. At that time the family of Emmanuel de Las Cases, biographe of
Napoleon, inherited the château and a line of female winemakers and
estate managers was born.
In 2001 Evelyne de Pontbriand, a
literary scholar, who had lived and worked in the US and Germany, took
over the reins. The 35 acres of vineyards are spread out on the most
western hill of Savennières and the best plots are Les Caillardières and
Clos du Papillon. Evelyne de Pontbriand is a lover of botanics and
nature. She immediately started the conversion to organic and biodynamic
viticulture and today the domain is certified organic and biodynamic by
Ecocert and Demeter. Evelyn’s goal is to make wines that are expressing
their origins. She says: “Thanks to grassing and plowing, the life of
the soil is respected, the soil’s micro-organisms are active: oxygen
comes into action allowing maximum exchanges between soil and vine. This
is how we obtain the famous terrior effect: combination of soil, the
precocity of its warming, plant material, and light.”
The visit at Château des Vaults, Domaine du Closel in Savennières,
Anjou, was extensive.
We started out with a walk to the vineyards. We went back to the wine cellar where we had a tasting from barrel. Then, we sat down in the private library of Owner Evelyne de Pontbriand for the aperitif with a tasting of 3 wines.
The visit ended with a high-end lunch hosted by Evelyne de Pontbriand in her private dining room.
Domaine du Closel in Savennières, Anjou, is represented by Louis Dressner in the USA.
See: 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
See. Guided Visit of Château Angers and the Apocalypse Tapestry (UNESCO) - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
One of the leaders of this movement is Liv Vincendeau from Domäne Vincendeau in Rochefort-sur-Loire, Anjou.
Liv Vincendeau produces racy Chenin Blanc, two types of Rosé produced from a blend of traditional and autochthon grape varietals, a noble sweet Coteaux du Layon Rochefort, and spectacular Crémant de Loire. Her Crémant “Zeitlos” is raved about in every single top wine magazine.
The domaine is certified biodynamic by Demeter.
The wines of Liv Vincendeau are represented in the USA by Roni Selects.When
we arrived there, Liv hopped on our bus and took us to her vineyards,
where we spent some time. After that we went back home for a seated
tasting in her wine cellar.
Domäne Vincendeau in Rochefort-sur-Loire, Anjou (Liv Vincendeau): Born in Darmstadt, Germany, where I also grew up, I first went to study (Master II in chemistry) in York (UK) and Strassburg (Alsace). Arriving in Anjou in 2000 during viticulture-oenology training, I have remained faithful to this beautiful province ever since. Creating my own domain – a dream!... and then a carefully prepared project. Many winegrowers from France and elsewhere have passed on to me their know-how and their passion for this magnificent profession. I thank them wholeheartedly. 2014 is the year of implementation and since then each vintage is a new adventure.
Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Domäne Vincendeau in Rochefort-sur-Loire, Anjou, with Owner/ Winemaker Liv Vincendeau - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
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Domäne Vincendeau in Rochefort-sur-Loire, we went to Domaine de la Soucherie in Beaulieu-sur-Layon, Anjou, were we were greeted by the Director, Vianney de Tastes. The view from the château over the valley in the distance was breathtakingly gorgeous.
Alexandrine Marie toured with us the domaine and hosted us for a charcuterie and cheese lunch with a tasting of the Domaine de la Soucherie wines.
Domaine de la Soucherie is represented in the USA by Rosenthal Wine Merchant.
The viticultural domaine is part of the Château Soucherie which was originally a farm owned by the Duke of Brissac. He built this château as a leisure place.
In 2007 the château was acquired by Roger-François Béguinot, who made his fortune in infant nutrition. The beautiful château and the winery sit on a high point above the Layon river. The 70 acres of vineyards are immediately around the château on gentle south-facing slopes running down to the river. The soils are various types of schist.
A wide variety of wines is produced: the whites from Chenin Blanc: a noble sweet Côteaux du Layon, an
every
day Anjou Blanc, a top Chaume 1er Cru, and a top Savennières “Clos des
Perrières”. Grape varieties planted are Gamay, Grolleau, Cabernet Franc
for the reds and Chenin (94%) and Chardonnay (6%) for the whites.
See: 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
Clotilde Legrand is represented in the USA by Weygandt Metzler.
Clotilde Legrand - Domaine Legrand in Varrains, Anjou
The
Legrand family can trace their wine grower history back to the 17 th
century. In 2014 the first women – Clotilde Legrand – took over and has
since become an icon in the Saumur-Champigny appellation.
The
domaine farms 44 acres, mostly planted with Cabernet-Franc, and a tiny
parcel with Chenin Blanc. The vineyards are divided into about twenty
plots spread out over the villages of Saumur, Dampierre, Chacé,
Varrains, and Souzay-Champigny. The average age of the vines is 45
years, with the oldest being
planted in 1927. The soils are clay-limestone and these produce the best Saumur-Champigny wines.
In Saumur, the vines grow on gentle slopes which are traditionally enclosed by walls, hence a “Clos”. These tufa (the local name) walls ensure optimal maturation of the grapes through their protection and brightness.
All fruit is harvested manually, fermentation is spontaneously, followed by malolactic fermentation and
ageing
2 to 4 years in French oak of which is 1/3 new. The vinification is
dome without adding sulfites. There is no fining and filtering before
bottling.
We stayed two nights in Saumur at Hôtel Mercure Bord de Loire, a modern 4-star hotel located on an island in the Loire River with a gorgeous view towards the panorama of Saumur and the Château de Saumur.
Saumur is an incredibly beautiful town at the confluence of the Loire and Thouet rivers worth exploring. The pretty Château dates from the 14 th century, but Saumur is most known for its excellent cavalry school with its Cadre Noir, a counterpart of the Spanish riding school in the Hofburg in Vienna, its Crémant de Loire wines, and mushroom cultivation.
On the first evening we went for dinner to Restaurant L’Essentiel. It is a Michelin-listed restaurant, located on the foot of Saumur's fairy-tale castle.
We
had a wonderful walk from our hotel to the restaurant, dinner and walk
back at night from the restaurant to our hotel, with spectacular views.
Guided Visit at the UNESCO-classified L’ Abbey Royale de Fontevraud in Fontevraud
The day started with a visit of one of the must-sees in this part of the Loire Valley, the spectacular Romanesque UNESCO classified Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud. Richard the Lionheart and his parents Eleonore of Aquitaine and Henry II are buried here.
The abbey and the monastic order “Order Fontevraud” was founded by a preacher in 1101. The order was recognized as a religious community by the Bishop of Angers. It was a unique order as it was a double monastery: there were nuns and monks following the same rules. The French revolution put an end to the monastery. Luckily, for a long time the buildings served as prison and that saved the monastery from dilapidation.
Still today the monastery is of high historic
relevance: we visited to the tombs of the Plantagenêts who like no
others shaped Frances’ history: The union of Henry II, Duke of Anjou,
later the king of England and most powerful ruler of the Middle Ages,
married Eleonor of Aquitaine, herself one of the most powerful women of
her time. Because of this union large parts of France came under English
rule – for wine lovers: Bordeaux and the Loire Valley were English for
300 years. Henry II, his wife and their two sons Richard Lionheart and
John Lackland and daughter-in-law Isabella of Angoulême are
buried here.
See: 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
The day before we had dinner at Restaurant L’Essentiel, a Michelin-listed restaurant, located on the foot of Saumur's fairy-tale castle. We had a wonderful walk from our hotel to the restaurant, dinner and walk back at night from the restaurant to our hotel, with spectacular views.
Today, the bus drove us right to the castle and we had lunch at L’Orangerie a basic restaurant right in the the courtyard of the Château de Saumur. The location is stunning.
See: Lunch in the Courtyard of Saumur's Fairy-tale Castle Château de Saumur - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting, Cellar Tour and Vineyard Tour at Domaine des Roches Neuves in Varrains, Anjou, with Next Generation Owner/ Winemaker Louis Germain and Agathe Germain
At Domaine des Roches Neuves in Varrains, Anjou, we were received by Agathe and Louis Germain. Louis is the "next generation" winemaker of Domaine des Roches Neuves, who joined the domaine 4 years ago, together with his wife Agathe. Agathe led the tasting. Louis showed us the winemaking facilities and spent some time with us in the vineyard.Domaine des Roches Neuves is represented in the USA by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant.
Annette Schiller: Owner of this domaine of 70 acres is Thierry Germain. I quote our friend and importer of fine wines Heiner Lobenberg: “Thierry Germain can, without exaggeration, be counted among the greatest winemakers in the Loire. He masters the diversity of the Loire like only a few others.”
Thierry comes from a family of winemakers from Bordeaux. In 1991 he decided to leave Bordeaux since he felt at that time that Bordeaux was boring for him and he started working in the Loire. In 1991 he bought the Domaine des Roches Neuves which was then a tiny winery and built it up to 70 acres.
Thierry Germain is passionate about terroir and nature and immediately started to convert to organic viticulture. The domaine is certified biodynamic by Demeter since 2000. I recently had the 2016 Les Mémoires, Cabernet Franc, AOP Saumur-Champigny: just the right tannins, moderate alcohol level, incredibly beautiful floral character. Since then I fell in love with the Saumur- Champigny Cabernet-Franc.
See: Tasting, Cellar Tour and Vineyard Tour at Domaine des Roches Neuves in Varrains, Anjou, with Next Generation Owner/ Winemaker Louis Germain and Agathe Germain - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Maison Bouvet-Ladubay in Saumur, with Owner Juliette Monmousseau - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Annette had established contact with Juliette at a winemaker dinner at the Michelin-starred Imperfecto by Enrique Limardo in Washington DC in 2023.
Kobrand Wine and Spirits is the US importer of Bouvet-Ladubay.
Maison Bouvet-Ladubay is one of France’s greatest producers of méthode traditionnelle sparkling wine. It is also one of the oldest sparkling wine producers in the Loire valley with a history of more than 170 years.
In 1851 Etienne Bouvet and his wife, Celestine Ladubay purchased 8 km of underground tunnels in Saumur with the intention of turning them into cellars. By the 1870s, Etienne was exporting his wines to England, became an official supplier to the House of Lords, and had built a majestic château, a theater, and his own power plant to serve the estate.
At the turn of the 19 th / 20 th century Bouvet Ladubay was one of the largest sparkling wine producers in the world with an annual production of 7 mio. bottles.
The couple did not have any direct heirs and after their death the Monmousseau family acquired the estate. Today it is Juliette Monmousseau who runs the business.
French wine law dictates that “Crémant” must be produced in the traditional method and that the bottles need to age a minimum of 9 months on the lees before disgorgement. Very often the Crémant spend many more months on the lees to enhance quality.
See: Tour and Tasting at Maison Bouvet-Ladubay in Saumur, with Owner Juliette Monmousseau - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
This was day 6 of our tour. We spent the next 4 days in the Touraine wine region. Here, we divided our time between focusing on wine and history, i.e. visiting wine producers and visiting Loire châteaux where history was written. It is fascinating how events taking place at some of these châteaux shaped France’s and eventually Europe’s course of history.
We started the day in Chinon at the cellars of Marc Plouzeau under the fortress of Chinon. Marc Plouzeau was our host.
Touraine
The Touraine wine region is the Loire Valley’s most diverse subregion. The climate is continental and the terroir is enormously varied: from chalky tuffeau to flinty-clay, some sands and gravels from the river’s deposits. Main grape varieties are Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, but also lots of fantastic Gamay, and Côt - the local name for Malbec. Delicious wines are produced from autochthone varieties such as Romorantin for whites, and Grolleau and Pineau d’Aunis for reds. The most famous appellations are Vouvray - always from Chenin Blanc - and Chinon for red wines.
Chinon
Today we focussed on
wines from the AOP Chinon. The medieval town of Chinon is also very
important: it is steeped in decisive events having shaped the course of
history of France. On the border between the three historical regions of
Anjou, Poitou, and Touraine, the fortress-castle occupies a strategic
place that was hotly contested in ancient times. From its rocky spur it
dominates the entire territory, but also several
centuries of
history. It was here where the Plantagenêt court of Henry II. and
Eleanor of Aquitaine was held and where Henry II. and his son Richard
Lionheart died. Much later, in 1429 Joan of Arc met here with King
Charles VII. to ask for providing her with an army to defeat the English
which eventually ended the 100 year war and gave the territories north
of the Loire and the Bordelais back to France after 300 years under
English rule.
Cave M. Plouzeau in Chinon, Touraine
In 1846 the Plouzeau family acquired Château de la Bonnelière on the left bank of the Loire river near Chinon. Pierre Plouzeau replanted the neglected vineyards in 1980. A winery was constructed at Château de la Bonnelière in 1989. Marc Plouzeau took over in 1999 and converted to organic viticulture. The wines are aged in a unique space: the cellars under the fortress of Chinon. Here, in these caves, hewn from limestone in the 12 th century, the Plouzeau wines mature in oak or concrete eggs and the bottles are also stored in these caves.
I quote Marc Plouzeau: “Our cellars under the fortress of Chinon are a major asset for an optimal breeding. Our mono-parcellaires improve slowly in half-muids, at a constant temperature of 12° C and at high hygrometry. In these conditions, our wines are refined and stabilize naturally. The winemaking techniques are ancestral but use all the modernity that allows to preserve the best potential of grapes.”
We had a tasting of the Plouzeau wines in these incredible caves led by Marc Plouzeau.
The wines of Marc Plouzeau are represented in the USA by Weygandt Metzler.See: Tasting at Cave M. Plouzeau in Chinon, Touraine, with Owner/ Winemaker Marc Plouzeau his Château de la Bonneliére Wines - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Domaine François Cazin, Le Petit Chambord, is represented in the USA by Louis-Dressner.
Domaine François Cazin, Le Petit Chambord, in Cheverney, Touraine
Le
Petit Chambord is a family winery, passed down from father to son for
four generations. They farm 51 acres in three appellations: Cheverney,
white, red, and rosé, Crémant de Loire, and Cour Cheverney. 50% of the
vineyards are planted with white grape varieties with Romorantin as the
dominant variety. The red varieties are Pinot Noir, Gamay, and Côt (the
local term for Malbec).
Romorantin gives a full-bodied, but at the same time elegant, fresh wine and is a grape that came from Burgundy to the Loire Valley. It was King François I. who enjoyed Romorantin wines and brought the grape to this area in 1519 when he built the Château Chambord near by. In 1993 Romorantin got its own appellation: the AOP Cour Cheverney is Romorantin only.
At this domaine we can
taste a wide variety of wines and a quote by Astor Wines in NY says
this: “There’s a lot to remember when it comes to the Loire. Novices,
take note: Cabernet Franc is a great alternative to Cabernet Sauvignon,
Muscadet is unparalleled as a companion to shellfish, and Cour Cheverny
is the best white wine appellation you’ve never heard of.”
Romorantin - goodproducer.com
At goodproducer, as wine lovers, we are always looking for rare grape
varieties that grow in exceptional and favorable soils and advantageous
climate conditions. Those factors are the foundation of great wines.
That’s the case for the Romorantin grape. A variety that sounds pretty
fancy. It is a white grape exclusively found in the Cour Cheverny
Appellation, one of the most unknown in the Loire region. This
appellation is famous for its castle and has huge potential for
producing wines.
It was 1519 when Francis I, King of France, introduced the grape variety Romorantin to the territories surrounding the Castle of Romorantin, a clue that gives insight to where the grape name originates.
We’re in France, in the Loire-et-Cher department located in the Centre-Val de Loire region. This white grape variety of France surprisingly survived the phylloxera epidemic that destroyed most of the vines in European countries in the 19th century. Today winemakers of this region can count to just 60 hectares in what became the AOC Cour-Cheverny in 1993.
Studies of DNA fingerprints of Romorantin show that this white variety is a result of a cross between Gouais blanc and Pinot fin teinturie.
See: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine François Cazin, Le Petit Chambord, in Cheverney, Touraine, with François Cazin - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
In Blois, we stayed 2 nights at the Hôtel Mercure Centre Blois, a 4-star hotel on the banks of the Loire River within a five minute walk to the city center of Blois and the Royal Château of Blois.
We were also close to some of the most beautiful and important Loire Châteaux: Chambord, Cheverny, Beauregard, Chaumont.
On the first night, we had dinner at Restaurant Brut Maison de Cuisine, the relatively small restaurant of Owner/ Chef Adrien Delafoy. Chef Adrien does “bistronomique” cooking with seasonal and local ingredients. The wine list is long and impressive with most of the wines being "natural", organic or biodynamic.
The restaurant is on the other side of the Loire river and we enjoyed a great walk to the restaurant and back to the hotel crossing the Loire rive on the 300 years old Pont Jacques Gabriel , with a great view on the Loire river, the Château Royal and the town of Blois.
This tasty bistro with a contemporary feel has an open kitchen, shelves filled with jars of fermented vegetables and books… and just a handful of tables, so it's best to book. The chef, who has a solid track record, devises a short menu that changes regularly. The three pillars of his cooking are seasonality, local ingredients (such as Racan poultry) and modern, often bold cuisine, for example his dessert that combines a naturally sweet Jerusalem artichoke cream and a coffee ice cream with a pronounced flavour. Short list of natural and organic wines.
Day 07: Saturday, June 15
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Brazilier in Thoré-la-Rochette, Côteaux Vendômois, Touraine, with Owner/ Winemaker Benoît Brazilier - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
We visited only one winery on this day, Domaine Brazilier in Thoré-la-Rochette, Côteaux Vendômois, Touraine, because the whole afternoon was devoted to the visit of Château de Chambord.
Domaine Brazilier in Thoré-la-Rochette, Côteaux Vendômois, Touraine, is a bit off the beaten track.
Current owner and winemaker Benoît Brazilier, the 7 th generation of a family of winegrowers and winemakers, was our host. He joined us on the bus and we drove with him to his vineyards, before touring the estate and tasting through his portfolio of wines.
Regal Wine Imports is presenting Domaine Brazilier in some of the US states. I am not sure if there are other importers.
Domaine Brazilier in Thoré-la-Rochette, CôteauxVendômois, Touraine
Current
owner and winemaker is Benoît Brazilier, the 7 th generation of a
family of winegrowers and winemakers in Thoré-la-Rochette in the
Vendômois. This region is situated in the valley of the Loir river, one
of the few tributaries of the Loire originating in the north between Le
Mans and Paris. The wines of this region have a historic reputation but
were overlooked for a long time. In 2000 the Vendômois was granted AOP
Côteaux du Vendômois status. This regions gains more and more attention
because
of the fantastic wines produced here.
Domaine
Brazilier has 65 acres of vineyards planted with mainly Chenin and Pinot
d’Aunis, an autochthone red grape variety in the Loire valley as well
as Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir. They work the fields with respect for
the environment and are certified Terra Vitis. The soil is typical for
the Touraine region: chalky limestone with some flint, called “tuffeau”.
Benoît uses historic limestone caves for much of his wine production
and the tasting room. These caves were carved out centuries ago when the
rocks were used to build the châteaux.
See: Vineyard
Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Brazilier in
Thoré-la-Rochette, Côteaux Vendômois, Touraine, with Owner/ Winemaker
Benoît Brazilier - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
3-course Lunch at Le Moulin du Loir in Vendôme - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
We had lunch in the town of Vendôme at Le Moulin du Loir.Before
lunch, we had time to visit the beautiful Trinity Abbey church and its
incredible flamboyant Gothic facade. The monastery was founded in 1035
and was under the direct authority of the Pope in those days.
Le
Moulin du Loir in Vendôme is a village restaurant that sits over an old
wooden mill in the Loir river. Note, the "Le Loir" river is different
from "La Loire" river.
We had a 3-course lunch with wine.
See: 3-course Lunch at Le Moulin du Loir in Vendôme - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Visit of Château de Chambord: "An Epitome of what Human Art can Produce" said Charles V. (Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nations) - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Château de Chambord
Château Chambord was built by François I. in the 16 th century. It is the largest and most known Loire Château and also the most unusual one. With its 400 rooms, it never served as a residential palace, but rather as an impressive backdrop for State Visits.
Charles V., Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nations, commented after a stay: “an epitome of what human art can produce.”
See: Visit of Château de Chambord: "An Epitome of what Human Art can Produce" said Charles V. (Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nations) - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided Tour of Château Royal de Blois, where 7 Kings and 10 Queens lived - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Château Royal de Blois
Seven
kings and ten queens lived at this place. This Château is a synthesis
of all Loire Châteaux. Its four sides are all different. On the walls
you can read the history of French architecture from Louis IV to Louis
XII. The Château is also the scene of the drama of Blois: the
assassination of the Duke de Guise instigated by Katharina de Medici
because she thought him becoming too powerful: high point of the
religious wars between the Catholics and Protestants which ravaged
France in the second half of the sixteenth century. This château is
interesting to visit to get an idea on court etiquette, design in
Renaissance times because people actually lived here.
With a Large Cheese Cart and Soufflé Flambé au Cognac: 5-course Menu Inspiration - Leisurely Sunday Lunch at Restaurant La Croix Blanche on the Banks of the Loire between Amboise and Blois, with Owner/ Chef Jean-François Beauduin (Bib Gourmand Michelin) - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
In this former coaching inn on the banks of the Loire, you can enjoy the modern cuisine of chef Jean-François Beauduin, who learned the ropes in starred establishments. His tempting menu abounds in seasonal, local produce and stars a wonderful culinary lineup of dishes such as roast pollock, carrot greens and confit ginger. It would be a crime not to sample the soufflé flambéed in cognac with vanilla ice cream on the side. The menu also features a number of more traditional local dishes, like a “beuchelle tourangelle” (creamed kidneys and sweetbreads). Gracious service by the chef's wife, in a pleasantly rustic setting and special mention for the tree-lined shaded terrace.
See: With a Large Cheese Cart and Soufflé Flambé au Cognac: 5-course Menu Inspiration - Leisurely Sunday Lunch at Restaurant La Croix Blanche on the Banks of the Loire between Amboise and Blois, with Owner/ Chef Jean-François Beauduin (Bib Gourmand Michelin) - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided Visit of Château du Clos Lucé, where Leonardo da Vinci lived and died, in Amboise - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
We visited Château du Clos Lucé where Leonardo da Vinci spent his last three years before he passed away in his bedroom on May 2, 1519.Amboise
The impressive Château Royal d’Amboise is regarded as the cradle of the Renaissance in France and French history was written here for over a century. Five kings of France resided in the Château d’Amboise. Under King Charles III. and his wife Anne of Brittany, Italian splendor and enlightened thinking unfolded here. The metamorphosis from a feudal fortress to a Renaissance palace dates back to this era and the triumpf of the Renaissance began here.
Much later, in 1560 during the religious wars an unimaginably horrific bloodbath that lasted several days occurred at the château when Catholics brutally killed hundreds of Protestants.
Worth visiting is the richly decorated jewel from
the Gothic period, the St.-Hubert chapel, on the castle grounds. This is
the burial site of Leonardo da Vinci.
Château du Clos Lucé
King François I. was fascinated with Leonardo da Vinci and has lured the genius to Amboise with three convincing arguments: a castle at his sole disposal, a monthly pension, and - most importantly - the promise of artistic freedom.
Leonardo da Vinci spent his last three years at this château before he passed away in his bedroom on May 2, 1519. An interactive cours runs through the park, impressively showcasing the genius’s many visions.
See: Guided Visit of Château du Clos Lucé, where Leonardo da Vinci lived and died, in Amboise - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner and Overnight-stay at Château de Pray in Amboise, a Loire Château from the 12th Century - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Château
de Pray is a 4-star romantic hideaway close to the town of Amboise, in
the heart of the Loire Valley. The origins of this Loire château dates
from the 12th century. It is tucked away in a vast park with a nice pool
and a terrace to relax.
As soon you step into this beautiful
château with its gorgeous garden you leave the modern world behind and
get carried back to the glory days of life in the Vallée de la Loire.
This authentic Loire château is still privately owned. It was the first
one that was converted to a hotel and restaurant in 1950. In 1992 it
achieved its 4-star designation. Today there is a 1* Michelin restaurant
on the premises.
We stayed there on a Sunday night, when
the restaurant is closed. But for hotel guests there is the possibility
to be served a more simple dinner at Château de Pray. Unfortunately the
weather did not allow us to take a swim in the pool before dinner and
have dinner on the beautiful terrace. Instead, we started out with an
aperitif in one of the gorgeous rooms of Château de Pray and then moved
for dinner across the hallway to another, larger room.
When Annette and I were here on the pre-trip, we had dinner the Michelin-starred restaurant. See: At Château de Pray, a Loire Château from the 12th Century and a Michelin Star: Overnight Stay and High-end Dinner in an Historic Setting (February 2024)
Château de Pray
Hôtel Château de Pray is a 4-star romantic hideaway in the heart of the Loire Valley. The origins of this magnificent Loire Château dates from the 12th century. It is situated a couple of miles from the town of Amboise and is tucked away in a vast park with a very nice outdoor pool and a huge terrace to relax.
As soon as we step into this beautiful Château – close to the town of Amboise - with its gorgeous garden we leave the modern world behind and get carried back to the glory days of life in the Vallée de la Loire. This authentic Loire Château is still privately owned. It was the first one that was converted to a hotel and restaurant in 1950. In 1992 it achieved its 4-star designation.
See: Dinner and Overnight-stay at Château de Pray in Amboise, a Loire Château from the 12th Century - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Day 09: Monday, June 17
Visit at Domaine Denis Meunier in Vernou-sur-Brenne, Touraine, with Daniel Meunier
Today we explored the famous Vouvray region.
At Domaine Denis Meunier in Vernou-sur-Brenne, we were received by the "previous generation", Daniel Meunier and his wife Mauricette Meunier. We took a quick tour of the winemaking facilities and did a tasting of the Domaine Denis Meunier wines in the cellar.
Domaine Denis Meunier is represented in the USA by Schatzi-Wines.
Vouvray
I
found the perfect description of Vouvray on Kevin Pike’s Schatzi Wine
(one of the great importers to the US of German and other European
wines) website: “Vouvray is one of the Loire’s great terroirs for Chenin
Blanc. As part of the Paris basin, the soils are largely fossilized
marine based. The bedrock, from which the region’s myriad historic
cellars are cut, is tuffeau. The topsoils are flinty clay, limestone,
gravels, and marls. The climate is marked by the tension between
moderate maritime and more extreme continental influences. This, and the
fact that Vouvray is traditionally one of the last parts of France to
harvest, opens vignerons here to great risk -first, of severe weather,
foremost hail (as Denis Meunier experienced in the string of vintages
between 2014 and 2016, when he and many around him suffered devastating
crop losses), later, of disease. The reward is a cool climate that
allows both the acid edge and haunting, subtle depth of chenin to
develop to maximum potential. Multiple vineyard passes are key to
producing the traditional range of style from sec to moelleux to
sparkling. The wines can fall anywhere between austere and opulent,
depending on the ripeness and botrytis levels of the vintage.” The
Vouvray AOP classification only allows Chenin and Pineau d’Aunis grapes.
Denis Meunier in Vernou-sur-Brenne, Touraine
This family winery was founded in 1927. In 2012 third generation Denis Meunier took over and immediately started to move the domain towards organic viticulture. The 42 acres of vineyards are mostly on south-facing gentle clay and limestone slopes and are planted mainly with Chenin and some Pineau d’Aunis and Grolleau. Denis produces wines in the classic expression of “Vouvray”: Chenin that are sec (dry), sec tendre (with little residual sugar), demi-sec and moelleux where the fermentation is stopped to arrest the sugar level at a certain point, liquoreux, a noble sweet wine, a selection of botrytized berries which can only be produced in very good growing seasons. He also makes a ‘Pink’, a cuvée of Pineau d’Aunis and Grolleau as well as a Crémant de Loire Brut Zéro with 36 months on the lees before disgorgement.
See: Visit at Domaine Denis Meunier in Vernou-sur-Brenne, Touraine, with Daniel Meunier - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Domaine des Aubuisières, Bernard Fouquet, is represented in the USA by Weygandt-Metzler.
Domaine des Aubuisières, Bernard Fouquet, in Vouvray, Touraine
This
is one of the top domains in Vouvray. Bernard Fouquet is widely
regarded as one of the top Vouvray producers and his ability to capture
the mineral tones unique to Vouvray’s soil is legendary. This is a
relatively young wine producing domaine, but the Fouquet family was
involved in the wine business as grape breeders and grape grafting in
their own grape vine nursery. Bernard Fouquet had no interest in
continuing the nursery; he wanted to make wine and after stints in
Alsace and Burgundy he founded Domaine des Aubuisières in 1982. He
crafted a portfolio of superb wines and quickly rose to the top tier
winemaker in the region. His children pursued other careers and when
Bernard Fouquet fell ill during Covid times, the necessity to find an
associate became more pressing. Since 2021 it is Charles Lesaffre, who’s
family already had connections to the Fouquet family, who is managing
the estate. The domaine has 75 acres of vineyards solely planted with
Chenin Blanc. The vineyards have the classic Vouvray
terroir:
limestone bedrock and superficial flint (Silex in French), and some
limestone mixed with fine clay. This combination, particularly when the
limestone is the ‘Tuffeau Jaune’ is locally known as ‘aubuis’, hence the
name of the domaine.
Château de Chenonceau was the last in a series of Loire castles we visited on this tour:
Guided Tour of Old Town Nantes - 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
Visit of Château de Chambord: "An Epitome of what Human Art can Produce" said Charles V. (Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nations) - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided Tour of Château Royal de Blois, where 7 Kings and 10 Queens lived - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided Visit of Château du Clos Lucé, where Leonardo da Vinci lived and died, in Amboise - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner and Overnight-stay at Château de Pray in Amboise, a Loire Château from the 12th Century - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided
Visit of Château Chenonceau, Residence of Diana de Poitier and of
Katharina de Medici, Mistress (the Former) and Wife (the Latter) of King
Henry II - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
We spent the whole afternoon there.
Château de Chenonceau
It is the most elegant, most endearing of all the Loire castles. It stretches gracefully across the Cher River, a tributary of the Loire River. Originally it was a mill. The war treasurer of King François I. ordered the castle to be built in 1513. Six women played an important role in the architecture and decoration of the château, the most famous is Diana de Poitier. In 1547 it became the residence of Diana de Poitier, the mistress of Henry II, husband of Katharina de Medici. Chenonceau is one of the few privately owned castles. Since 1913 owner is the family of the chocolate manufacturer Menier.
See: Guided Visit of Château Chenonceau, Residence of Diana de Poitier and of Katharina de Medici, Mistress (the Former) and Wife (the Latter) of King Henry II - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
We stayed in Chenonceau for the night and had dinner at Auberge du Bon Laboureur.
Auberge du Bon Laboureur is a 5-star very charming, luxury hotel in the heart of Chenonceau, steps away from Château Chenonceau. The building dates from 1786 and was once the town’s post house. This place is magnificent with completely renovated rooms, a lovely garden, a very good restaurant and all amenities of a 5-star hotel.
Some of us took advantage of the pool before dinner.
Dinner started with the aperitif and the amuse bouche - lovely oysters - in the courtyard of the hotel. From there, we moved to the dining roome for the remainder of the dinner.
The dinner was in my view at the Michelin star level. The restaurant lost its Michelin star in 2019 (see below). Gault&Millau has maintained a 14/20 rating. Recently, Auberge du Bon Laboureur hired a new, acomplished chef, Julien Perrodin, to work alongside Chef/ Owner Antoine Jeudi.
In 2024, Auberge du Bon Laboureur won the Best Wine List Award in the category "Traditonal Restaurants" of Terre de Vins, a leading gourmet journal in France.
See: Dinner
- Aperitif, Amuses Geules, 4-course Dinner, Mignardises, Digestif - and
Overnight-stay at Auberge du Bon Laboureur, 2024 Best Wine List Award
(Traditonal Restaurants) of Terre de Vins, a Leading Gourmet Journal in
France, in Chenonceau - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Extensive Vineyard Walk, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Pellé in Morogues, Menetou-Salon, with Export Manager Pauline Guillot
Today we were travelling south-east to the Centre Loire region.
Crispy, gorgeous Sauvignon-Blanc is produced there as well as fantastic reds from grapes such as Pinot Noir, and Gamay. In Sancerre we find the famous silex soils, on the western side of the Loire River, in Poully-sur-Loire we find Kimmeridgian that we know from Chablis, which gives the wines a broader, more mellow character. We were able to figure out the differences between “Sancerre” and “Pouilly-Fumé”.
When France introduced the AOC classification system, another - now an
under-the-radar appellation in this area - Quincy - was the first
appellation in France granted the AOC (today AOP) designation in 1936.
On the way to Sancerre we stopped in Menetou-Salon, a rather unknown appellation to the casual Loire wine drinker producing fantastic Sauvignon-Blanc and Pinot Noir, quality-wise equal to Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé. We visited Domaine Pellé in in the village of Morogue, some 30 minutes west of Sancerre. Export Manager Pauline Guillot was our host. She took us on an extensive vineyard tour, followed by a quick tour of the winemaking facilities. We ended the visit with a tasting in the tasting room of Domaine Pellé.
Domaine Pellé is well represented in the USA.
Domaine Pellé in Morogues, Centre
This
domain has a 100 year long history of being involved in wine and
winemaking in the village of Morogue, some 30 minutes west of Sancerre.
Today it is Paul-Henry Pellé, who is the winemaker just like his great-grandfather, grandfather, and father. Paul-Henry's grandfather, in fact, played an instrumental role in the establishment of the appellation and lobbied hard to include "Morogues" on the label, which he felt essential since it is unique in its high percentage of Kimmeridgian soils.
When Paul-Henry took over he immediately started to convert to organic viticulture. The 100 acres of vineyards are exclusively planted with Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir and are situated in the Menetou-Salon appellation, the Morogues appellation and in the Sancerre appellation. The soils are characterized by Kimmeridgian loamy limestone, flint, and fossil deposits.
I quote Arrowine in Arlington VA: “we invite you to discover these distinctive, mineral-laden whites and reds from this under-the-radar appellation, Menetou-Salon, and from one of its true masters, Domaine Pellé.”
See: 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
We had a simple lunch - entrée, plat, dessert - in the village of Morogues/ Menetou-Salon at Restaurant Fluteau.
Extraordinary Tasting and Cellar Tour at Domaine Alphonse Mellot in
Sancerre, with Alphonse Mellot jun.
At Domaine Alphonse Mellot, were received by Alphonse Mellot jun.. He took us on an extensive cellar tour, followed by a sensational tasting. Arguably, the tasting with Alphonse Mellot jun. was one of the best, if not the best, of the whole tour.
Domaine Alphonse Mellot is represented in the USA by Elite Wines.
Domaine Alphonse Mellot in Sancerre
The Domaine Alphonse Mellot was founded in 1513. Alphonse Mellot sen. is the 18th generation of the vintner family in Sancerre. He took over the domaine La Moussière in 1970 and was the driving force in the transformation of the family winery towards the focus on top quality. With conversion to biodynamic viticulture he went much further than other domains in the region at that time. The domaine is certified biodynamic since 1999.
Today the 19th generation - Alphonse
Mellot jun. - runs the domain. The winery sits in the middle of the town
of Sancerre and occupies a maze of medieval cellars right under the
town center, some date from the 15 th century. The vineyard area is
about 140 acres with a single plot of 75 acres of “La Moussière”,
considered the best in Sancerre, solely owned by Mellot. “La Moussière”
sits on a large block of Kimmeridgian soil whereas “La Demoiselle” sits
on silex soils. There are also 33 acres of Pinot Noir and
more vineyards (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir) on the IGP Côtes de la Charité.
Domaine Alphonse Mellot is an iconic producer in Sancerre and that was recognized by the King of France, Louis XIV. long before our times. He named César Mellot as his personal wine advisor in 1698.
See: Extraordinary Tasting and Cellar Tour at Domaine Alphonse Mellot in Sancerre, with Alphonse Mellot jun. - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Day 11: Wednesday, June 19
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Moulin des Vrillères (Famille Lauverjat) in Sury-en-Vaux, Sancerre, with Kevin Lauverjat
Today we continued to explore Sancerre.
Almost all of the appellations of Sancerre lie on the left bank of the Loire, opposite Pouilly-Fumé, in the eastern-most part of the Loire Valley. Sancerre is well regarded for and primarily associated with Sauvignon Blanc, making wines of great purity and elegance. Pinot Noir is also grown, accounting for around 20% of the region's production. A rosé style from Pinot noir is also produced.
The focus of Sancerre winemakers is usually to express the pure fruit flavors of Sauvignon Blanc and the natural terroir of the region. Here we find the famous Silex soils: Silex is a type of sedimentary soil that is rich with flint. In fact, silex is the English word for flint. Silex is basically a harder limestone soil and can have an almost metallic look. Sancerre wines tend to have very little interaction with oak, instead spending most of their fermentation and aging period in large stainless steel fermentation tanks.
However, since the late 20th century some producers have begun experimenting with some degree of
oak fermentation or aging.
At Domaine Moulin des Vrillères (Famille Lauverjat) in Sury-en-Vaux, Sancerre, winemaker and owner Kevin Lauverjat was our host. He took us on a cellar tour, followed by a seated tasting.
Domaine Moulin des Vrillères (Famille Lauverjat) in Sury-en-Vaux, Sancerre
Owner
of Domaine de Vrillères is the husband and wife team Christian and
Karine Lauverjat. The Domaine lies in the village of Sury-en-Vaux in the
heart of the Sancerre appellation. The property has been in the family
for several generations, but Christian and Karine are the first to make
and bottle their own wines. The 30 acres of vineyards are on the slopes
of one hill, with two main soil types. The upper part of the hill is
dominated by a limestone clay soil, known locally as terre blanche which
produce full
bodied, well-structured wines. The lower part of the
slope has a pebble limestone soil known locally as caillottes which
tends to produce lighter and more fruity wines.
Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Tinel-Blondelet in Pouilly-sur-Loire, with Marlène and Annick Tinel
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.
See: 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 Romain Dubois - Fromager, Affineur - in Chavignol, with Gilles Dubois
The Loire Valley is not only a paradise for castle buffs and wine enthusiasts, but also .... for cheese lovers.
Today, we devoted some time to cheese, more specifically, to the iconic Crottin de Chavignol goat cheese. We had lunch at Restaurant/ Affineur Romain Dubois in Chavignol, a leading affineur of Crottin de Chavignal, with 2 outlets, one in Saint-Satur and one in Chavignol.
In Chavignol, in additon to the cheese store, Romain Dubois has a restaurant next door, where we had lunch and tasted Romain Dubois' Crottin de Chavignol at different stages of ripeness.
We also bumped into his father, Gilles Dubois, a key figure when it comes to the fame of Crottin de Chavignol.
See: Lunch at Romain Dubois - Fromager, Affineur - in Chavignol, with Gilles Dubois - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Domaine Henri Bourgeois in Chavignol
At Domaine Henri Bourgeois in Chavignol, the visit comprised a vineyard tour, cellar tour and a tasting.
On the pre-trip in February 2024, Annette and I had the chance to meet Jean-Marie Bourgeois and Jean-Christoph Bourgeois. This time we did not see them.
Domaine Henri Bourgeois in Chavignol
With
determination and great commitment, the Domain Henri Bopurgeois has
placed itself at the top of the Sancerre region. The secret of the
success are the gentle hills in the municipality of Chavignol. Here is
the home of Sauvignon Blanc – you only find a few acres of Pinot Noir in
this sea of Sauvignon Blanc. This family domain is one of the largest
producers in the region with 176 acres of vineyards, mostly in the
Sancerre appellation but they also farm some acres in the Pouilly-Fumé
appellation. The domain sits right at the foot of one of the most
prominent top vineyard site, the Côté des Monts Damnés in Chabignol.
“The wines are a wonderful expression of the unique characteristics of
the Loire Valley. They combine freshness, fruitiness, and minerality to
create a harmonious taste experience. Each wine tells its own story and
bears the hallmark of the passion that goes into winemaking at Henri
Bourgeois.”Hawesko.de
See: Cellar Tour, Vineyard Tour and Tasting at Domaine Henri Bourgeois in Chavignol - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Outstanding Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant Le Clos du Maréchal with the Wines of Vignobles Berthier, with the Owner/ Winemaker Clément Berthier and the Chef/ Owner Nathanael Fromant
Our
final event, before driving to Paris, was a wine-pairing dinner at Le
Clos du Maréchal in Sancerre, with the wines of Vignobles Berthier, with
the Owner/ Winemaker Clément Berthier and the Chef/ Owner Nathanael
Fromant.
Nathanael opened the restaurant just for us. There was nobody else in the restaurant. All the wines were Vignobles Berthier wines, presented by Owner/ Winemaker Clément Berthier.
We had met Clément earlier in the year at a winemaker dinner in Washington DC. Initially, Annette and Clément had planned an estate visit but the plans were changed on rather short notice before the end of the tour. We were lucky, becaue this turned out to be an outstanding event, apropriate final dinner for Loire 2024 by ombiasy WineTours.
Thanks Clément and Nathanael!
See: Outstanding Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant 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
Last Meal of the Loire 2024 Tour: At La Coupole, Boulevard du Montparnasse, Paris
La Coupole is an institution. Josephine Baker took a bath in the fountain, which sits in the middle of the brasserie. Jean-Paul Sartre dined here. Hemmingway, Fitzgerald and Joyce consorted here. Henry Miller came here for his morning porridge. Man Ray and Matisse were also part of the local fauna.
La Coupole is on the Boulevard du Montparnasseis, very close to three other famous places of the literary world: La Rotonde, Le Dome and La Closerie des Lilas.
See: Dining and Wining on Boulevard Montparnasse in Paris: La Rotonde, Le Dôme and La Coupole, France – Pre-Bordeaux Wine Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours, France
La Rotonde, 105 Boulevard du Montparnasse: Located on the Carrefour Vavin, at the corner of Boulevard du Montparnasse and Boulevard Raspail, La Rotonde was founded by Victor Libion in 1911. La Rotonde has retained much of its bohemian charm and continues in operation to this day as a popular spot for the Parisian Intelligentsia. Picasso portrayed two diners in the cafe in his painting "In the cafe de la Rotonde" in 1901. It was the preferred place of the Russian crowd, includng Trotsky and Lenin. Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald and T.S. Eliot were also patrons there.
Le Dôme, 108 Boulevard du Montparnasse: From the beginning of the 1900s, it was renowned as an intellectual gathering place. A poor artist used to be able to get a Saucisse de Toulouse and a plate of mashed potatoes for $1. Le Dôme later became the gathering place of the American literary colony and became a focal point for artists residing in Paris's Left Bank. It was widely known as "the Anglo-American café." Today, it is a top fish restaurant, with a comfortably old-fashioned decor. The food writer Patricia Wells said, "I could dine at Le Dôme once a week, feasting on platters of briny oysters and their incomparable sole meunière."
La Closerie des Lilas, 171 Boulevard du Montparnasse: Also situated in Paris' Montparnasse is La Closerie, which opened in 1847 and attracted everyone from Henry James to Leon Trotsky to Gertrude Stein and Hemingway, who references nearby statues and descriptions in The Sun Also Rises.
Back to Frankfurt
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
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
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
Tasting, Cellar Tour and Vineyard Tour at Domaine des Roches Neuves in Varrains, Anjou, with Next Generation Owner/ Winemaker Louis Germain and Agathe Germain - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tour and Tasting at Maison Bouvet-Ladubay in Saumur, with Owner Juliette Monmousseau - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Tasting at Cave M. Plouzeau in Chinon, Touraine, with Owner/ Winemaker Marc Plouzeau his Château de la Bonneliére Wines - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
At Domaine Bouchardière in Cravant les Côteaux, Touraine: Tasting the Wines of Domaine Bouchardière and Domaine de la Haut Olive, Cravant les Coteaux, Chinon and Panzoult, Touraine - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Menu
du Jour Lunch at Bar-Restaurant Le Bistrot du Marché of Hotel Le Lion
d'Or in the Center of Chinon - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine François Cazin, Le Petit Chambord, in Cheverney, Touraine, with François Cazin - Loire Valley
2024 by ombiasy WineTours
3-course "Bistronomique" Dinner at
Restaurant Brut Maison de Cuisine in Blois, with Owner/ Chef Adrien
Delafoy - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Domaine Brazilier in Thoré-la-Rochette, Côteaux Vendômois, Touraine, with Owner/ Winemaker Benoît Brazilier - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
3-course Lunch at Le Moulin du Loir in Vendôme - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Visit of Château de Chambord: "An Epitome of what Human Art can Produce" said Charles V. (Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nations) - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided Tour of Château Royal de Blois, where 7 Kings and 10 Queens lived - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
With a Large Cheese Cart and Soufflé Flambé au Cognac: 5-course Menu Inspiration - Leisurely Sunday Lunch at Restaurant La Croix Blanche on the Banks of the Loire between Amboise and Blois, with Owner/ Chef Jean-François Beauduin (Bib Gourmand Michelin) - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided Visit of Château du Clos Lucé, where Leonardo da Vinci lived and died, in Amboise - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner and Overnight-stay at Château de Pray in Amboise, a Loire Château from the 12th Century - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Visit at Domaine Denis Meunier in Vernou-sur-Brenne, Touraine, with Daniel Meunier - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Visit at Domaine des Aubuisières, Bernard Fouquet, in Vouvray, Touraine - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Guided
Visit of Château Chenonceau, Residence of Diana de Poitier and of
Katharina de Medici, Mistress (the Former) and Wife (the Latter) of King
Henry II - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
Dinner
- Aperitif, Amuses Geules, 4-course Dinner, Mignardises, Digestif - and
Overnight-stay at Auberge du Bon Laboureur, 2024 Best Wine List Award
(Traditonal Restaurants) of Terre de Vins, a Leading Gourmet Journal in
France, in Chenonceau - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
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 Romain Dubois - Fromager, Affineur - 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
Outstanding Wine-pairing Dinner at Restaurant 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
Last Meal of the Loire 2024 Tour: At La Coupole, Boulevard du Montparnasse, Paris - Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours
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