Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Monday 17 January 2011

Mon Ange: Domaine de la Noblaie


Mon Ange is an interesting, experimental new release from the Domaine de la Noblaie in Ligré, a picturesque village on the south side of the Vienne and about a ten minute drive from Chinon. Jérôme Billard uses grapes from the beginnings of the rows where the yields are always higher than in the middle of a vineyard. Although the domaine is the Chinon AC, there is no appellation for sparkling Chinon so this is a Touraine mousseux. Jérôme kindly gave me a bottle to try at the end of my visit there last Monday. Although I'm sure the majority of Mon Ange is Cabernet Franc, I foolishly forgot to check whether there is any Chenin blended in. 

Mon Ange has spend 18 months sur latte and there is the faint touch of a rosé hue to the wine, which is an attractive blend of round fruit with good balancing acidity. Certainly an experiment that can be repeated, Jérôme! 

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope that Noblaie gets some aggressive marketing here in N America. 2 Cab Francs downtown, bring in the rest I say.

Bob Alberta

Jamie Irving said...

Domaine de la Noblaie was my favourite vineyard when we visited the Loire a couple of years back. Very personal tour and tasting and great wines!

Jim's Loire said...

Thanks Bob. Jamie – I agree excellent domaine and very good wines – now a top Chinon.

Luc Charlier said...

Sounds very appealing Jim !
By the way: “méthode traditionelle” suits me well (Et Merde au CIVC!).
Why can’t they design a decent label? Where is the logo with the pregnant woman? I do think that sipping sparkling wines makes clever babies.
By the way, is Family Ferrand still running Château de Ligré? I loved their “Cuvée La Roche St Paul”.

Jim's Loire said...

Luc. As it so happens Jérôme and his partner are expecting their first child in March.

Luc Charlier said...

March, say you ? Then the to-be-born-baby already bulges out of its mother’s belly (so to speak), just as on the logo, what a coïncidence ! Congratulations to the parents.

sarah ahmed said...

Thanks for the heads up & agree with the positive comments about Noblaie/Jerome - will look this up at the Salon!