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




Saturday 19 February 2011

Some more highlights from Renaissance and 2011 Salon des Vins

2007 SuaVignon, Domaines des Maisons Brulées, Beatrice and Michel Augé

Renaissance
Excellent Sauvignon Blanc (VDT Français) from the biodynamic Domaine des Maisons Brulées in Pouillé with all the definition and precision you associate with 2007 with the the leaness and sharp acidity that some have.
Stéphane Bernardeau being interrogated by the Wine Detective

Fine Chenins again from Stephané and Richard at the Renaissance tasting.

Richard Leroy
Mark Angeli trying out his Tony Blair look – hasn't got the Blair wonky eye right yet
Another shot of Sébastien David modelling his ultra-chic range of decanters

Salon
Couple of fine Muscadets
Respecting a long tradition I started the Salon by tasting Pierre Luneau (Domaine Luneau-Papin, Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine) starting with the latest vintage – 2010, which is already showing well with a combination of weight of fruit plus minerality. A sso often the future Clos des Allées was a favourite.

Rather disappointingly the Luneaus' fridge was better regulated than usual so the wines were at the correct temperature for tasting, so no chance to enjoy their famous Muscadet glacé. 

   
Terre de Pierre, Muscadet-Sèvre-et-Maine, Domaine Luneau-Papin 

Not sure what vintage the above Terre de Pierre is – could be either the 2009 or the 2008 as I tasted both. Anyway this comes from the vineyard (Butte de la Roche) belonging to Pierre-Marie Luneau, which overlooks the Marais de Goulaine. The 2009 is richer with more concentration and some minerality in the finish. In contrast the 2008 is leaner, more precise but austere at present but it has good length and may well keep longer, although production was small due to the April frost so the number of bottles will be severely limited.

Label above must have been for the 2009...


Next stop after the Luneaus was Gadais Père et Fils (Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine) starting with their easy drinking 2010 Emotion, which is already in bottle. Of the five wines I tasted here the stand-out was the very fine 2009 Vieilles Vignes. Beautifully balanced it is delicious to drink now but will surely age well over the next five years or more. 

 

2 comments:

Lu Charlier said...

Naughty naughty Jim.
Mark is a sweet guy and an outstanding wine-maker. He hasn’t got the slightest touch of the duplicity and unfairness Blair used to show. True, he has no Scottish accent either. But loosing one’s natural voice is not a favorable feature in any decent man.

Jim's Loire said...

Any suggestion that Mark's character had any similarity to Blair would be a gross libel. Great actors are able to take on roles that are entirely opposed to their personality.