Tasting Notes - Loire

2006 Pouilly Fume, Silex, Didier Dagueneau

This was the other standout wine of the day, obviously; plenty of ripe fruit, reflecting the vintage - sweet pink grapefruit, and lemon, with a touch of butter and a hint of marzipan(!) with fine, flinty minerality, and a very long, evolving finish.  Excellent body, structure and depth, but it is a little tight just now, even with the ripeness of the fruit, all the constituents are clearly defined, and the nose was a touch muted. No worry though, given a little time I am confident that this will turn into a very splendid wine indeed. (04/10)

1996 Domaine De La Chevalerie, Galichets, Bourgueil

A little funk upon opening, this blew off pretty quickly after decanting, leaving a slightly barnyardy nose of old leather, green tobacco, strawberry and black cherry. Medium-bodied and quite lean, a little greener in the mouth, with the leather and fruit, plus some clove, with fully resolved tannins and acidity in balance. A very good example of an aged Bourgueil, I would drink it over the couple of years as there's enough stuffing and good enough fruit to keep it going for a little while. (04/10)

2007 Dom. du Pas St Martin Saumur 'Les Charbonnieres'

Bright Rasberry colour - Sappy freshness with very appealing ripe crushed red fruits - soft balanced velvety palette with hints of typical earthy funky underbrush, gives character without distracting from the ripe juicy fruit - lovely wine and great value

1999 P.Baudoin 'Grain Nobles' Coteaux du Layon

Very dark amber orange - caraffed - complex but quite aggressive nose of burnt honey orange peel saffron and dried chamomile overladen with a harsh clove spice and touch medicinal - carries through on the palette very concentrated super sweet - high acidity just coping with the sugar levels - huge length - very interesting old school style wine needs plenty more time to relax. 

2005 D.Laureau Anjou Clos Fremur

100% Chenin Blanc

Lovely nose rich but restrained honey and straw matting, oatmeal savoury - full texture soft acidity and interesting subtle hints of marzipan and almonds - bone dry good length - nice

2005 Domaine des Baumards, Coteaux de Layon, Cuvee de Laon

Not being too knowledgeable about Loire sweet wines, I wasn't exactly sure what to expect, but this wine was outstanding. It was actually sweeter than I expected, it had a pretty intense nose - lots of honey, dried stone fruit, and then an explosive palate of honey again, candied orange peel, pear, melon, pineapple, and a hint of botrytis. Pretty full-bodied, with a creamy texture, the high acid levels of the Chenin Blanc kept it in perfect balance. Awesome, and at around $35 for 750ml, it's a relative bargain to boot. (02/10)

2008 Champalou, Vouvray Sec

Pale lemon colour, youthful nose of stone fruit, lemon, a hint of honey and minerality; bone dry on the palate, it has intense flavours that are much more citrus-based than the nose, plus a little pear, with a steely minerality, quite austere, much more so than at tasting 3 days beforehand (flower day vs leaf day today). High levels of acid will keep this wine going for a good few years. quite enjoyable, but will no doubt be better with a little time. (3/10)

1995 Francoise Cotat Sancerre cuvee speciale 'Les Culs de Beaujeu'

 Amazing contrast between nose and palette - on opening extremely aggressive nose little evidence of fruit except austere citrus masked by very high sulphur which took nearly on hour to blow of after caraffing - but the pallette was incredible - pink grapefruit and lime peel citrus with distinct softer peach fruit side, most notably a stunning creamy texture with a seductive sweetness balancing the intense wet pebble chalky mineralty throughout - beautiful mouthwatering acidity and fantastic length, absolute pleasure to drink but the attacking severity of the nose and high acidity suggests its got a long future - difficult to find as is a special cuvee only made in exceptional years but if you see it buy it.