France - Loire Valley

Question 1

Deep ruby

earthy spices, charred wood, leather, raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry, redcurrant

Answer 1

Other info:

100% Cabernet Franc

Aged in oak for a few months

Producer:

Family-owned winery, 4 generations of winemakers

Raymond and wine Claude run the winery and are considered specialists in Loire

Question 2

Appearance: pale lemon

Medium intensity, with Citrus notes (lemon & grapefruit), apple, pear, stone fruit (peach), floral notes, pizza dough, toasted brioche and almonds

Body: medium

Alcohol 12%

Acidity: high

Answer 2

Other info:

Fermentation: stainless steel (primary fermentation)

Ageing: 36 months on lees

Question 3

clear, deep amber;

Pronounced intensity

Floral (honeysuckle), citrus (lemon rind), stone fruit (ripe apricot), terciary (honey, beeswax, dried apricot, raisin, hay, dried apples, orange marmalade, honey, almond, hazelnut, nutmeg, cloves, resin, dried ginger.

Dry, high acidity, medium alcohol, medium (-) body, pronounced intensity, flavours mirror nose, with spicy notes more prominent, dried fruits character, long finish, with nutty (almond, hazelnut, walnut), dried fuits (dried apricot) and hay notes at the finish.

Answer 3

Domaine aux Moines;

Organically farmed state, hand harvested fruit, fermented with indigenous yeast in stainless steel tanks, aged in a combo of stainless steel tanks and cask, usually 65-75% in tank, the rest in oak.

Monique Laroche bought the state in 1981 and has been working with her daughter Tessa in crafting wines that express terroir.

The state also adopted biodynamic practices.

100% chenin blanc

unfined

minimum sulfites added.

Question 4

Clear, pale lemon

Medium intensity

Citrus (lemon, lime zest), green fruits (apple, gree pear), stone fruits (green peach, nectarine), herbaceous (grass), herbal (dried herbs, thyme), leafy; wet stones, subtle burned rubber notes (sulfites?); green, slightly unripe fruit character; the wines has some aroma definition, but it’s not easy to pick out the aromas.

Medium-dry, sharp & angular high acidity, medium alcohol, medium (-) body, medium intensity of flavour mirroring the nose, with citrus & green fruits very prominent; green fruit character, with a medium (-) finish, which is slightly bitter (uneven ripening on a colder site?); the slightly burnt rubber character could be caused by sulfites.

Acceptable wine.

Answer 4

100% Chenin Blanc

State is based in Chancay, Vouvray

37 ha of vines, planted on a combination of clay-limestone & clay-silicious soils.

State was established in 1973.

Question 5

Clear, medium lemon.

Medium (+) intensity

Citrus (lemon peel), green fruit (granny smith apples, conference pear), stone fruits (white peach, nectarine), floral (jasmine and blossoms), subtle notes of wet stones & gunflint; ripe fruit character, very well defined aromas.

Off-dry, bracingly high acidity, medium alcohol, medium (-) body, pronounced intensity with flavours that mirror the aromas and a long, brigh and citrusy finish.

Answer 5

Domaine Catherie & Pierre Breton

Organic and biodynamicaly farmed since 1990.

First wine made without added sulfites in 1994.

100% chenin blanc planted on clay-flint soils.

Manually harvested; slow pressed and vinified in tanks with indigenous yeasts, no additives during elevage.

Minimal sulfites added at bottling.

Question 6

pale lemon

med(-) intensity

green fruit (green apples), citrus (lemon), herbaceous (fennel), other (pear drop, wet stones); confected / preserved character, with very noticeable pear drop notes (cool fermentation?); it shows tipicity, with some definition.

Dry, high acid, ligth body, med alc, med(-) intensity of flavours, which mirror the aromas; med(-) finish, with slightly bitter accent.

Good wine.

Answer 6

100% Merlong de Bourgogne

This wine was made by a large producer and labelled for Waitrose.