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We’ve been working with Mathieu Vallée of Chateau Yvonne for the past 8 years and love his wines. A former engineer, Mathieu took over Chateau Yvonne in 2007. He has 28 small parcels dotted around the Saumur Champigny appellation (3ha of Chenin and 8ha of Cabernet Franc).

So what is a visite gourmande you might ask? Well, a visit with lovely nibbly bits to accompany the liqueurs and wonderful products that our local Saumur distillery produces.

A scrumptious end to a wonderful Sunday lunch in the garden with local friends here in the Loire yesterday. Layers of freshly cut new season’s strawberries, crushed meringue, marscapone, rosewater, pomegranate seeds and a lovely quenelle of fresh strawberry sorbet all dusted with rose petals.

Ampelidae, the domaine owned by Frederic Brochet in the Haut Poitou will open its door to the public on May 1st between 10h00 and 18h00 at Chateau de Lavoguyot. There will be a walk in the vineyards at 10h00 followed by a vertical tasting of Sauvignon Blanc with Frederic at 11h00

It’s been pretty hot here for the past two days so we fancied something light for dinner.

A few pictures taken yesterday in the Saumur Champigny appellation. As you can see there is a little more development and the tiny leaves are beginning to unfurl. We have had glorious sunny weather for the past two days and it’s set to continue over the weekend with temperatures reaching 28°C (82°F). 

Many of you will have tasted Peter Hahn’s lovely Vouvrays while you have been with us at le tasting room. I’m happy to say that he has launched an on-line facility and his wines are now available on-line in Europe and France for delivery. 

A couple of pics taken first thing this morning in the garden where we have 6 Cabernet Franc and 6 Chenin Blanc vines.

At home, in a relaxed dining situation or an informal bistro/restaurant you will not be given a plate upon which to put your bread.  Bread goes on the table. 

I had to repost this little video taken recently at Prowein. It shows a variety of people from different countries trying to pronounce ‘Bourgueil’. Bourgueil is one of the Loire’s best known red wine appellations but it takes some pronouncing, especially if you are not familiar with the French language.

No wonder that the Loire has a vast range of wine styles and grape varieties and this doesn’t take into account the multitude of small satellite regions that are also gathered under the Loire valley umbrella when it comes to wine.

Signs of budburst have been seen in the Muscadet region and in Saumur Champigny but there was little sign of it in St Nicolas de Bourgueil yesterday (the 9th). Meanwhile, growers are replacing dead or diseased vines with new ones and putting in stakes to support replacement vines that are now 2 years old.