It seems like we’ve been in a bit of a vacuum these past two years and opportunities to taste with our favourite producers have been limited. There have been few professional tasting events since January 2019 so it’s been harder keeping up with news and up to date with current vintages.
Last week we decided to head off to Saumur Champigny for the day. Spurred on by the fact that I had chosen this red wine only appellation for my Zoom tasting last Saturday, it made sense to target this area for a little catch up.
We first met Mathieu in Saumur. It was his first vintage and the year we established Le Tasting Room. We chatted and tasted with him. That was quite a few years ago. And here we are in 2022 still loving his wines.
Mathieu bought the estate in 2007 and today, it has the reputation of being one of the best in the appellation. His wines are on allocation and he’s strong on the export market.
He remains as charming and vivacious as always. The domaine has grown by 7 hectares recently (from 12) and he’s top grafted a parcel with Pineau d’Aunis (a local black grape variety that is allowed in small percentages in Saumur Champigny wines but almost never is!). He’ll eventually make it as a single varietal and sell it in the Vin de France category.
Currently he has two full time employees and is looking for a third. Things are going well for him.
The 2021 vintage was tough for growers all over the Loire (and all over France) with frost, hail and high rainfall but he remains positive and happy with the quality of the grapes that came in. Sorting in the vineyard and sorting again using a very high tech de-stemming machine that he invested in, he was able to eliminate any unripe or damaged grapes from his fermentations.
The wines we tasted in his charming troglo tasting room were:
Chateau Yvonne Blanc 2019 (23 euros cellar door)
This was the year that we had 2 weeks of over 40°C. A challenge to keep wines fresh but no problem with Chateau Yvonne! Lovely pear fruit, nice tension on the palate and rich but fresh.
Le Gory 2019 (a single parcel of Chenin 40 euros cellar door)
Oodles of concentration on the nose and on the palate. Rich and concentrated with a touch of grapefruity bitterness and tension on the finish. A big wine.
Le Gory 2012 (not available)
2012 was a difficult vintage in the Loire but this Chenin really proved that it has staying power. A slight Riesling style note on the nose followed by a rich, evolved palate. Nice balance. Surprisingly fresh and no sign of withering at all. Still has years in it.
La Folie 2020 (16 euros cellar door)
Gorgeous fruit concentration on the nose. Raspberries and blackberries. A touch reductive (just needs a little air to release it). Lovely balance and freshness on the palate. Tasting really good.
Chateau Yvonne 2019 (Cab Franc 25 euros cellar door)
Lovely ripe dark fruit on the nose. Moved away from raspberries and onto darker plummy fruit with spice. More smoky cedar types notes creep through on the mid palate and it’s quite spicy on the finish. The smoky note continues through to the end with lovely integrated tannins.
Le Beaumeray 2018 (single parcel Cab Franc 45 euros cellar door)
Le Beaumeray is a single parcel that Mathieu blends into his Chateau Yvonne rouge – but, in certain years he vinifies it separately.
Super rich and concentrated on the nose. The 2018 reds from the Loire were wonderfully rich and fruity and this is just heavenly. Lovely ripe cassis style notes with almost a hint of fruit pastilles. Fresh, clean, bright. Just a beautiful wine. We’re going to have to give in to a few bottles of this one.
