Blog
-
What is Haute Valeur Environnementale or HVE?
Haute Valeur Environnementale is a new certification that encourages and recognises efforts made by vine growers to work with respect to the environment.
-
Les Bergères 2016 Savennières Domaine FL
It’s a while since we opened a bottle of Savennieres as we’ve been immersing ourselves in the wines of Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire since we moved east.
-
Chenin Blanc frazzled by the summer heat
Just a few more pics of grapes that have suffered badly with all the heat this summer. These grapes won’t be picked for making wine as there is no juice.
-
What’s going on in the Loire valley vineyards in August?
As we countdown to harvest it looks like 2019 may prove to be a tricky year for winemakers.
-
Recipes from Le Tasting Room’s kitchen – melon, tomato, cucumber and goat’s cheese salad
This is a lovely summer salad. Make it when all the ingredients are tasting at their best and it’s hard to beat on a hot day in the garden.
-
Boa Moa from Jean-François Merieau
Boa Moa is a delightful example of something a little offbeat. 100% Sauvignon Rose, this colour mutation of Sauvignon makes beautifully aromatic wines.
-
What’s on the cheeseboard this month? Fougette au thym
Made from raw milk in the Haute Garonne department in the south of France, the goat’s have roamed freely among the garrigue (the dense scrubland found in Mediterranean regions covered with wild plants and herbs).
-
Recipes from Le Tasting Room’s kitchen – clementine juice braised celeriac
Celeriac is a very underused vegetable. It’s delicious both raw as in the classic celeriac remoulade and braised as I have done here with orange juice.
-
Vouvray 1947 from Julien & Francois Pinon
A couple of weeks ago we spent the afternoon with local winemaker friends. Everyone brought along an interesting bottle to share.
-
Recipes from Le Tasting Room’s kitchen – roasted Toulouse sausages with tomato salad
This is a great dish for a summer’s day. A simple dish, transformed by the quality of the ingredients so we only make it when the tomatoes are in season.
-
What’s going on in the Loire valley vineyards in July?
More scorching weather and no rain for weeks. Young vines are dying and grapes are sunburnt. July has been another trying month for growers in the Loire.
-
Loire growers start to worry as soaring temperatures start to burn grapes.
It’s 42 °C here in the Loire today. The third day of intense heat that is seeing growers in the Loire start to worry about their grapes.