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Often in France we hear the expression ‘lutte raisonnée’ and for the non-French speaker this can be a bit of a mystery. What is ‘lutte raisonnée’?
The expression applies to an approach in the vineyard. The literal translation is ‘reasoned struggle’ or’ reasoned battle’

Bread and butter pudding. A very English pudding made with bread. A firm favourite of ours and very easy to make, here I have added a French and a British twist. I have used buttery brioche instead of bread and as you can see from the photo I snuck in some gooseberries, that quintessentially tangy British fruit.

Out and about in the hills of the Layon yesterday we saw that the vineyards now have budburst. As you can see from the pictures, they are still at the woolly bud stage ie there is little or no green to see quite yet.

Anjou, the winemaking region around Angers and stretching as far east as Saumur, has been famous for its Chenin Blanc wines since the 9th Century. There are many appellations that fall under the Anjou umbrella

Things are a bit chilly here in the Loire and today it’s raining outside so I thought I’d share the recipe for a long slow cooked beef cheek (joue de boeuf) that will brighten up even the most miserable day.

Thanks to it’s unique climate, Noirmoutier produces the first of the early season ‘new’ potatoes and these ones are arguably the best in the world.

Langres – a washed rind cheese that has a wrinkly orange appearance and takes its name from the Langres plateau in the Champagne region of France. It’s one of our absolute favourites and is not for the fainthearted as it has a strong farmyardy aroma and a slightly sour taste – delicious!

A boozy rum laced cake that was invented in 1820, the Gateau Nantais from Nantes in the Loire valley is sure to get you in the spirit! (excuse the pun) It’s great to serve as a dessert for a special dinner or celebration.

Sulphur, in various forms, is an essential tool for the winemaker. It inhibits oxidation, is antibacterial and preserves wine at bottling. It also occurs naturally in all wines as a by-product of yeast metabolism. In this article I’m going to talk about the use of sulphur in wine.

Débourrement is the French word for budburst or budbreak. It occurs when the vines come out of dormancy after the winter period.

5th generation winemakers, Xavier and Geraldine Cailleau at Chateau de Bois Brinçon make an eclectic range of wines of impressive quality in the heart of Anjou close to the delightful village of Blaison-Gohier just 10 minutes from us here at le tasting room.

I’m so excited to be launching Life in the Loire with Le Tasting Room. It’s something that we’ve been mulling over for a long time and this winter after much thought (and many glasses of wine), we decided to go ahead this season.