TN: Cote Roannaise

K

Kay Bixler

Kay Bixler
Is there a better expression of gamay? 2007 Domaine Desmoulins Le carre du Prieur: juicy, gritty and alive. Cote Roannaise is without a doubt my favorite red wine.

Also opened recently was 1994 Chateau Potensac which, while still quite tannic, has become bottle sweet and really delicious because of it. Drank most of this too young. Nice wine. We drank some 1999 Claude Papin Savennieres and it is good, soft Savennieres. A heart on its sleeve type of wine with lots of drama and pleasure.

Best,
Kay
 
originally posted by Kay Bixler:
TN: Cote RoannaiseIs there a better expression of gamay? 2007 Domaine Desmoulins Le carre du Prieur: juicy, gritty and alive. Cote Roannaise is without a doubt my favorite red wine.
Click to expand...

Pretty high praise there, blueberry Kay.
Best, Jim
 
originally posted by Kay Bixler:
TN: Cote RoannaiseIs there a better expression of gamay? 2007 Domaine Desmoulins Le carre du Prieur: juicy, gritty and alive. Cote Roannaise is without a doubt my favorite red wine.

Also opened recently was 1994 Chateau Potensac which, while still quite tannic, has become bottle sweet and really delicious because of it. Drank most of this too young. Nice wine. We drank some 1999 Claude Papin Savennieres and it is good, soft Savennieres. A heart on its sleeve type of wine with lots of drama and pleasure.

Best,
Kay
Click to expand...

As of a month or six weeks ago, when I drank a 2007 Domaine de Pothiers, I'm right there with you. I went a little nuts over it actually. Fantastic, vivid wine at a very good price. The one I had was 100% Gamay, I believe.
 
Someone should put together an all gamay tasting at some point in the future. The more I drink of it the more I think it best non-chenin grape out there.
 
originally posted by Cory Cartwright:
Someone should put together an all gamay tasting at some point in the future. The more I drink of it the more I think it best non-chenin grape out there.
Click to expand...

Some say it is not "serious" enough, you know.
 
They can have their serious grapes if they want them, whatever "serious" means. Gamay is cheap enough that mediocre efforts can be passed without any tears, and good wines can be enjoyed again and again and again. I've had better wine from other grapes, of course, but I've also paid for the privilege of drinking some awful stuff (though less than many of you here, I'm sure) that carries many times the "seriousness" of gamay.
 
originally posted by Kay Bixler:
TN: Cote RoannaiseIs there a better expression of gamay? 2007 Domaine Desmoulins Le carre du Prieur: juicy, gritty and alive. Cote Roannaise is without a doubt my favorite red wine.
Best,
Kay
Click to expand...
Kay,

I can feel you on this. Though I can't confirm, personally, because up here Cote Roannaise doesn't exist. Except a few weeks ago I had the good fortune to meander through the Pays Roannaise. It is beautiful, gentle, rolling hillside country; self-contained and perfect. It's just in back of the Beaujolais, over the mountains, a little more wild. The vine finds its place in a more diverse polyculture.

Naturally I thought of you as I made my way. My warning is if you go, you might not be able to leave.

Best,
Jeff
 
On a Gamay tangent, I was happy to try the Gamay offerings from La Madone (Gilles Bonnefoy) recently. From the Cotes du Forez.
 
I remember spending the better part of a day in the Cte Roannaise watching the Tour de France. It was the year of Lance's second victory, if I recall correctly. We drank both gamay and a vin de table, and it was good.

As far as a gamay tasting, regular drinking here was threatening to turn into that for a while last year. I'd go down to the cellar to grab something, and come back with gamay, over and over again, until the other wines started to whimper in their neglect. I had to force myself to drink something else for a while.
 
Roannaise - Fontenay is serious stuff, tho you better replace the plastique. Verdier-Logel makes wonderful Forez - try the Volcanique for a singular example of basalt Gamay - as good as any cru Beaujolais.
 
originally posted by Jeff Connell:
Except a few weeks ago I had the good fortune to meander through the Pays Roannaise.
Click to expand...

Jeff, can you recommend some wines? Is there a co-op? I buy whatever comes around and it's all been good.
 
originally posted by Brad L i l j e q u i s t:
Roannaise - Fontenay is serious stuff, tho you better replace the plastique. Verdier-Logel makes wonderful Forez - try the Volcanique for a singular example of basalt Gamay - as good as any cru Beaujolais.
Click to expand...

I have been through almost a case of the 2006 Verdier-Logel La Volcanique. It's a beautiful light wine and always a pleasure to drink. Should have bought more @ about $12.
 
originally posted by Kay Bixler:
originally posted by Jeff Connell:
Except a few weeks ago I had the good fortune to meander through the Pays Roannaise.
Click to expand...
Jeff, can you recommend some wines? Is there a co-op? I buy whatever comes around and it's all been good.
Click to expand...
The co-op is not interesting. What else have you had recently, after Le Carr du Prieur? Like Brad said, Domaine du Fontenay is someone to look for. It's an English couple, Isabelle and Simon Hawkins, transplanted to the Pays Roannaise, clearly trying to make it interesting. Incidentally, they have a B&B.

Another B&B Vigneron worth visiting, and with good wine to drink is Claude and Jean-Franois Pras. I'm not sure if they have an American importer, but you will probably see their wine at some point. Our favourite is still Francisque Lapandery, Kay. (And he still isn't adulterating his Gamay with small-berry local Pinot Noir.)
 
Jeff, I've just got to say, I really admire the ultra geekiness of your Roannaise visit. About as off the beaten track as you can get in France. We may have to follow in your footsteps. The maps make it look pretty great.
 
The 04 Fontenays were an absolute delight but the last time I checked the 05s were massively shut down.

Let's rally for the Roannaise! Go Roannaise!
 
Jeff, the other Cote Roannaise that comes around is Doamine du Pavillon. I've not run into a bottle of Lapandery in over a decade.
 
Kay, probably David needs a bit of encouragement. Brad, I think you exaggerate. I mean it's not like I was in Saint Pourain. Roanne and the Cte Roannaise vineyard are right on the very Loire River after all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top