Loire website, Savennires

R

Rahsaan

Rahsaan
Pretty interesting website that just went up about the Loire.

A British wine writer Richard Kelley, who started with Savennires and gives a pretty comprehensive overview of the different producers, their socio-economic and political background, as well as the wine!

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www.richardkelley.co.uk
 
thanks for posting this Rahsaan....i've been relying on winedoc for most of my online loire info lately, so it's nice to see another site on the loire...and love the pics. (what appears to be winter looks lovely over there). look forward to reading it in depth....
 
I haven't had time to review the site extensively. I noticed no Chteau d'Epir on the 10 best list. Is it that deep that it wouldn't be listed? Or is the quality at Chteau d'Epir not what I imagined? It's the winery that helped me love Savennieres.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
There is a much more controversial omission from that list.
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Well, he did specify the 'ten best growers' which allows him to insult Joly (after reading the profile one wonders if Joly will keep opening bottles for him in the future) and Bizard while still lauding the underlying quality/potential of their vineyards.

I was also interested to see his positive views on Domaine aux Moines since 2005. The last vintage I tasted from them was 2004 so if they have been improving it's all the better for the rest of us.
 
originally posted by Kay Bixler:
He is so wrong about the 1996 Coulee de Serrant.
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I haven't had one in a while, I will have to pull one out soon.

I don't understand the distinction he makes between oxidative and oxidized. Can anyone help me there?
 
Ahem. From the Baumard entry:

"I often find myself writing asparagus in my own notes"

I'm doing a little dance of triumph. Thankfully, I'm alone in the house; no one needs to see that.
 
As I poke around a bit more, he has quite a bit of info there.

I have had much better recent experiences with 1996 Papillon from Closel than he has.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
I don't understand the distinction he makes between oxidative and oxidized. Can anyone help me there?
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I'm just guessing, but I assume that vin jaune is oxidative, it's raised in contact with O2 in a controlled manner, but all those bad white Burgundies are oxidized: they're shot and do not taste or develop the way the producer intended. I think it's a question of intent.
 
originally posted by SteveTimko:
So how do others feel about Chteau d'Epir?
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I think your comments were right on. Serivceable, good introduction to the appellation (as it was for me), but there are (at least 10) more interesting wines out there. And according to People Who Should Know, it could be better itself. But I can't speak to that personally.
 
originally posted by SFJoe:
he does not get into the story behind the "Jalousie."
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Do you mean the various iterations of names? Or is there more? Land acquisition politics?

I was intrigued that he was so fully positive about the post-2001 changes. I can see how some of the new ideas are welcome, but the 89 Papillon was gorgeous and the verdict appears to still be out (and tilting negative) on the 02, so that is already one in favor of the old regime in my book.

Although, I guess the 'new regime' is not a static concept and there is plenty of improvement left for future vintages.
 
For those who want a lazy link that works: here. Insert one of Thor's semicolon-dash-close-parentheses (which are no doubt soon to be just as banned as that which they represent).

Rahsaan's take on d'Epir works for me. I've quite enjoyed the wines, but have never been fully captivated by one. Then again, my taste in chenin perplexes even myself; I seem to like bad vintages better than the allegedly good vintages, although I do side with the apparent majority on 2002 and 2003.

And SFJoe's question re: oxidation/oxidative struck me as facetious; but if not then Cliff's reponse works for me as well. It is a strange distinction to make, in the sense that it assumes at least a moderate level of acceptance of or at least respect for oxidative winemaking. I am pondering joining the club myself; multiple tastes from a single bottle of 2000 Montbourgeau Cuve Speciale over the last week revealed a slow but certain arc that I found fascinating, and increasingly delicious. In retrospect I am thinking that some previous bottles I've opened should have been given two to three day decants.

Apparently I am cultivating my inner Harry Callahan today.
 
Not facetious at all, curious. In my literal chemical kind of way, there isn't really a distinction there, but clearly he has some idea of what he means, or what someone else means. So I'm not clear on it.
 
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