Very interesting article about chenin, Anjou & Richard Leroy

I second the recommendation for the graphic novel "The Initiates" by Étienne Davodeau. There is so much detail about the life of winegrower Richard Leroy it's as if the book were written just for the disordered. Thanks to Don and Melissa Rice who were thoughtful enough to gift us a copy.
 
Finally got around to reading (scanning) this piece all the way through. Interesting to learn that he uses no so2 since 2011. I've really liked his Rouliers when I've tried it; the Noel a bit less.

Prices have jumped since I first saw these bottles.
 
First time I tried them I liked the Rouliers much better; seemed more precise. No secret which one Leroy considers his grand vin though. I've had a few since which show why the Montbenault is a step up, but I have to admit these wines are very variable from one bottle to the next.
 
Montbenault is the biggest terroir with ryolite and the more powerfull wine (but it's need more time to be open for business). The cellaring/transport (good or not) of no SO2 wine explain also variation.
Price for Montbenault at the estate was 16 euros for the 2001 vintage (in 2003) and 20 euros for the 2012 (in 2014).
 
Current vintages of Montbenault are $40 or $45 in the US; Rouliers is $40. I think the Rouliers was $25 the first vintage I spied it. Still, good wine.
 
I tried, I'm guessing and Cliff may be able to correct or confirm me, the 2012 of both the Rouliers and the Monbenault this summer with Laurent Charvin. He was asking us about them because he thought they were off and we agreed. You could sense the wine underneath but they both had very odd noses and it did affect the taste. Laurent sent me home with a couple of bottles, making me promise to report back, to see if it was bottle variation. But they had the same odors on opening and they did not blow off with 24 hours of airing. He did think that it was the affect of the sans souffre.
 
originally posted by Kay Bixler:
Jonathan, can you describe the odd aroma?
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A heavy dose of gunpowder with more than a hint of oxyidation (although I don't think the wine was oxydized really). Under that, you could quite clearly sense the wine, which seemed as if it might have been nice. On the palate, at first, you could think you got only the wine, and then the odors came through and became stronger on a second sip. Gail, Cliff and I had no desire to move on to a third sip on opening. And when Gail and I retried the wine after airing, again, neither of us took more than a couple of sips.
 
originally posted by Ian Fitzsimmons:
That's a shame; these are really lovely when they're on. The 'pro' case, I guess, for some SO2.
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Yup. I love the Wine Terroirs blog, but I think he's a bit naïve about the potential downside to no SO2.
 
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