Jake makes a good point about organic viticulture becoming a noteworthy trend in the Loire. A good website resource is Bertrand Celce’s http://www.wineterroirs.com where are profiled producers worth visiting, I think. My experience has been that it’s best to call ahead, a day or two if possible. kh

I saw a Red Sanncere being a Pinot Noir, sounds interesting.

Ryan, I haven’t been, but the castle looks like it kicks ass.

Kenji, thanks for your insight and list of other producers/labels to check out. For this post, I went with Anjou reds because I’ve already been sold on whites from Savennières and to some degree reds from neighbouring Touraine for a while. Anjou reds on the other hand, I know much less about. I should also mention that even though I do usually expect green characters in Touraine, I’m in no away opposed to them. It’s good to know you can expect a range of red styles from both Anjou-Saumur and Touraine, and that’s a good point about ripeness and alc levels that I hadn’t thought about…. this Delesvaux was 13.5%, probably on the higher side of many local examples.

Khristian, don’t think I’ve tried the Cave de Saumur red, but I’ll have to give it a shot when I’m back.

Judith… I’m jealous, I still haven’t made it any further down than Nantes, which isn’t far at all, but would love to go back. Specifically around Angers I don’t really have any suggestions other than the obvious Savennières mecca of Joly’s Roche aux Moines. In Touraine, I’d love to check out Domaine Huet, and I’d be very interested in seeing if I could visit Clos Roche Blanche and Noella Morantin. Again, a region I still don’t know enough about myself.

Cheers!

We tried the wine recently and it is showing surprisingly well given the freakish nature of the 2003 vintage. Even in a hyper hot vintage such as 2003 there are some of the savory, herbal (not green unripeness) notes with that spicy raspberry/chokecherry flavor I find in Loire Cab Franc.

We thought that this might be a more generous vintage to offer customers not accustomed to Loire Valley reds compared to the more “buxom” examples they may have tried from either British Columbia or Washington State.

Tough sell at $24 bucks (this is BC after all) but we didn’t bring in too much to begin with.

Great to see your school focus on Anjou. I’m not sure why you chose “red” instead of “chenin blanc”, but I’m sure you have your reasons.

Your tasting notes are most interesting, and speak to many of the Cabernets from Anjou well. Other examples off the top of my head include Cousin-Leduc whose Cabernet Franc (Pur Breton), once the brett is dispersed, has ample depth and no harsh green edge (”herbaceous” on the other hand could be said to be varietal character?). I’d also like to site Mosse’s Anjou Rouge (CS/CF) which displays plenty of richness, and finally a rare red from Mark Angeli (Cabernet Sauvignon) that was made up until 2006 (I think) when he stopped production because the tannins took too long to soften. Indeed I had a 1999 rendition and the tannin structure was that of a wine a decade younger. Incredible.

But I believe it would be unjust to dismiss the serious reds from the Chinon and surrounding area. Baudry comes to mind. These are powerful, robust expressions of Cabernet, especially his higher tiered cuvees.

That said, I have tasted a different style of red from Touraine. For instance, on a visit with Christian Venier we sampled a Cabernet Franc that checked in at 11% abv. The vineyard had seen a tough vintage, and he cut his losses and picked early, fermenting it via carbonic maceration to minimize green characteristics, maximize fruitiness, aged in cement vat not barrel. To my mind it worked, and while there was unquestionably a bell pepper thing alongside plenty of acidity, it was balanced and saved by the rest of the wine. (I would happily drink two, three bottles a night).

A less anecdotal example would be the reds of Herve Villemade, where floral and vivid take the place of brooding fruit qualities… but nervous and chilly, I don’t know if I’d go that far.

And likewise I’ve tasted green pepper in a lot of Anjou reds, most noticeably those that hover in the 12% to 12.5% abv range, if this is any indicator of ripeness. So, just as varied as the terroir is here, I’d say so are the reds… you just had a sharp eye to pick the Delesvaux!

kh