Friday tasting with Fabulous Fred
Fred Grappe, one of our favourite suppliers, was in the shop last Friday, with a range of superlative wines from the Loire; including recent vintages from Nicolas Joly. By Kate
Tasting at the shop this morning with Fabulous Fred: some of our actual customers (as opposed to virtual ones) may know him from the numerous ‘tasting tables’ and evening tastings he has done for us.
Fred Grappe is fabulous by dint of stocking only organic or biodynamic wines, many made without sulphur. His is a very young company, started around the same time as ours. I had known him for many years as one of London ’s top sommeliers, working with Chris Galvin at Orrery as well as at Roussillon before launching his own enterprise, importing beautiful wines from France
He has worked really hard at it and is an exceptionally lovely man – we don’t confer fabulousness on just any of our suppliers – and so we were as delighted as he no doubt was when he recently won the UK
We ended up tasting quite a range, with the focus being on wines from Loire where he has recently acquired two other agencies as well as those from Joly.
First up, some whites from Domaine de Veilloux. Michel Quenioux has 37 hec in Chevernay which is out towards the easternmost border of the Loire . The estate has been biodynamic for a while (Fred was not sure exactly how long). This is, relatively speaking, a huge estate for one farmed this way but apparently there is a very good team at work. Michel also works incredibly hard which goes without saying for anyone practising this kind of viticulture, and doing it properly
2008 Domaine de Veilloux,Loire , France
This is his entry level, ‘aperetif’ style white made from the unusual blend of Sauvignon and Menu Pineau (or Arbois) which is a grape we generally get very excited about.
See our Julien Courtois note :-
http://www.greenandbluewines.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=62&category_id=5&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=20
Fred says that apparently, Menu Pineau is from the same family as Sauvignon Blanc which is new information to me.
This has a lovely nose. Fresh, with hints of geraniums (which I also find on the Courtois wine), and also some honey. On the palate there is good, fresh grapefruit acidity with hints of peach, honey and much fresher, more citrussy flavours. Richer, spicy notes come out towards the back and then more peach and mineral. Excellent length – a sweet spice persists for ages. Really not too bad for an everyday drinking wine!
Then we move on to the 2006 vintage of our beloved Originel for which Fred now has the agency.
Julien Courtois currently farms 4 hectares in the Touraine region of the Loire , and it is all biodynamic. Great wine flows through his veins; being the son of Claude Courtois who was an incredibly influential wine maker and one of the pioneers of the natural wine movement. He apparently was bit of a guru to Henri Milan, the Provencal producer of whom we are also great fans. Like his father, Julien does not use any Sulphur Dioxide in the winery at all. Fred says that in the wine world, Claude is known as a bit of a character although he doesn’t elaborate on this. I immediately have thoughts of a wild-haired type of wild man - perhaps because Jude, sitting opposite, is having a particularly mad hair day.
I have never tasted Claude’s wines but Fred reckons that these are not nearly as good as Julien’s. The latter, in his mid thirties, is utterly obsessed with his vines and his wines. Fred says that he is chronically shy; “ to the point of illness” is how he describes it. He is obviously a person who is really not at all that comfortable with others, seeming relaxed and happy only when he is in his vineyards.
Somehow, despite the crippling shyness, he managed to get married to a young lady from New Zealand
Fred thinks that Julien is destined to become one of the most iconic producers in the Loire . On the strenght of his wines, we would agree.
We taste two whites in this order :-
2006 Julien Courtois Vin de Table ‘Originel’
This is fermented and aged in old barrels, a very slow natural ferment which takes as long as it takes. The wine stays in the wood for 12 months in all.
Sweet, delicate flowers on the nose with an underlying smoky/spice but very, very delicate. Good acidity, very lemony, with ginger beer and mineral notes on the palate, getting especially chalky towards the back. Not as honeyed as the 2004, but then it is 2 years younger. Mineral and very slightly fresh mushroom on the finish.
2003 Domaine de Veilloux ‘Argilo’
This cuvee is fermented and aged in barrels, none of them new. It is then transferred back to stainless steel and is only released when it is felt that it is ready to drink, so the 2003 is the current release. A very generous and laudable act – merci Michel!
Rich, spicy, perfume on the nose – think flowers, but some of them dried. Lovely viscosity on the palate. The acidity is still fresh with honeyed peach and smoky minerality which intensifies at the back. Intensely rich, savoury, smoky bacon finish which is unusual for a white. This is delicious, really quite a serious white which would be incredible with food. Also an interesting example of a very good Sauvignon with some age – a pretty rare thing.
Then a red:
2008 Domaine de Veilloux Red,
Lovely fresh, sappy nose – bursting with red fruit. Good fresh red fruit, extremely clean and light on the palate with slightly more intensity and perfume developing on the palate. Good length again and a clean mineral finish. Very crisp – almost slightly too much so?
Jude is enthusiastic about this but I am not so sure. I like it, but I don’t know that I love it. Especially now that the much anticipated Barbeque Summer has turned out to be a great big soggy disappointment. Kind of takes away the appetite for reds like this.
We move on to the wines of Chateau de la Roche aux Moines, which Fred thinks we had better taste before we taste Julien’s reds.
Virginie is the daughter of Nicolas Joly and Fred met her at a trade fair in the Loire early this year. For a long time, probably decades, no less an establishment than Corney and Barrow had been the UK agents but increasingly, Nicolas felt that the sales force did not understand or properly support his philosophy.
I empathise with his viewpoint. There still exists in some quarters a level of patronising, sneering scepticism about biodynamics and it is depressing that even one of the founding father’s of the movement is not immune, despite the quality of his wine.
On that note, I have of late had it from a few that Nicolas Joly had ‘lost it’ – meaning that the wines had lost direction, not that he has gone completely insane, although I have no doubt that many probably think that he has! It has been a while since I tasted anything recent from him and so I was reduced to hoping against hope that dark stories of his wine’s demise were premature. Memories of a vertical tasting he did in London
I was therefore especially eager, though a trifle nervous to taste these.
But first, back to the story. Virginie took Fred’s card and apparently did her homework, speaking to a variety of other committed biodynamic producers who all either work with him or know him. Apparently, all reports glowed and so Nicolas phoned him and offered him the exclusive UK
The Chateau de la Roche aux Moines estate is now 12 – 13 hectares in the Savennieres appellation, producing only three wines, all of them Chenin. The harvest takes place in stages, with every bunch only being picked when perfectly ripe, even if this means pickers have to move through the vineyards sporadically over a period of 6 – 8 weeks. That is astonishing dedication to quality.
The vintage absolutely dictates the style of wine, with warmer years often producing wines which are off-dry or medium. Mostly though, they tend to be bone dry. All are fermented in 500l barrels, 5% being new.
We start with his ‘Vieux Clos’ a wine from a slightly cooler climate vineyard than the Coulee de Serrant or Roche aux Moines. The vines here also tend to be slightly younger. I am slightly concerned by the youth of what we are about to taste since I have never tasted the Joly wines this young before.
Fred, however, does not agree with the perception that these wines do not drink young. Although they age beautifully (though they are of course very much vintage dependant), most drink just as well young. Like great white Burgundies, these will go through peaks and troughs so you have to get them at a good time. He advocates paying special attention to the Biodynamic tasting calendar when deciding when to open a bottle.
Loire , France
Nose of honey, white truffle and fresh mushrooms. Very fresh acidity with amazingly clean honey and mineral again, with hints of fresh mushroom and even spice round the edges. Something akin to celery leaf as well. The second sip reveals distinct honeycomb, with lots of waxy notes.
I think about the wines of Richard Leroy in Anjou
http://www.greenandbluewines.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=138&category_id=13&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=28
Compared to those, there is almost a slight rusticity in this. That is not a quality judgement, just an interesting point of difference as it is generally the other way round with Savennieres showing much fresher finesse. I agree that this is drinking now but you do need to be in the mood for lively acidity. No sign of the wines having lost anything though, which is reassuring.
2007 Chateau de la Roche aux Moines ‘Coulee de Serrant’
This is a 7 hectare, south-facing vineyard on a hill which is about 150 metres from the Loire river.
Amazingly pure nose. Mineral with honeysuckle but restrained, lean. Surprisingly rich on the palate, showing immense power for a white with honey, orange peel, white pepper and with more honeycomb that comes out towards the back. An extraordinary wine. The spice and the finish persists for ages. I was expecting slightly aggressive acidity but this is completely integrated.
2007 was a forward vintage which helps. This won’t age as long but is fabulously good now. Apparently, Coulee de Serrant always tends to be softer than the Vieux Clos thanks to the warmer micro-climate. Also, this was opened the previous day which has made a huge difference.
Lots of rain and lots of mildew in 06 but it was still slightly better than 07. Not very good overall though.
Much more restrained on the nose, more savoury spice. (It was only opened this morning) Second sniff reveals some honeycomb. Definitely the acidity is livelier and there is a bit more complexity – spice, honey, fresh mushroom and mineral. This is slightly more explosive in character while the 2007 was more gentle and harmonious. Amazing mineral length on this as well, slightly more chalky finish than 2007.
On balance, I think I actually prefer the 06; it has a bit more going on. Definitely not drinking as well as the 2007 at the moment though.
Now it’s back to the reds, with the taste of Chenin still strong in our mouths.
2004 Domaine de Veilloux Red ‘Argilo,
Lovely sappy/rich nose – not a combination I find often. Reds, in my experience, are either/or. Some plummy, opulent red fruit, very balanced by an almost slightly stalky edge (that would be the Cabernet Franc, I guess). Excellent combination continues on the palate – richer, almost plummy red fruit balanced by a crunchy, stalky edge and spice. Great length and fruity, slightly liquorice finish.
2006 Julien Courtois ‘Element-Terres’
This is an unusual variety - Gamay with red skin AND red pulp. There are apparently three types of Gamay in the area, one of which this is. He has the straight Gamay in his vineyards as well but he vinifies them separately. This wine was opened this morning.
Amazing nose. Could smell it all evening, happily forgetting the object is to drink it. Perhaps good for people on a detox? Earth, sweet spice, black currents, fruit cake. Extraordinary. Much the same on the palate in terms of character; soft, velvet tannins, balanced but not overly fresh acidity. Great length and something like freshly chopped mint leaves on the finish.
Precisely the kind of wine that makes me happy.
2006 Julien Courtois Gamay
The “proper” is my made-up term – it is not an official name. This is not the Gamay with the red pulp as tasted above.
Much lighter, more elegant nose than the above. Same sunbaked fruit hints though, albeit in a less ripe incarnation. Fresh and amazingly elegant with red current, blackcurrent, ginger spice and again, hints of the fruit cake I found on the other. The same clean, mineral finish, this one with a hint of baked fruit cake overlaid on the mineral. Also totally delicious.
Could easily list both as they really are quite different. Decisions, decisions. Everyone has loved these – Tom and Jason are at the tasting as well as Jude.
First up, some whites from Domaine de Veilloux.
See our Julien Courtois note :-
http://www.greenandbluewines.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=62&category_id=5&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=20
Fred, however, does not agree with the perception that these wines do not drink young. Although they age beautifully (though they are of course very much vintage dependant), most drink just as well young. Like great white Burgundies, these will go through peaks and troughs so you have to get them at a good time. He advocates paying special attention to the Biodynamic tasting calendar when deciding when to open a bottle.
http://www.greenandbluewines.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=138&category_id=13&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=28
Compared to those, there is almost a slight rusticity in this. That is not a quality judgement, just an interesting point of difference as it is generally the other way round with Savennieres showing much fresher finesse.
Could easily list both as they really are quite different. Decisions, decisions. Everyone has loved these – Tom and Jason are at the tasting as well as Jude.
We need another shop with more shelf space!
