2012 Pépière Clos des Briords - A Perfect Wine? Clos Roche Blanche and More From the Loire!..
7/29/13 -
(Marc Ollivier in the Clos des Briords)
Sometimes difficult vintages can produce beautiful wines and 2012 in the Loire Valley is a case in point. These notes from Rémi Branger, Marc Ollivier's partner at Domaine de la Pépière; "The cuvée Clos des Briords was harvested the 24th of September. In 2012 we lost 50% of the harvest due to cold temperatures during the flowering. Then the month of July was a bit rainy, but we had magnificent weather during the month of August, warm temperatures during the day and cool temperatures at night, ideal conditions for a long and slow maturation of the grapes. For the entire harvest, and particularly for the Clos des Briords, we brought in grapes with very beautiful balance (a very beautiful acidity, with a perfect richness in sugar) explained by the small quantity of grapes and the slow maturation. We know that the cuvée Clos des Briords 2012 is today one of the most beautiful examples of this wine since the creation of the Domaine and we know that the wine will evolve extremely well over time."
Upon opening a bottle last week, my wife exclaimed "this is a perfect wine!" Indeed, the classic aromas of this wine are there - stone, citrus, salt-air and a hint of anise, but with a touch more white fruit and floral ripeness. The wine drinks beautifully now with any seafood dish, roast chicken or mild cheeses. The 1988, the first vintage of this wine, is still in good shape and the 1996 is a wine for the ages. Marc Ollivier's intelligence, hard work and great wines have helped bring credit to his appellation. His new wines, Chateau Thebaud "Clos des Morines" and Clisson, have shown what fabulous quality is possible in Muscadet. This superb vintage of his classic Clos des Briords is not to be missed! ($16.19 per bottle in a case purchase - a fabulous value!)
(The road to the vineyards at Clos Roche Blanche)
Scattered across Europe one finds a few truly magical vineyards and the talented winemakers there who create artisanal wines with no connection to the commerciality and mediocrity of international-style winemaking. One such place is the Clos Roche Blanche, perched on a beautiful hillside above the Cher River in Touraine and the winemakers are Catherine Roussel, who took over the estate from her grandfather in 1975, and Didier Barrouillet, who arrived in 1981. Didier’s vineyard work is “beyond Bio-dynamie” and involves thick vegetation between the rows which attracts beneficial insects, fights vine diseases and enriches the soil. His knowledge of the microbial life of the soil, the networks of mycorrhizal funghi and the interactions between the vine and its’ terroir is truly extraordinary. Catherine and Didier are two of our favorite people in the world - they make soulful and delicious wines, but unfortunately for us they have rented or sold much of their vineyard as they near retirement. With the tiny yields or 2012 that means tiny quantities of these wonderful wines. The first 2012 red to arrive is the Pineau D'Aunis "L'Arpent Rouge." As with Marc and Remi's Clos des Briords, 2012 is a great vintage for this wine with a seemingly perfect balance of lush fruit and zingy acidity and with an ideal 12% alcohol. Don't delay as quantities are limited! (And we hope you'll consider trying the unusual and distinctive wines of their friends and neighbors, Christophe Foucher and Thierry Puzelat while you're at it...) (Pictured below - Old vines at Clos Roche Blanche.)
