Here are some succinct notes of vinous ups and downs over the last 10 days or so.
Sagrantino di Montefalco Arquata 2001 – Adanti was outstanding. Sagrantino from Caprai and Colpetrone which I have met at tastings have been broodingly powerful and full of tar and tannin. This one, whilst retaining virility, showed surprising harmony and elegance to add to its tangy, savoury fruit and firm structure; I shall certainly return to this estate during my Umbrian stay in October; 17/20++.
Côtes du Rhône Villages “Les Églantiers” 1998 – Domaine de la Réméjeanne, Syrah dominated, was still remarkably youthful and vigorous in its colour, fruit and structure but did not seem to have taken on as much complexity and secondary development as I would have liked; 15.5/20.
Côtes du Marmandais “Chante-Coucou” 2003 – Elian da Ros, made from Merlot 60%, Malbec 20% and Cabernet Sauvignon 20%, would have been a great ringer in the company of fine St. Émilion with its rich cherry brandy type fruit with decent offsetting acidity and good tannic backbone; the problems of the torrid vintage seem to have been completely mastered; 16.5/20++.
Château Fougas “Cuvée Prestige” Côtes du Bourg 2000 (estate growing Merlot 75% and CabSauv 25%) was a wine of similar style to the previous but more soft centred and closer towards cloying; 16/20.
This next cluster of Loire wines was disappointing. Saumur 2006 – Langlois-Château, from Chenin, was disappointingly thin and lacking in complexity for an offering of an estate owned by Bollinger; it only started being acceptable when cooled to about 10°C (50°F) when it showed refreshing minerality; 14/20. Saumur-Champigny “La Bretonnière” 2006 – Langlois-Château was slightly corked but I sensed underneath the wet cardboard some attractive round fruit so I will try to get another bottle from the shop (alas not automatic with all merchants in Belgium). Chinon 2007 – Domaine des Clos Godeaux had some fresh fruit marred by a resinous touch and a slightly unnatural sweetness (excess chaptalisation?); 13/20.
Luckily my faith in the Loire was restored at the admirable Norman restaurant, Le Dauphin at Breuil-en-Auge. Saumur “Les Cormiers” 2002 – Château de Villeneuve (J-P Chevallier), from Chenin, was brilliant; it seamlessly combined a certain complexity and richness of body with a most appealingly fresh minerality and an excellent shape of the palate; I believe that this cuvée sees new oak but it was only discernable by a somewhat polished patina on the finish; 17/20+. Bourgueil “Galichets” 2006 – Domaine de la Chevalerie (Caslot) showed lovely round fruit and nice grip; 16/20+.
At another Norman restaurant, where I had ordered cider, I suggested Irancy 2007 – Domaine Sainte-Claire (J-M Brocard), made from Pinot Noir, to my son-in-law but he commented on its acidity; it was rather light in colour and body but I liked its bouquet of slightly sour fresh summer fruit and its refreshingly light fruited and mineral palate with good grip; 15/20. After an outdoor dinner with the family had to be cancelled at the last minute due to their problems with an injured horse, we repaired to a pizzeria and enjoyed a purple, robustly tasty and honestly rustic bottle of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo 2007 – Farnese; 15/20++.
Not wine; but Calvados Réserve – Domaine Dupont could undermine my fidelity to Roger Groult; it combined the more obvious apple flavours of young Calvados with the smoothness, purity and finesse of greater maturity without any hint of caramelisation; 16.5/20+.
On our return after a hot drive under a brilliant sun in 30°+C (mid-80sF) temperatures, we enjoyed with a fish salad my best but last bottle of Beaujolais blanc 2007 – J-P Brun which seemed to have acquired more expressive fruit and more fat than the previous bottles; 15.5/20+++.