The Edinburgh Wine Club

Loire Valley Wines

January 16, 2014

Wine	Grape	ABV	Location	Supplier	Price	Comments	Ranking 1- 3 Best Value Best White
Sancerre la Clochette 2011 Jean-Jacques Breton	Sauvignon blanc 100%	12.5%	Upper Loire	Great Grog	£12.10	A typical Loire sauvignon blanc; well-made, with good fruit acidity and definite flinty/limey mineral tastes, also notes of apple and grapefruit. Perfect for fish and shellfish but would make a good aperitif	Joint best white
Cheverny Domaine du Salvard Delaille 2012	85% Sauvignon blanc 15% Chardonnay	12.0%	Blois (Upper Loire North East)	Wine Society	£7.99	Tropical fruit on the nose, but we couldn’t find any lychees! Rounded on the palate and a slight buttery note but didn’t last in the mouth. The element of chardonnay produced a noticeable difference in character. Good with prawns - the maker suggests it goes well with asparagus
Menetou Salon 2011	Sauvignon	12.0%		Great Grog	£16.99	Little on the nose to start, honey on the palate, flint and chalk mineral notes and interesting long finish. Sold out at the Wine Society - Great Grog’s price is on the high side for this wine
Sancerre Rosé Le Grand Fricambault Domaine Andre Neveu 2011	Pinot Noir	12.5%	Upper Loire – (Pays Nivernais) Sancerre - Chavignol	Vino	£18.00	Fresh rosé taste, very attractive bouquet and quite complex, mineral and strawberry taste finishing with herbs. Some felt that there were similar but better value rosé wines available; good as an aperitif or with goat’s cheese or light fish dishes
Sancerre Rosé Chavignol Francois Cotat 2008	Pinot Noir	13.0%	Upper Loire - Sancerre	Raeburn Fine Wines	£19.99	A close but more traditional neighbour - very dry – unseen could be taken for a white sancerre; garden scents on the nose, strawberries on the palate, powerful wine with great colour, nearly up to coping with feisty crottin de chavignol goats cheese
Chinon Domaine de la Noblaie 2011	Cabernet Franc	13.5%	Loire Central Touraine Chinon	Co-op Wine Society	£9.99 £8.95	Deep violet colour; good cabernet franc characteristics, pronounced but soft tannins, pencil shavings, a hint of cigar smoke on the nose. Served chilled. Good with charcuterie	Joint best value
Saumur Champigny Domaine de la Croix des Chaintres 2011	Cabernet franc 100%	13%	Loire Valley Anjou Saumur Saumur Champigny	Waitrose	£11.99	Elegant ‘posh’ wine, rich and complex on the nose and on the palate with soft tannins – pencil shavings again but also a hint of compost heap! A good match for red meats or charcuterie. Served chilled.	Best wine 17 points Joint best value
Chinon Clos de Neuilly 2007 Johann Spelty	Cabernet franc	12.5%	Loire Central Touraine Chinon	Raeburn Fine Wines	£12.99	Served chilled, but both taste and nose expanded with some warmth to the glass, more flamboyant than the previous elegant contender though others thought it a bit ‘dusty’!
Vouvray Clos du Bourg Sec Domaine Huet 2010	Chenin Blanc	13.5%	Loire Valley Touraine Vouvray	Wine Society	£18.00	Vouvray sec - but nevertheless quite a sweet wine, honey on the nose, vanilla on the palate but still crisp, would work well with pudding or cheese, figs, walnuts and dried fruits
Coteaux de Layon St Aubin les Varennes 2003 Philippe & Alexandre Cady	Chenin Blanc	13%	Loire Anjou Coteaux de Layon	Wine Society	£14.95	Sweet pudding wine, honey and a hint of herbs on the palate, not at all sticky, would be delicious with apricots or peaches. Made from grapes harvested in ‘tries successives’ - several pickings taking only fruit with noble rot	Joint best white Joint best value