The second of my Loire four-part series concentrates on eastern Touraine, which I have  extended westwards to take in Touraine Azay-le-Rideau and northward to the valley of Le Loir. 

If your image of the Loire is a series of honey-coloured châteaux, then you will be thinking of this section of the valley, the garden of France. Thinking of châteaux like the lovely Azay-le-Rideau and Chenonceau or the grandiose pile that is Chambord or, equally, the royal residences of Amboise and the recently restored Chinon. These are just the most famous of the many châteaux found throughout this part of the Loire. Almost every commune has its château, evidence that Touraine has been both the home and the playground of the French kings and aristocracy. 

Climate

Eastern Touraine is the transition stage between the moderate climate of Anjou-Saumur – the famous douceur Angevine – and the more extreme climate of the Central Vineyards, in particular that of Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire. Temperatures in winter tend to be lower than they are in Anjou-Saumur and even in Western Touraine, with hotter temperatures in the summer.

Comparing the Tours weather station with the one at Angers shows that Tours averages (1981-2010) 1883 hours of sunshine, with an average maximum temperature of 16.1˚C and average temperature of 7.5˚C.  Rainfall here is 695 mm. Average maximum February and July temperatures are 8.5˚C and 25.5° C. In Angers the annual rainfall is almost identical at 693.3 mm, with an average temperature of 7.9˚C and maximum temperature of 15.9˚C. Average hours of sunshine are 1798.

Although the average maximum July temperatures are almost identical with Tours, the average maximum February temperature in Angers is 9.4˚C compared to 8.5˚C in Tours.  It is not unusual to have snow east of Tours in late January/early February, but when travelling westwards to Chinon one finds that the temperature is several degrees higher with no sign of snow. 

Despite the small statistical differences between Angers and Tours bud-break in Eastern Touraine is around seven days later than in Chinon. This is crucial in setting the eastern limits for both Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc. (See grape varieties.)  

Geography

Eastern Touraine is a gentle plateau running from east to west and very gradually declining in height as it goes. The plateau is intersected by a series of rivers that tend to shadow the Loire before eventually joining the main river, which neatly illustrates how gentle is the gradient towards where the Loire eventually joins the Atlantic. All the significant rivers flow into the Loire from the south. 

The region is part of the Paris basin, so the soil is predominantly clay and limestone in varying proportions with some flint. Here the limestone is called tuffeau. It is easy to quarry and is the favoured building material, not just for the famous honey-coloured châteaux but for the vast majority of the buildings. In a number of places along the valleys there are troglodyte dwellings, where the houses are wholly or partially cut into the limestone.  

Many wineries here are based in limestone cellars – often old, disused quarries, although some are purposefully ‘built’. The limestone cellars provide a constant temperature around 10-12˚ C with only small variations between summer and winter. Many of the cellars are quite damp and while providing fine conditions for long-term wine storage, wines have to be labeled up once they leave the underground as the humidity quickly spoils labels.      

Tours is the centre of the region and is the pivotal point in the Loire. This is the place where roads and rail running north-south from Paris to Bordeaux meets those running west-east from Nantes across to Bourges and Sancerre. 

Melting pot of grape varieties

With the exception of Melon de Bourgogne and the Tressalier grape, unique to Saint-Pourçain, all of the grape varieties grown in the Loire are found in eastern Touraine. Here the varieties of the western part of the region mix with those of the east. Typically, producers outside of appellations like Vouvray and Montlouis will have a range of varieties for red and rosé wines, including Cabernet Franc (and occasionally Cabernet Sauvignon), Côt (the local name for Malbec), Gamay, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, Grolleau Noir and Grolleau Gris. Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris make up the majority of the palette for whites. There is also a small amount of Pinot Gris grown mainly for Touraine Noble Joué When used for a semi-sweet/sweet wine it is customarily labeled as Malvoisie. The quantities of Malvoisie made here are tiny and tend to be made for the producer’s own pleasure and rarely sold commercially. 

There are also a number of rarities, such as the white grape Romorantin, found mainly in Cour-Cheverny.  Henry Marionnet (Domaine de la Charmoise) also has a small parcel of pre-phylloxera Romorantin, which was planted in 1850 and now produces his “Provignage” cuvée. Among the whites there are also the Arbois (Menu Pineau), which is a relation of Chenin Blanc and Meslier Saint-François that was popular in the middle of the 20th Century. Potentially a high-yielding variety, it was often sold to Germany for the making of Sekt. Only a few hectares of Meslier Saint-François remain, but at low yields it can make interesting wine – see Lionel Gosseaume’s Climat No2.

The simple reason for this relative cornucopia of varieties is that eastern Touraine around Tours is the meeting point of the eastern and western Loire. The place where due to climate the chief varieties of the west – Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc – give way to those from the east  – principally Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Gamay and the ‘local’ favourite, Côt. 

Amboise is really the eastern limit for Chenin Blanc but its wines are overshadowed by those of Vouvray and Montlouis. Over recent years much of the Chenin Blanc and other white varieties planted in eastern Touraine have been replaced by Sauvignon Blanc. Similarly, while Cabernet Franc will ripen in eastern Touraine it is rarely as successful as in Bourgueil, Chinon and Saint Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, and it really needs a hot summer and autumn. Gamay and Côt, particularly, are often better options.   

Unfortunately in the recent reform of Appellation Touraine this diversity of varieties has been ignored – it is deemed untidy by the bureaucrats and too complicated by the modern marketers. Under the new rules Touraine white will be made from Sauvignon Blanc with up to a maximum of 20% Sauvignon Gris. Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Arbois will not be permitted from 2016 when the new rules come fully into force. This reform never made any real sense and it grows more foolish as it is clear that Sauvignon Blanc in Touraine is particularly susceptible to the vine disease esca, which is becoming an ever-increasing problem. Furthermore the reform is betting on Sauvignon Blanc continuing to be a highly fashionable grape. New Zealand’s Marlborough producers have already found, to their loss, that there are limits.      

Rosés will have to be made from a blend of two varieties, chosen from a list of ten. This ignores the frequent practice of making a Touraine rosé from one variety, such as Pineau d’Aunis.

Reds can be either varietal Gamay or a blend of Cabernet and Côt.

The Appellations 

Touraine

This is a large, catch-all appellation running from Richelieu and Candes-Saint-Martin in the west through Soings-en-Sologne and Meusnes in the east – between 110 and 120 kilometres from one end to the other.

Inevitably with such a large appellation quality is extremely variable. This is not helped by the often very low prices offered by the négociants to producers for buying in bulk or for contract grapes. Sadly, completely blitzing vineyards with weed killer is an all too common practice here. Although it is easy to blame the producers, the problem is much wider than that, and it includes the consumer’s desire to buy cheap wine without considering the consequences. Thus, weed control through weed killer is the only economically viable option.

There are, however, a number of very good producers in Touraine whose wines sell for above the basic price but still provide extremely good value for money – many of these are either organic or in the process of conversion. The best Touraine Sauvignon can easily be the equal of many a Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé. 

Producer: Le Clos Roche Blanche, Catherine Roussel and Didier Barrouillet, Marueil-sur-Cher

I have been buying wine from Le Clos Roche Blanche since 1990 and for me they are a model estate. They started out farming conventionally but then moved to organic and were biodynamic for a while. They have evolved their own system of vineyard management using plants to encourage insects etc. to populate their vines. During the summer their vineyards will be full of colourful flowers, particularly yellow ones that are especially effective in attracting insects. 

Didier Barrouillet has experimented with planting a wild leek close to a vine that is suffering from esca and has had some success in reversing the disease and saving the plant. It appears that the leek reinforces the microbiological organisms around the vine’s roots.

Catherine and Didier are now preparing for retirement and have sold off a lot of their vineyards, which at one time reached some 40 hectares. They have still retained their few rows of very old Côt, which produce a pure varietal cuvée, one of the star wines from the domaine. The Côt, like a number of their wines, ages well. In 2010 we organised a tasting of the wines at the domaine that went back to 1993, which included a Touraine Gamay from 1996, still in good condition because it was made from moderate yields.      

The Clos Roche Blanche wines have long been imported into the USA by Louis Dressner.

 
Vineyards at Le Clos Roche Blanche

Other recommended Touraine producers: Vincent Ricard, Vincent Roussely (Clos Roussely), Jean-François Mériau (Domaine des Bois Vaudons), Domaine Sauvète, Joël Delaunay, Château du Petit Thouars, Lionel Gosseaume, Henry Marionnet and François Plouzeau (Domaine de la Garrelière).

The Touraine sub-zones

Touraine-Amboise

I fail to see the logic and justification behind having separate appellations for Amboise and Mesland. Although there are some good producers in Amboise, there are none whose wines are consistently better than the best producers of Touraine and too many produce  poor, disappointing bottles. Perhaps this is not surprising given the popularity of Amboise as a tourist destination.

The most distinctively named red is “Cuvée François 1er”, which is a light entry level wine made from a blend of Gamay, Cabernet and Côt. Frequently dilute, I suspect that le Roi François would have opted for something more distinguished. As in other parts of Touraine the most interesting red is either 100% Côt or a blend of Cabernet and Côt.      

Some recommended producers: Xavier Frissant, Xavier Weiss, La Grange Tiphaine (Coralie and Damien Delecheneau, François Pequin (Domaine des Bessons) , Closerie de Chanteloup. 

Touraine Azay-le-Rideau

Having a separate zonal name for Azay-le-Rideau (white and rosé only) makes more sense than for Amboise and Mesland. The whites are Chenin Blanc and the rosé is made mainly from Grolleau. Reds are mainly Cabernet Franc and have to use the straight Touraine appellation. 

Producer: Château de l’Aulée

This is a slight cheat on my part including this under Azay-le-Rideau as their speciality is Crémant de Loire. However, the property is within the commune of Azay, so it makes sense. Château de l’Aulée has recently had a chequered history: it was owned by Champagne Deutz before being sold on to someone who didn’t have enough capital to support their ambitions and went bust. When it was bought by Mariella and Arnaud Henrion from Champagne the property required considerable attention to get it back into shape.

Given the Henrions’ background it is not surprising that Aulée should concentrate on sparkling wines. Their range of Crémant de Loire, which has to be harvested by hand, is of very good value and delicious. There are four wines in the range: a brut Zéro, a brut classic and a special cuvee called “1856” – the date the château was built. All three whites are made from Chenin Blanc. A rosé from Cabernet Franc is also made. Retail prices at the château range from 7-9 €. There is also a slightly cheaper range of Touraine sparkling wines made from machine harvested fruit, but I think it is well worth paying just a little more for the Crémant.       

    
Château de l'Aulée

Other recommended producers: Pascal Pibaleau and Louis-Jean Sylvos (Château de la Roche). 

Touraine Mesland

Small Touraine zone to the west of Blois. 

Recommended producer: Vincent Girault (Clos de la Briderie and Château Gaillard)

Touraine Noble-Joué

This unusual and attractive rosé is a small historical curiosity. Its name comes from one of suburbs of Tours, which was originally the village of Joué (until it was swallowed up by Tours to become Joué-les-Tours); most of its vineyards have been replaced by dwellings. Now most of the 28 hectares of vines are used to make Noble Joué are in the commune of Evres-sur-Indre to the south of the conurbation of Tours.

Noble Joué is always a rosé and is a blend of three Pinots – Gris, Meunier and Noir. It is a distinctive dry rosé that is well worth seeking out; it is an attractive apéritif and works with light first courses or fish.

Recommended producers: Michel Rousseau (Rousseau Frères – only producer listed as available in US) and Rémi Cosson. 

Touraine-Chenonceaux and Touraine-Oisly

Since 2011 these four sub-zones have been joined by Touraine-Chenonceaux and Touraine-Oisly with the first wines released this May. Both sub-zones are in the Cher Valley.  The new Oisly appellation covers 10 communes in the Loir-et-Cher to the north of the Cher Valley and to the south of the Cheverny AC, while the larger and more extended Chenonceaux runs along both sides of the Cher and includes 27 communes from the départments Indre-et-Loire and Loir-et-Cher. The Oisly appellation is for white wines produced with Sauvignon Blanc. It is geographically compact, logical and is a zone where Sauvignon Blanc is already the dominant variety.

This is not the case with the elongated Touraine-Chenonceaux, whose 27 communes stretch some 50 kilometres from Athée-sur-Cher in the west to Chatillon-sur-Cher in the east. Clearly the name of the Loire’s most famous château – Chenonceau – has been appropriated to lend cachet to the wines. Except that the plan didn’t quite work out as intended. Château de Chenonceau refused to allow this over-large zone to use its name. Instead it is named after the village, hence Touraine-Chenonceaux with an “x”.         

It seems all too likely that the Touraine producers had to accept the foolish narrowing in the choice of permitted for the straight Touraine appellation in order to be able to get the Chenonceaux and Oisly sub-zones accepted by the INAO. All to little effect as for the first vintage (2011) producers put forward only 16 hectares for the Touraine Oisly appellation.  

For Touraine-Chenonceaux is it 16 ha for the white and 19 ha for the red. Only 51 hectares in total.

Unfortunately, far too much time was spent on the minutiae of grape varieties allowed and not enough on the broader question of the environment. Sadly the architects of the new régime have not followed the lead given by Saumur-Le-Puy Notre Dame and Savennières Roche-aux-Moines in either severely restricting or banning outright the use of weed killers in the vineyard. The only restriction on the use of weedkillers in the new regulations is to ban producers from spraying their ditches close to their vines. And where pray does the water from such treated vineyards drain to if it doesn’t go into the ditches?

Vouvray

Chenin Blanc in Vouvray has the capacity to make some of the world’s greatest and most profound white wines. Wines capable of living a fully active life – not just existing – for an extraordinary long time, often for much longer than the life span a human being can expect. Sadly the number of Vouvray producers who really seek to explore the full potential of the appellation is limited to around a dozen. The lure of a quick buck along with the reduction of risk (by opting to concentrate on sparkling wine) is too great.    

60% of Vouvray is sparkling and much of this is sold at cheap prices in supermarkets. For many producers, bubbles make up 80-90% of their production. There are now only a few producers who continue to concentrate on the still wines that are the real glory of Vouvray. As the permitted yield for sparkling wines is 65 ha/hl against 52 hl/ha for still wines it makes economic sense to opt for sparkling, which in any case carries less risk than choosing to make still wines, especially if you are looking to make demi-sec and moelleux (weather permitting). Menu Pineau is also allowed in the wines but is probably little used.   

Producer: Domaine Huet

There are few world class Loire estates but Domaine Huet is undoubtedly one of them. Those lucky enough to drink some of the old mature vintages will have tasted some of the greatest white wines in the world.

It was Gaston Huet, who first established the estate's reputation. His first vintage was 1928  and, apart from his time as a prisoner of war in Germany during the Second World War, he continued to make the wine until 1976, when he handed over winemaking responsibilities to Noël Pinguet, his son-in-law. Gaston continued to be involved in the estate and in the Vouvray appellation until his death at the age of 92 in 2002.

Noël Pinguet studied mathematics and worked in an insurance company in Paris before he started working at the estate in 1971. His father was a non-wine drinking butcher in Vouvray. Although the estate never used weed killers, Noël moved to biodynamics in 1989. Unlike Nicolas Joly, Noël has always taken a pragmatic approach to biodynamics: he finds it works.

Following the death of Gaston, Domaine Huet changed hands in 2003. The estate was bought by Anthony Hwang, a Chinese-American businessman who also owns a vineyard in Tokaj. As part of the deal Noël acquired a minority shareholding.  

In February 2012 the Huet connection came to a sad end when Noël confirmed his resignation due to irreconcilable differences with Hugo and Sarah Hwang, the son and daughter of Anthony Hwang. Noël's relationship with Anthony was always good, and Noël had been due to retire in 2015 (at 70 years of age). Jean-Bernard Berthomé, the estate's long time chef de culture, remains on board along with Benjamin Joliveau, who was in line to take over from Noël. The Hwangs have a big challenge and responsibility to maintain the standards that Gaston Huet and Noël Pinguet set over more than 80 years. Unfortunately in 2012 nature has dealt them a very tough hand, so it will be unfair to judge them solely by how this vintage pans out.

Domaine Huet's Clos de Bourg

Producer: Philippe Foreau

Similar quality over a long period to Huet but this domaine is less well known. This is partly because Philippe Foreau is rarely present at professional wine shows. For instance, he has never been at the annual Salon des Vins de Loire in Angers. However, the quality is very high - I have never been disappointed with a Foreau wine -The 1947 Goutte d'Or is legendary.

Other recommended producers: Domaine des Aubuisières (Bernard Fouquet), Vincent Carême, Didier, Véronique and Catherine Champalou, Francis Piñon, Sébastien Brunet and Laurent Bonneau – two coming younger producers, Vigneau-Chevreau and Peter Hahn (Le Clos de la Meslerie).  

Montlouis

Just across the Loire from Vouvray and much smaller than its northern neighbour, Montlouis has nevertheless become one of the Loire’s most dynamic appellations attracting a series of committed newcomers. The majority of the vineyard faces towards the south and the Cher Valley rather than northwards to the Loire. Moving from north to south the clay gives way to much more sandy soils as you approach the River Cher around Saint-Martin-le-Beau. Unlike Vouvray only Chenin Blanc is permitted: no Arbois allowed.

Producer: Jacky Blot – Domaine de la Taille aux Loups

Jacky and Joëlle Blot acquired the Domaine de la Taille aux Loups in Husseau, a small wine-making village just to the east of the town of Montlouis. It then had some eight hectares of vines. 23 years later the Blots are one of the biggest players in Montlouis with over 60 hectares including a virtual monopole – Le Clos Mosny (12ha) – and the neighbouring single vineyard of Clos Michet. They also have vines in Vouvray: the 3.5 ha Clos de la Bretonnière and the one-hectare Clos de Venise. Furthermore since 2002 they have also owned the 15-hectare Domaine de la Butte in Bourgueil – making from a standing start some of the best reds in the appellation.  

The Blots’ success is down to passion, attention to detail, and consistent quality allied with business acumen. Jacky was a courtier en vin in Tours before becoming a vigneron. All of the whites are vinified in barriques, including the base wines for “Triple Zéro”, a highly successful Montlouis pétillant which has no sugar added at any point in its making. 

The Domaine de la Taille aux Loups is one of the few leading Loire estates which is open to visitors, seven days a week. It is not surprising that a significant proportion of the Blots’ wines are now sold direct from the domaine.

Producer: François Chidaine

François is the dynamic and outspoken president of the Montlouis appellation. The domaine, which also includes the Vouvray vineyards of Prince Poniatowski, and some in the Touraine appellation at Chissay in the Cher Valley, is biodynamic. The Poniatowski estate includes the Clos Baudouin, one of the most famous sites in Vouvray. Sadly, by the time the Clos was bought by Chidaine it was in a sad state – it is one of Chidaine’s long-term projects to restore the Clos to its former glory. The oldest Vouvray I have ever been privileged to taste was an 1870 Clos Baudouin served at a dinner at Jean Bardet restaurant in Tours some 15 years ago or so. I believe three bottles were served – I was lucky I got a portion from the one bottle that was still good!    

Other Recommended Producers: Coralie et Damien Delecheneau (La Grange Tiphaine), Ludovic Chanson, Franz Saumon, Xavier Weisskopf (Le Rocher des Violettes), Lisle and Bertrand Jousset and Valérye Mordelet et Jean-Daniel Kloeckle (Les Loges de la Folie). 

Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny

These two appellations lie to the south of Blois. Only Romorantin is permitted for Cour-Cheverny, which can often be austere when young but has fine potential to develop and age.

Recommended producers: Michel Gendrier (Domaine des Huards), Laura Semaria, Château de Montcy, Philippe Tessier. Jean-Marie and Thierry Puzelat (Domaine de la Tué-Boeuf).    

Appellations of Le Loir

The vineyards of the pastoral valley of le Loir are the most northerly of the Loire, although they not are the most northerly of Western France – that distinction goes to Les Arpents du Soleil to the south east of Caen.    

Jasnières and Coteaux du Loir

After nearly disappearing in the 1950s, Jasnières (along with its associated appellation, Coteaux du Loir) is now among the most dynamic of the Loire Valley. Here is a happy combination of a few long established producers who fought to keep the appellation going –  most notably the Gigou family – and a number of incomers such as Eric Nicolas (Domaine de la Bellivière), Christian Chaussard (sadly killed in a tractor accident last month), Jean-Pierre Robinot (Vignes de L'angevin) and Les Maisons Rouges.

Recommended producers:  Eric Nicolas, Joël and Ludovic Gigou (Domaine de la Charrière), Christian Chaussard and Nathalie Gaubicher (Domaine le Briseau), Jean-Pierre Robinot (Vignes de L'angevin), Elisabeth et Benoît Jardin (Les Maisons Rouges), Régis Breton, Pascal Janvier and Raynald and Francine Lelais (Domaine de la Gauletteries). 

Coteaux du Vendômois

Small appellation between Vendôme and Montoire in valley of Le Loir.

Recommended producers: Emile Hérédia (Domaine de Montrieux) and Patrice Colin. 

2012 in Eastern Touraine

This year the weather conditions this year have been diabolical, with everything arriving at just the wrong time. January was mild, so the sap started to rise only for extreme cold to follow in February with temperatures down to -18° C. Mid March to early April was unseasonably hot with temperatures up to 25° C provoking bud break and rapid leaf growth. Inevitably, there was a severe frost on 16th-17th April causing widespread damage across much of Eastern Touraine. The dry conditions of the early part of the year were replaced around April 10th with well above average rainfall through mid-July, so the flowering was very extended with significant losses through coulure and millerandage. The prolonged wet conditions also provoked widespread mildew, especially difficult for organic producers. Then from late July until 20th September it was very dry which blocked the maturity of some of the grapes, making the grapes very small with little juice.

More recently it has turned very wet with 126 mm recorded by the weather station in Tours to 20th October. The monthly average is 70 mm and 126 mm is heading towards the record downpour of 1966 when 152 mm was recorded for October. This heavy rain will have made picking in Vouvray and Montlouis very difficult as grey rot was beginning to appear around 5th October.

Anti-frost machine in Touraine Noble-Joué

About the author:

The Loire and its wines has long been a passion – sparked by a memorable visit in August 1979 to Domaine Huet where we met Gaston Huet. In 1987 a group of 11 of us bought a house in the Cher Valley in a small village not far from Chenonceaux. It has been a great base for following the Loire vineyards and its wines through all the seasons. 

In August 2008 I started the Jim’s Loire blog. One of the blog posts won the best investigative story in this year’s Born Digital Awards. I am also one of the five members of www.les5duvin com.  I contribute to Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book – Loire section – and have been the regional chair for the Loire for the Decanter World Wine Awards since their inception in 2004.

As well as having a fondness for non-drab shirts and cycling, I’m a keen photographer. Many of my shirts (around 70) come from charity shops and are rarely more than £5. I have long been interested in cycling and cycle racing. In the late 70s and early 1980s I did several seasons riding amateur time trials. I rode all distances from 10 miles to 24 hours – riding 412 miles with hardly a break. My times were respectable but I never broke the hour for 25 miles. I have also ridden a number of the famous Tour mountain climbs including the Ventoux (a number of times), Tourmalet and the l’Alpe d’Huez. 

all photos courtesy of the author.