Salon des Vins de Loire 2014 - Savennières

Probably my favourite Loire white appellation so I was really looking forward to tasting them. As with the other appellations, there were some major downers and one or two good surprises.

Vincent Ogereau Clos le Grand Beaupréau 2011
Fresh lemon and pear, then exotic aromas. Good fresh attack of the same, then a saline section and a long, persistent finish. Good. 90 pts

Château de Breuil 2011 18€
Citrus fruit aromas, then a mouth full of honey and a decent finish. Not quite the elegance and finesse I was looking for from a Savennières but not bad at all. 89 pts

In the self-service tasting area, there were not that many Savennières presented and the majority were disappointing, such as Epiré, bone crunchingly dry. The two stand-out wines were from Baumard and Mme Laroche, so I strode confidently towards their stands expecting more delights.

Domaine aux Moines - Savennières Roche aux Moines
Mme Laroche was a kind and gracious hostess, serving samples of the 2012, but also, incredibly, the 99, 94 and 92 vintages, something I wasn’t expecting at all at a wine fair. So I felt particularly uncomfortable, because the fact was that the wines weren’t much good. The 2012 is not bad exactly, although lacking in sparkle, but the other older vintages tasted, well…old, tired and slightly oxidized. At first I thought it was me, then she served me the following:

Cuvée des Nonnes 2011 (Moelleux) 15€
Citrus oils, quince, fresh pear and wet flint aromas, leading into a pure, clean mouthful of pear and apple juice, with chalkier notes of minerals and stones, then a touch of honey, before a soaring wave of lemony pear, and a long, high and above all fresh finish with perfect acidity. Absolutely no comparison to the other wines presented, this was the wine I had tasted before visiting the stand. I hadn’t realized it was a supposedly sweet wine until she told me, because it tastes no sweeter than a dry Vouvray. Highly recommended and excellent value. 94 pts

Domaine Baumard
This was unquestionably the disappointment of the entire wine fair.
Baumard wines were my introduction to the ethereal delights of Savennières back in the mid-90s, when I was just discovering chenin Loires. At the time, the quality difference they represented compared to Montlouis and Vouvray was enormous; they were playing in a different league altogether, with greater precision, greater elegance and greater finesse. I can still remember the taste of the 96s now.
I bought every release from 96 to 03. The disappointments began with the 00 vintage, which suffered from premature oxidization, bad corks or bottling defects. The 01 was no better, the 02 was far below expectations and the 03 was just hopeless.
I had read good reports in French magazines so after enjoying the Clos du Papillon 07 in the self-service section, I really expected to enjoy one of the highlights of the show.
I tasted the Clos Saint Yves (sold as "Domaine Baumard "in the U.S.) 09 and 10, the Clos du Papillon 08, Trie Spéciale 10 and retasted the Clos du Papillon 07. Even the latter wasn’t as good as the sample tasted previously.
All the wines tasted flat and featureless, totally lacking in fruit, sparkle, finesse and elegance. Just plain bad. Awful in fact.
This was most unsettling, all the more so in that I was tasting next to a very celebrated French wine critic, who was waxing lyrical to Florent Baumard about the progress made and the quality of his wines. The more he waxed, the more I waned.
I thought to myself
“Hell Jules, you’ve shot your bolt, you’ve lost your mojo, all those Chinon have ruined your tastebuds, it’s time to pack up and leave!”
Well, I nearly did do just that, I felt like a total nincompoop.
I wandered aimlessly towards the back of the hall, humming “Heaven know I’m miserable now”, when I spotted a small, unobtrusive stand:

Domaine FL
The name rang a bell, because Jörgen Lindström had mentioned it, but I had never heard of it before.
The first impression was promising - perhaps noticing the look of total mortification on my face, my host came out from behind the counter to shake my hand and welcome me to his stand:
I began with the Anjou white I wrote about in the previous report, which was already a good start, not only because it’s a class act but because it reassured me that my tastebud horse hadn’t bolted after all. I closed my eyes and breathed a huge sigh of relief, drawing guffaws from my host, who had by then introduced himself as Julien Fournier, son of the owner. He must have thought he’d drawn a very short straw by welcoming me to his wares.
Then we hit the Savennières:

La Croix Picot 2012 10€ I think
Quince and citrus fruit aromas, then an initially exotic attack, before the acidity and minerality kick in and the taste lifts to the top of the palate. Lemon flavours dominate the long, elegant finish. This is what Savennières should taste like. 90 pts
Chamboureau 2012 16€
By now I had realised who FL were (the new owners of Château de Chamboureau). Similar at first to the previous wine, this had a second section which was much rounder, making the Croix Picot taste angular in comparison. I was really struck by the freshness and breadth of the backbone, which combines with the exotic fruit to give it a volume and height I hadn’t tasted elsewhere. Wonderful stuff and outstanding value. 94 pts
Roche aux Moines 2008 30€ approx.
Brioche bread, pear blossom, white truffle and acacia aromas, then a first sip that just made me smile happily, I suppose because it encompassed everything I’d tasted elsewhere: there was apple, pear, lemon, white grapes, a touch of mature goat’s cheese, flinty minerality, an ample, wide mouthful followed by a second section that lifts slowly at first, before gathering speed and soaring to the summit of the palate, descending to the back of the throat for a finish that lingers in the mouth for several minutes afterwards. Stupendous, my wine of the whole show: 96 pts

By this time, I couldn’t help but explain my bad experience with Baumard. Julien Fournier just laughed “Mais oui, bien sûr!” and told me why: the freshness of the FL wines is due to the lack of malolactic fermentation. According to him, the Baumard and other Savennières taste flat because they’re all subjected to malo in order to render them attractive young. I don’t know if this is true or not, but the FL range’s taste was better than any other Savennières I tried.

I didn’t try the red Anjou and sweet Côteaux de Layon, too anxious to end my day on a high.

Once again huge thanks to Jörgen Lindström who pointed me in FL’s direction. I must say I found it odd that such an ambitious producer should have taken such a small stand in such a bad position. Right at the back of the hall, apart from being next to the lavatories it could hardly have been worse placed. Anyway it was a great discovery.

This highpoint is also a fitting way to end my reports of which this is the last.
I really enjoyed my visit to the Salon, it was a great experience which I’ve thoroughly enjoyed writing about.
Thanks to all those who have taken the time and trouble of reading them.

Baumard has come in for a lot of flack from Jim Budd in the UK. Another report of real interest here.

Baumard is doing a major disservice to Savennières. One of the few producers with an international reputation, justifiably earned in the past, he is squandering it by producing sub-standard wines that are not even cheap. Each consumer who unwittingly shells out for one will retain the idea that Savennières are flat and uninteresting. I suppose at least they won’t be corked - since the 03 vintage they only use screwcaps.
It’s a typical example of the Emperor’s New Clothes syndrome and as long as critics don’t have Jim Budd’s courage in denouncing the practices, there’s no reason for anything to change. With hindsight I’m furious at the preeningly subservient behaviour of the Critic I encountered at the stand whose behaviour is even more reprehensible, unless he simply has no taste, a possibility I cannot discount.

Anyone happen to know the importer for FL/Chamboureau? Would love to try a few bottles and stash away in the cellar.

Really appreciate the reviews! For Chamboureau - I see some 2008’s available that I could order - any idea on ideal drinking window?

I’m encouraged to hear that the wines of Domaine FL are tasting good. I had misgivings about their taking over from Soulez, especially when I heard that they were using a Bordelais consultant (Dubourdieu?). I was also worried about a price hike but those you mention seem OK, if not quite so unbeatable as those we used to get at the Delhaize supermarket chain in Brussels, often below €10/bottle.

Unhappiness to read about the decline you perceive in Baumard, Julian, but I definitely appreciate your posting your comprehensive thoughts on what you tasted. My last experience with a dry of theirs was a 2002 Clos de Papillon about a year and a half ago, and mine was in good shape (though I’d had an oxidized version earlier in the year). My last Quarts de Chaumes from them, an 05, was excellent, this past summer. I will probably confine myself only to those going forward and maybe will look to taste before buying even there.

Paging Brad Kane? Brad, would love to have your thoughts too.


Salud,

Mike

Noah - The 08 is already fun to taste, but it’ll be better in two or three years from now and will continue to improve for another ten at least. You can find the wines at Saratoga Wine Exchange amongst others (the Chamboureau is at 21$).

Tim - It’s Derenoncourt. Prices have certainly risen, but I think that quality has too.

Mike - I would certainly step very carefully with Baumard wines. I didn’t taste the sweet ones because frankly I couldn’t be bothered, but after reading about Budd’s ongoing dispute about their methods, I wouldn’t expect too much. Even if they are ok, there are so many other properties offering better wines for less.