The Angers wine fair drew to a close yesterday. An annual event to showcase the Loire's newly-released vintages, Angers comprises over 500 growers from the length and breadth of this huge river valley and as such provides an excellent stage to show off the region's great progress in quality and its thrilling diversity. The event reinforced how much more there is to the region than Sauvignon Blanc. At a table of over 100 of the Loire's top wines, including prestigious producers of Sancerre and Pouilly Fume, it was two Chenin Blancs that absolutely blew away the rest of the field, Remus from Domaine de la Taille aux Loups and the even more intense Anjou Les Treilles from Pithon-Paille. Those looking for the next big thing in the world of fine white wine, look no further than here.
The show's main event, however, was of course 2009, and yes they think its great. In Sancerre and Pouilly Fume they generally consider it to have the ripeness of 2003 with the freshness of 2006 and 2007. Also further west in the Touraine there are some glorious dry and off dry Chenins. The reds are perhaps even more impressive, summer heat and drought conditions were similiar to 1989. Growers talk of an "Outstanding" Cabernet Franc vintage, Jacky Blot of Domaine de la Butte in Bourgueil rates it more highly than 2005. I will be heading to the Loire again towards the end of April to taste more extensively and assess in more depth just how good these really are.
