Report from the Loire, around a visit to Chambord. Finally found the
scrap of paper with my notes.

Firstly, although we had planned to visit Cazin (on Mark and Dale's rec) as
well as Gendrier (a biodynamic producer recommended by Fresneau) and
Pascal Bellier, we were only able to get to the latter. Why? Because we
elected to take the unbelievably pedantic guided tour at Chambord, which
showed us virtually nothing and ran and hour and a half over, leaving us
with the chateau still to visit. By all means, visit Chambord; don't take the
tour. This woman talked for an hour before getting out of the foyer. (No
exaggeration).

So another trip will have to include Gendrier and Cazin. That's fine since
we still haven't seen most of the chateau.

First stop, Jasnières, Dom. de Cézin, Francois Fresneau. Noticed right off
that the price list goes up to 2014 Coteaux du Loir Blanc. (2015 had no price
marked. What would Nostradamus say?) This 2014 is still reasonable, only
5.50 EU, presumably a better year than 2012 at 4.30 EU. M. Fresneau never
ceases to amaze. (Later he explained excel had filled in the fields automagically,
and he didn't bother to print it again).

Cézin is available at Sherry-Lehman, imported by Bradley Alan Imports, about
3 palettes. Well worth a try for those who can find it.

My brief notes:

Coteaux du Loir Blanc 2006: Fresh, citrus, melon, balance, great value.

Jasnières 2006 (Liger d'Or Angers): more citrus, custard, typical, long

Coteaux du Loir Blanc "Delicatesse" 2005 (demi-sec): orange confit, cream, baked almond

Jasnières "Clos des Fleuries" 2004 (demi-sec): vanilla, spice cake, peal, cream, ready

Jasnières "Clos des Fleuries" 2005 (demi-sec): sweet, structure, less revealing, acid balance,
should improve over 10 years.

Coteaux du Loir Rosé 2006: very much pinot d'Aunis. good fruit, simple

Coteaux du Loir rouge "Janus" 2004: mixture of pinot, gamay, cabernet franc. stemmy,
dead fruit, stinky.

Coteaux du Loir rouge "Janus" 2005: better balance, more forward, gamey, not for me.

Coteaux du Loir rouge "Aunis" 2004: pinot d'Aunis. tannic, light cherry, spice, wood

Coteaux du Loir rouge "Aunis" 2005: more generous, game, classic aunis fruit, pepper. I liked.

Following our "escape from Chambord" we went to Bellier because I was pretty sure I'd
be able to find it, and it was already 6 pm. Turned out to not be so easy, but a local
lady with very large hair was most helpful. Thank God everyone knows everyone in
these small towns.

More brief notes from Pascal Bellier (all wines 2006):

Cheverny blanc Selection (sauvignon, chardonnay 20%): racy front, round finish, caramel notes, very
good. Drank a bottle later that night, driving done finally.

Mousseux blanc: good fine mousse, cake and yeast, creamy, lush. (I also bought some rose but
didn't taste yet).

Cheverny rosé: animal, strawberry, racy, pleasant

Cheverny rouge: lard, game, tannic, very gamay fruit profile. Adele liked. A 10 litre BiB (23 EU) will
be very useful when the gang's all here this summer.

Cheverny rouge Selection: round, good length, kirsch, mild spice, nice nose, very pinot profile
to me. A steal at 5.30 EU!

The Cour Cheverny, made from romorantin, was an interesting wine apparently made to age.
Since I have never tasted before (young or old) I couldn't evaluate Bellier's in this context. It
had decent acid but felt short on fruit. I didn't like much as a youngster.. I would have bought
a few bottles as an aging experiment but there was none labelled. (This happened at Fresneau
too. A pattern in the Loi up demand by denying the consumer?)

-E


--
Emery Davis
You can reply to ecom
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On Mar 1, 12:20�pm, Emery Davis wrote:
Report from the Loire, around a visit to Chambord. *Finally found the
scrap of paper with my notes.

Firstly, although we had planned to visit Cazin (on Mark and Dale's rec) as
well as Gendrier (a biodynamic producer recommended by Fresneau) and
Pascal Bellier, we were only able to get to the latter. *Why? *Because we
elected to take the unbelievably pedantic guided tour at Chambord, which
showed us virtually nothing and ran and hour and a half over, leaving us
with the chateau still to visit. *By all means, visit Chambord; don't take the
tour. *This woman talked for an hour before getting out of the foyer. *(No
exaggeration).

So another trip will have to include Gendrier and Cazin. *That's fine since
we still haven't seen most of the chateau.

First stop, Jasnières, Dom. de Cézin, Francois Fresneau. *Noticed right off
that the price list goes up to 2014 Coteaux du Loir Blanc. *(2015 had no price
marked. *What would Nostradamus say?) *This 2014 is still reasonable, only
5.50 EU, presumably a better year than 2012 at 4.30 EU. *M. Fresneau never
ceases to amaze. *(Later he explained excel had filled in the fields automagically,
and he didn't bother to print it again).

Cézin is available at Sherry-Lehman, imported by Bradley Alan Imports, about
3 palettes. * Well worth a try for those who can find it.

My brief notes:

Coteaux du Loir Blanc 2006: Fresh, citrus, melon, balance, great value.

Jasnières 2006 (Liger d'Or Angers): more citrus, custard, typical, long

Coteaux du Loir Blanc "Delicatesse" 2005 (demi-sec): orange confit, cream, baked almond

Jasnières "Clos des Fleuries" 2004 (demi-sec): *vanilla, spice cake, peal, cream, ready

Jasnières "Clos des Fleuries" 2005 (demi-sec): *sweet, structure, less revealing, acid balance,
should improve over 10 years.

Coteaux du Loir Rosé 2006: very much pinot d'Aunis. *good fruit, simple

Coteaux du Loir rouge "Janus" 2004: *mixture of pinot, gamay, cabernet franc. *stemmy,
dead fruit, stinky.

Coteaux du Loir rouge "Janus" 2005: *better balance, more forward, gamey, not for me.

Coteaux du Loir rouge "Aunis" 2004: *pinot d'Aunis. *tannic, light cherry, spice, wood

Coteaux du Loir rouge "Aunis" 2005: *more generous, game, classic aunis fruit, pepper. *I liked.

Following our "escape from Chambord" we went to Bellier because I was pretty sure I'd
be able to find it, and it was already 6 pm. *Turned out to not be so easy, but a local
lady with very large hair was most helpful. *Thank God everyone knows everyone in
these small towns.

More brief notes from Pascal Bellier (all wines 2006):

Cheverny blanc Selection (sauvignon, chardonnay 20%): *racy front, round finish, caramel notes, very
good. *Drank a bottle later that night, driving done finally.

Mousseux blanc: *good fine mousse, cake and yeast, creamy, lush. *(I also bought some rose but
didn't taste yet).

Cheverny rosé: *animal, strawberry, racy, pleasant

Cheverny rouge: lard, game, tannic, very gamay fruit profile. *Adele liked. *A 10 litre BiB (23 EU) will
be very useful when the gang's all here this summer.

Cheverny rouge Selection: round, good length, kirsch, mild spice, nice nose, very pinot profile
to me. *A steal at 5.30 EU!

The Cour Cheverny, made from romorantin, was an interesting wine apparently made to age.
Since I have never tasted before (young or old) I couldn't evaluate Bellier's in this context. *It
had decent acid but felt short on fruit. *I didn't like much as a youngster. * I would have bought
a few bottles as an aging experiment but there was none labelled. *(This happened at Fresneau
too. *A pattern in the Loi *up demand by denying the consumer?)

-E

--
Emery Davis
You can reply to
by removing the well known companies
Questions about wine? *Visithttp://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

thanks for notes. If I have a Sherry-Lehmann order soon, will add a
Cezin.

On 2 Mar 2007 07:33:09 -0800
"DaleW" wrote:

thanks for notes. If I have a Sherry-Lehmann order soon, will add a
Cezin.

Do, I'll be interested in your opinion. I think they should have CdL and Jasnières, if
any remains of course.

-E
--
Emery Davis
You can reply to ecom
by removing the well known companies
Questions about wine? Visit http://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

On Mar 2, 11:34�am, Emery Davis wrote:
On 2 Mar 2007 07:33:09 -0800

"DaleW" wrote:
thanks for notes. If I have *a Sherry-Lehmann order soon, will add a
Cezin.

Do, I'll be interested in your opinion. *I think they should have CdL and Jasnières, if
any remains of course.

-E
--
Emery Davis
You can reply to
by removing the well known companies
Questions about wine? *Visithttp://winefaq.hostexcellence.com

All they show is CdL now.