Blog - Society of ÂÜŔňĘÓƵ/blog/Wed, 15 Dec 2021 22:10:53 +0000en-USSite-Server v@build.version@ (http://www.squarespace.com)Vouvray Moelleux Redux: Domaine du Clos Naudin (Foreau), 2002; Chateau Soucherie “Chaume,” 2005Ian J. CohnWed, 15 Dec 2021 22:17:00 +0000/blog/roger-8b4f5-bjr4g-4tkps60b13ed82ab7bb6a9bcbf51b:60b14e0b41753f5d55975894:61b78dfb5bc157447e55bf85

Tasting 27 November. Pairing #5

Treasures from the Director’s Cellars
by Dick Sard

 

Older bottles offered a complimentary experience to the tasting of recent vintages. The Foreau 2002 Moelleux has evolved into something seemingly weightless, pale gold in color and lighter in texture; it drank like a Demi Sec thanks to an underlying, though softened mineral acidity. The Chateau Soucherie “Chaumes” 2005, of noticeably darker golden color, provided a totally different flavor profile of exotic fruits, the liquor of remarkable sweetness and intensity.

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Vouvray Moelleux Redux: Domaine du Clos Naudin (Foreau), 2002; Chateau Soucherie “Chaume,” 2005
Vouvray Moelleux: Domaine du Clos Naudin (Foreau), 2015 & Moelleux Réserve, 2016Ian J. CohnWed, 15 Dec 2021 22:14:00 +0000/blog/roger-8b4f5-bjr4g-c5ysb60b13ed82ab7bb6a9bcbf51b:60b14e0b41753f5d55975894:61b7667504b54a08301003f1

Tasting 27 November. Pairing #4

Sweet Treasures
by Dick Sard

 

The sweet wines of Vouvray, in the hands of one of the regions premiere vignerons, may rightly be viewed as treasures: they are rare, their flavors grow in complexity, finesse, and elegance with age (and patience), and yet even in their youth, they offer a tasting experience unlike almost any other sweet wine. Given the range of exotic fruit flavors - quince, apricot, pear, pineapple, blood orange, pink grapefruit, and the richness of residual sugar - for the Moelleux, about 70gms, for the Reserve, about 130gms, it may seem unlikely to describe these wines as light in mouthfeel, but that’s precisely what makes them so compelling, a treasure to open, share, and remember.

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Vouvray Moelleux: Domaine du Clos Naudin (Foreau), 2015 & Moelleux Réserve, 2016
Vouvray Demi-Sec: Clos de la Meslerie (Hahn), 2016; Domaine du Clos Naudin (Foreau), 2016Ian J. CohnWed, 15 Dec 2021 22:11:00 +0000/blog/roger-8b4f5-bjr4g-68yjm60b13ed82ab7bb6a9bcbf51b:60b14e0b41753f5d55975894:61b76394a9ffd74feb26f187

Tasting 27 November. Pairing #3

Classic Vouvray, Classy Wines
by Dick Sard

 

Many consider Demi Sec to be the most classic expression of Chenin Blanc, and both of these bottles are great examples of this. Stylistically different, similar to the Sec comparison of Pairing #2, in this case, the pleasure of drinking these well made, user friendly wines made both very enjoyable to drink now - with or without food. And with additional age, both should continue to evolve, develop, and improve. When revisited a day later, the Foreau, still somewhat closed during the tasting, showed more pronounced acidity and a sharper finish.

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Vouvray Demi-Sec: Clos de la Meslerie (Hahn), 2016; Domaine du Clos Naudin (Foreau), 2016
Vouvray Sec: Clos de la Meslerie (Hahn), 2013; Domaine du Clos Naudin (Foreau), 2016Ian J. CohnWed, 15 Dec 2021 22:07:00 +0000/blog/roger-8b4f5-bjr4g-gdzyw60b13ed82ab7bb6a9bcbf51b:60b14e0b41753f5d55975894:61b75cf9ef695f7cba0fdcad

Tasting 27 November. Pairing #2

A great comparison of wine making styles
by Dick Sard

 

Both displayed a distinctive mineral nose and crisp acidity on the palate, characteristics of the Chenin grape that make both wines exceptionally food friendly: the Hahn is more forward, ready to drink now; the Foreau somewhat closed, is a more complex and still quite young wine, vinified to evolve over time. If you plan to drink in the near term, we’d suggest decanting or opening it well in advance to allow the wine to more fully express itself.

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Vouvray Sec: Clos de la Meslerie (Hahn), 2013; Domaine du Clos Naudin (Foreau), 2016
Vouvray Methode Traditionelle: Domaine du Clos Naudin “Brut” (Foreau), 2014 & 2013Ian J. CohnWed, 15 Dec 2021 22:04:00 +0000/blog/roger-8b4f5-bjr4g-c64de60b13ed82ab7bb6a9bcbf51b:60b14e0b41753f5d55975894:61b757b2b9766b122d17d0d4

Tasting 27 November. Pairing #1

What a difference a year makes
by Dick Sard

 

These sparkling wines showed remarkable differences due to vintage; the ’14 was more subdued with a solid core and dry finish while the ’13 was more expressive in terms of energy and fruit.

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Vouvray Methode Traditionelle: Domaine du Clos Naudin “Brut” (Foreau), 2014 & 2013
Vouvray Tasting at Rosenthal Wine MerchantIan J. CohnWed, 15 Dec 2021 22:01:00 +0000/blog/roger-8b4f5-bjr4g60b13ed82ab7bb6a9bcbf51b:60b14e0b41753f5d55975894:617d80359cbeae5eededce4a

27 November 2021

The Inaugural Tasting Event
by Ian J. Cohn & Dick Sard

 

The many expressions of Chenin Blanc were explored in this tasting, through the lens of two leading vignerons of Vouvray, Peter Hahn of Clos de la Meslerie, and Philippe & Vincent Foreau of Domaine du Clos Naudin.

Three directors of the Society presented the wines, beginning with an introductory pairing of sparkling Vouvray made in the traditional style of Champagne. Wines were paired in three successive flights to allow for comparison of the styles of the two-winemakers, ascending from Sec (dry), through Demi Sec (semi-sweet), and concluding with Moelleux/ Moelleux Reserve (wines naturally sweet from high levels of residual sugar), followed by a “bonus” flight of two mature bottles from personal collections of the Directors.

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Vouvray Tasting at Rosenthal Wine Merchant
Clos du Petit Mont, Sélection Balzac, 2003Ian J. CohnSun, 20 Dec 2020 21:58:00 +0000/blog/roger-8b4f560b13ed82ab7bb6a9bcbf51b:60b14e0b41753f5d55975894:60b14e0b41753f5d5597589a

Wonderful

 

This Vouvray Moelleux Réserve, a special bottling made only in select vintages, was a personal gift from the vintner Daniel Allias, the former Grand Maitre of the Confrérie des Chevaliers de la Chantepleure.

Still vibrant fruit, now endowed with layer upon layer of complexity, warmth and spice, honeysuckle and quince, rich in flavor yet light on the tongue - tart, yet so, so light. Three days after opening, the wine was even more delicate, the tartness now softened, the color clear golden, the aroma a perfume, and the taste, pure nectar… an indelible memory.

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Clos du Petit Mont, Sélection Balzac, 2003
Michel Autran, Ciel Rouge, 2017Ian J. CohnSun, 20 Dec 2020 21:55:00 +0000/blog/pepper-r29jp60b13ed82ab7bb6a9bcbf51b:60b14e0b41753f5d55975894:60b14e0b41753f5d559758a9  

Red Sky … take warning/ much delight

Not for the faint of heart, this Chenin asserts itself - mineral, quince, grapefruit, dusty overtones. Since last tasting, I sense the sharp acidity has softened slightly, the richness and complexity of the fruit having moved to the fore.

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Michel Autran, Ciel Rouge, 2017