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Domaine de la Taille aux Loups

Although the Domaine de la Taille aux Loups does not seem to enjoy the same high profile as one or two of its Vouvray or even Montlouis stablemates, it is certainly one of the most significant domaines of Touraine, and is a good candidate for appellation leader in Montlouis. And yet this is a very young domaine, established only twenty or so years ago. For most of those years it has been home to Jacky Blot, although it was not he who established it; frequently overlooked, the viticultural maverick who brought La Taille aux Loups into being was a man from Bordeaux named Christian Prudhomme.

Prudhomme clearly wanted to make waves in Montlouis; having worked for the Rothschilds in the vineyards and cellars of Mouton-Rothschild, and also at Opus One in California, his curriculum vitae suggested he was up to the job. In 1988, having acquired 7 hectares of old vines scattered about the appellation, he set about making wine his way. This meant reducing yields by crop thinning, harvesting into tiny crates to protect the fruit and fermenting using indigenous yeasts, in barrels purchased from Yquem. The wines produced were reputedly a testament to the wild dedication he exhibited; Jacqueline Friedrich, in A Wine & Food Guide to the Loire (Mitchell Beazley, 1996), described them as "magnificent". So it seemed a tragedy when the business collapsed within a year or two of starting up. But this is the point in which Jacky Blot enters the story.

Jacky (pictured right, at the Salon des Vins de Loire in 2009) was not born to viticulture, but he had gained some experience as a négociant based in Tours, and he took up where Prudhomme left off, with his initial 7 hectares. In comparison with much grander appellations in Bordeaux and the Côte d'Or vineyards here are relatively affordable, and during the two decades that have since passed he has brought together a significant domaine which includes not only a sizeable portion of the Montlouis and Vouvray appellations but also, with his purchase of Domaine de la Butte, vines in nearby Bourgueil. Today the Domaine de la Taille aux Loups accounts for 45 hectares of the Montlouis and Vouvray vineyard, having recently been augmented in 2008 with another 10 hectares; the majority of this is in the Montlouis appellation, close to the domaine which sits on the rue des Aîtres in Husseau, to the west of the town of Montlouis itself. There are just a few hectares across the river, in the Vouvray appellation.

The vineyards are naturally given over in their entirety to Chenin Blanc, and the vines are cared for along the lines of lutte raisonnée; there is limited use of organic manure, and spraying is kept to the bare minimum necessary. Surface weeds are kept down with ploughing, which also forces the vines to root more deeply. The leaf canopy is closely controlled during spring and summer, and towards the end of the latter the vineyard may be entirely stripped of leaves, leaving just the bunches of fruit, improving exposure to the sun and also dramatically increasing ventilation, thereby greatly reducing the risk of rot.

Obsession in Vineyard and Cellar

From September onwards grapes from across the various plots are sampled and tested, in a rolling program (which has over ten years behind it) to monitor the effect of age of vine, terroir and aspect on fruit ripening, the aim of which is to guide future harvests. When it is finally time to pick the fruit this is achieved entirely by hand, beginning only at the point of optimal ripeness. Each vineyard is harvested in tries by up to 50 pickers working in small teams. Sometimes an entire bunch will be harvested, but it is more usual for individual berries to be picked, leaving the other fruit to ripen further. In vintages where rot is a problem, bunches are sorted in the vineyard on tables positioned at the end of the rows; from each bunch the rotten and unripe fruit is removed by hand, leaving only the ripe and healthy grapes. This fruit is typically destined for the sparkling wines.

In subsequent tries those grapes that have ripened are harvested and sorted in the same manner, and this fruit is used to produce dry and perhaps demi-sec cuvées, should the must weight permit it. In more favourable years almost the opposite is true; the harvest is just as considerate, but this time the first tri aims to remove as much of the botrytised fruit from the ripe and ripening bunches as possible. This is sorted on the tables and fruit of sufficient quality will be used in the production of the sweetest, liquoreux cuvées. Subsequent tries, bringing in less heavily botrytised fruit will give moelleux and perhaps some demi-sec wines. The harvested fruit is transported in small cages carrying a maximum of 12 kg in order to avoid crushing the fruit, thus reducing oxidation of the juice and consequently decreasing the need for sulphur. Overall the yield averages out at 35 hl/ha, although on favourable plots, especially when there is dehydration through botrytis, this figure might be as low as 10 hl/ha.

This vinous obsession continues into the cellar with the vinification; Jacky has never shied away from appropriate research into the use of oak, particularly using barrels made from various sources, different forests and different coopers. As a result of this work almost all of the wines at La Taille aux Loups are fermented in wood, either in barrique, demi-muid or even large foudres. In order to ensure that there is appropriate hygiene these barrels are replaced after their tenth vintage; so each year 10% of the oak is new, but the average age of all the barrels is an impressive five years. There is a policy against chaptalisation and, as suggested above, there is a preference for minimal use of sulphur. After a debourbage (settling) the must is transferred into the aforementioned barrels for fermentation which occurs without the addition of yeast; the cellar is cold, thus discouraging the malolactic fermentation. Afterwards the wines are racked just one or two times before they are assembled and bottled.

The Wines of Domaine de la Taille aux Loups

With several selections made from several tries through the vineyard, in two different appellations, yielding a range of not only dry but also demi-sec and moelleux cuvées, not to mention sparkling wines made by both the méthode traditionelle and méthode ancestrale, it should come as no surprise that there is a potentially confusing array of wines available here. The still wines are best considered, I think, according to appellation, although the sparkling wines perhaps deserve first examination.

Perhaps Blot's most iconic wine is Triple Zero, a pétillant wine produced from vines of at least 50 years of age in the Montlouis appellation. The harvest is meticulous, as described above, rejecting substandard or under-ripe fruit, meaning anything with less than 12º of potential alcohol. The first stages of vinification are carried out in the same meticulous fashion as for all the still wines, starting with a gentle pneumatic pressing before fermentation in the oldest of all Blot's oak barrels. The pétillance is achieved through the méthode ancestrale, transferring the wine from barrel into bottle before this first alcoholic fermentation has completed. As the fermentation finishes in the bottle the carbon dioxide created dissolves in the wine, engendering it with its characteristically light, pétillant fizz.

The three zeros of the name refer to Blot's refusal to bolster the wine at any point in this process with the addition of sugar. He could add sugar to the must (a) before the fermentation commences, a process known as chaptalisation, or (b) with the liqueur de tirage (the yeast and sugar mixture usually added to kick-start secondary fermentation in bottle in the méthode traditionelle), or (c) with the liqueur d'expédition or dosage, the rich sugar and wine solution used to top up each bottle after the disgorgement of the wine to remove the leesy sediment. All of these practices are commonplace in the world of sparkling wine. But for Blot, chaptalisation is not an option, there is no liqueur de tirage and topping up is achieved with the same wine rather than the usual sugar and wine mixture, so what sugar remains at the end is purely a result of the ripeness of the original, high-quality fruit.

Blot will allow fifteen months between bottling the wine and the disgorgement, and so Triple Zero can reach the market just two years after the vintage. It has a much richer style than you would expect from a zero-dosage cuvée (never mind zero chaptalisation and zero tirage as well), and no doubt this reflects the quality and ripeness of the grapes utilised and Blot's fastidious approach to winemaking.

For those that would prefer a less esoteric style, however, the Brut Tradition may be more approachable; this is produced in the more widely practised méthode traditionelle, kick-starting the secondary fermentation in bottle with the addition of a liqueur de tirage. As a consequence the second fermentation has a much greater energy than with the Triple Zero cuvée, and the finished wine thus displays its bubbles in a more overt fashion, the achieved pressure beneath the cork being closer to 4.5 atm compared to the more pétillant 2.5 atm for Triple Zero.

The two sparkling cuvées above both have the Montlouis appellation, as do these still wines below. This is the heart of Domaine de la Taille aux Loups, the vineyards sitting on a plateau extending out from Husseau. The variety of cuvées here comes from the harvesting of fruit in several tries, with some distinction in the dry wines based on the age of the vines.

The Montlouis vineyards is largely south-facing and incorporates a variety of soil-types, including clay-limestone and flint, and the vines have in some cases up to 100 years behind them. The first picking brings in fruit for the entry level Les Dix Arpents, sourced from the entirety of the domaine. The vines yielding this fruit average around 50 years of age, and a typical yield might be 15 hl/ha. The fermentation takes place in four- and five-year old barrels, without chaptalisation and without adding cultured yeast, and following some time on the lees the wine goes into bottle the following spring.

Thereafter come the second tri cuvées, which in Montlouis are named Rémus and Rémus Plus, as opposed to their Vouvray counterparts which are named for the vineyard of origin. These are two of Blot's best known cuvées, perhaps as iconic as his Triple Zero cuvée; both are made using the fruit of the second picking, in each case a typical yield being 20 hl/ha. Rémus is sourced from vines of intermediate age, generally between 70 and 80 years old, whereas Rémus Plus, the king of the sec cuvées, originates with the oldest vines, aged between 80 and 100 years old. The fruit for both Rémus and Rémus Plus is handled in much the same way as for Les Dix Arpents, fermented without chaptalisation or addition of yeast, although the fermentation vessels here are a mix of new, one- and two-year barrels. Bottling comes the spring following the harvest.

In favourable vintages the Montlouis vines may also yield a straight demi-sec as well as a number of botrytised wines. These start with an entry-level moelleux cuvée, and there then follows the Cuvée des Loups, Romulus and Romulus Plus. The Cuvée des Loups weighs in with a potential alcohol of 18-20º as opposed 16º in the straight moelleux, and the two Romulus cuvées take another step up, the fruit for these wines coming from some of the oldest vines, up to 80 years in each case.

Across the river in Vouvray there are just two principal sources of fruit, the vineyards in question being the Clos de la Bretonnière and the Clos de Venise. Again, as is the case with Montlouis, the system of harvesting in several tries yields a variety of different cuvées.

The first pass through each vineyard is combined into a sec cuvée named Les Caburoches (previously called Champs Rougets), which is analogous to Les Dix Arpents in Montlouis. As with that wine the yield is typically 15 hl/ha and the fermentation again in four- and five-year old barrels. The second pickings, meanwhile, yield site-specific sec cuvées; the second tri from the Clos de la Bretonnière, a 3.5 hectare vineyard with clay and a good quantity of flint, typically yielding 30 hl/ha, is bottled under the name of the clos after fermentation in new, one-year and two-year barrels. Meanwhile the Clos de Venise, a 1 hectare vineyard with less flint, also sees a second tri which is handled in much the same way as Bretonnière. As with Montlouis, the Vouvray vineyards may also yield moelleux and liquoreux cuvées. As with the Montlouis cuvées these are all fermented in oak, using slightly older barrels for the dry cuvées, without chaptalisation or added yeast.

La Taille aux Loups: Opinion

Even with my interest in the vineyards of the Loire, the Domaine de la Taille aux Loups came late to my attention. For all the attention François Chidaine received when he branched out from his base - right next-door to Jacky Blot in Husseau, as it happens - to take possession of some vineyards in Vouvray, one might think that Jacky Blot and his domaine, which straddles both of these appellations and has done so for many years, had never existed. So it remains, at the time of writing at least, a domaine that lies somewhat under the radar of many wine drinkers, even some of those with a penchant for the Loire.

I suspect in part this is true of many Montlouis vignerons; this has long been an appellation that has hidden in the limelight of its more famous cousin across the river. Even when the wines are of comparable quality to those of other domaines where the focus is more on Vouvray, and even when the portfolio is a composite of both appellations, many domaines have waited too long a time before receiving the recognition they deserve. But this injustice is slowly fading, as in the early 21st century a small band of dedicated vignerons pull the appellation of Montlouis from obscurity. Jacky Blot, and the Taille aux Loups, is one such vigneron.

Taste a broad selection of wines from this domaine and I daresay you will realise that quality here is high, as we might perhaps expect from the obsessive attention to detail exhibited by Blot in both vineyard and cellar. The sparkling wine Triple Zero is remarkable for the quality of fruit from which it is born; in many domaines the sparkling wines are little more than a sponge for unripe and lesser quality grapes, but that is clearly not the case here. Through the range, however, this high standard is maintained; the Rémus cuvées may be sec but there is no shortage of richness to be found within. And Romulus, with its turbocharged Plus counterpart, are monumental wines which should drink well for an eternity. These are all delicious wines, all made in an obsessive fashion, and they certainly deserve a place in any cellar. (5/5/09, updated 8/9/10)

Contact details:
Address: 8, rue des Aîtres, Husseau 37270 Montlouis-sur-Loire
Telephone: +33 (0) 2 47 45 11 11
Fax: +33 (0) 2 47 45 11 14
Internet: www.jackyblot.fr

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups - Tasting Notes

I order my notes as follows; by vintage, then the non-vintage Triple Zero and Brut Tradition notes at the foot of the page. Within each vintage the notes are ordered by appellation, first Montlouis then Vouvray, then from sec through to moelleux. Many wines have multiple tasting notes; the most recent are always listed first. Click to locate stockists.

Montlouis

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Les Dix Arpents 2010: This is due to be bottled in spring 2011. A fresh and bright nose, carrying a clean and well framed style of fruit. A similarly fresh style on the palate, although with a somewhat softer style of fruit but also a very firm midpalate acidity. Overall fresh and lifted in terms of style, quite dry, with a nice if soft minerality. A stylish wine with fairly nice definition. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 15.5-16.5/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Sec Les Dix Arpents 2010: Honeyed, heady and very sweetly perfumed on the nose, full of pear and autumnal apple character. Despite this rather seductive aromatic profile the palate is crisply defined by a very beautiful core of gritty, crystalline acidity which streaks right through the centre of the wine, giving it a fabulous definition. Around this there sits all the sweet fruit suggested by the nose, but also a massive seam of lovely minerality. And the finish is defined, grippy and delicious. Lovely potential. From a Loire 2010 tasting. 16-17/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus 2010: This has a more open and somewhat more exciting style to the aromatic profile. A little more floral fruit here, but also a nicely fresh, soft minerality. This is true on the palate also, where there is a good substance, with a full feel to it backed up by a soft-focus acidity and minerality. Overall a very stylish composition, showing a firmer touch in the finish. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 16.5-17/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Clos Michet 2010: This is also minerally, with a soapstone style to it, although unsurprisingly it remains very youthful and primary at present, being dominated by fresh apple and pear fruit. A polished, perfumed style, a good mineral depth, with a soft and rather relaxed composition at first, then a more tense and minerally midpalate. Very bright and crisply defined here. Overall a lovely style with good freshness. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 16.5-17.5/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Bretonnière 2010: A rather less expressive nose than the preceding cuvées. It is poured rather cold which may influence this of course. The palate majors on freshness and minerals, with a stony, chalky style of fruit. These is less prominent fruit expression here though, but still a very impressive tension and vivacity. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 16-17/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Venise 2010: A rather chalky style of fruit on the nose here, a rather reserved style of fruit, with slightly more softness in the palate. This sits very nicely with a gently crumbly mineral backbone, and bright acidity at the core. It shows an autumnal fruit character with a golden hue. This is very attractive, and there is lots of potential here. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 16.5-17.5/20 (January 2011)

Montlouis

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Les Dix Arpents 2009: This wine is behaving like a very youthful cuvée today, with a sweet fruit pastille-intensity on the nose. The palate shows good substance in keeping with this style, with a fresh and bright character. Sweet fruit as suggested by the nose, intense apple and pear juice. An attractive wine. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 17-17.5+/20 (July 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Les Dix Arpents 2009: This is from the first pass through the vineyard, fermented in 4-5 year old barrels and aged for six months before bottling. Bright and intense on the nose, fresh pear fruit. Pure, with a vibrant acid core, the fruit here as fresh as the nose suggested. A very defined style with plenty of vigour. Excellent potential here. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 16.5-17.5+/20 (February 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus 2009: A really bright and fresh, honey-mineral infused nose here. There is also quite a chalky element to it, precise and very defined. A very finely polished here, with not a hair out of place. Yet it is incredibly fresh, lively, with a rather mineral-yellow golden fruit, and also a little fading, matchsticky wood. This is very attractive, albeit slightly awkward, rather like the sample tasted in London only a few weeks ago. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 17.5/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus 2009: This has a smoky character to the nose, a little sulphurous if anything, although there is a gritty freshness to it as well. The palate has a very bold, firm, solid character at first, before relaxing in the middle to show a more open and yet bright construction, with deliciously crystalline acid fruit at its core. The residual is very low I think, but not rock-bottom. I think in its present state it is very difficult to judge but the raw materials underneath it all are clearly of high quality. It will need cellar time but should be very good. From a Loire 2009 tasting. 17/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus 2009: This is the second pass through the Montlouis vines fermented in new and nearly-new oak. Harvest of the 2009 vintage began in September. A pure and linear nose, restrained, preceding a finely composed palate. Intense minerality here, very precisely tuned, with a brilliant vibrancy coming from some fine acidity. gently textured, very straight and composed at present, but with an incredible presence in the mouth. Super wine. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 16.5-17.5+/20 (February 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus Plus 2009: Not yet bottled which is no doubt why this cuvée shows much better than the recent handled three wines just tasted. It has a much cleaner style, not necessarily overly expressive, but very fresh and floral. It has a lovely purity on the palate, with a pretty, floral style, underpinned by a fine mineral crunch. The fruit has that primary, Chenin, sweet-apples-and-pears character, with fine minerality starting to come in. Lovely potential here. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 17.5/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Clos Michet 2009: This cuvée has a very linear, polished, white-stone nose, with again a rather matchsticky edge, and this element comes through on the palate a lot as well. This reductive character makes definitive judgement rather difficult. There is a lovely grip around it though, although it is perhaps a little firm in its structure. This needs to be revisited. Just bottled at the end of 2010, which accounts for this sullen showing I think. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 16-17?/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Moelleux 2009: Residual sugar 45 g/l, already bottled. There is none of the reduction seen in the drier cuvées here, nevertheless this is rather closed on the nose. Happily there is a fine and fresh substance on the palate, delicate but with a good fleshy presence from the residual sugar. Sweetly defined golden fruits sit within it, giving the wine a very attractive and appealing body. And it has a welcome core of minerals too, around some bright acidity. Fine potential. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 17/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Moelleux 2009: In suitable years there may be a moelleux cuvée from the Montlouis vines too, and this is the case in 2009. Residual sugar also approximately 70 g/l. A slightly softer, riper, more appley style here, the fruit showing a very sweet character although with green skins. Intense and yet elegant, gently composed, with a fine texture from some tangible extract. Overall, a really fine composition here. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 16.5-17.5+/20 (February 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Romulus 2009: This is the crème de la crème for this domaine, an old-vines and botrytis-fuelled cuvée produced only in favourable vintages from the Montlouis vines. The last vintage was 2005. The residual sugar is said to be 150 g/l, a significant difference from the figure given last time, even if that was an estimate. In terms of tasting, it presents an intense, honeyed, overtly botrytised character on the nose. It is very floral too, with hints of beeswax, overall giving it a lifted style. There is such lovely definition on the palate, at first supple and then more defined, finer mineral core appearing in the middle, with a little needle of tannin coming through from the front of the mouth. At the back, it has a softer, more polished, mellifluous feel to it. An elegant wine, very finely tuned, with beautiful lift, which presents even more crunchy mineral tones on a second taste. Wonderful stuff. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 18.5/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Romulus 2009: This is the crème de la crème for this domaine, an old-vines and botrytis-fuelled cuvée produced only in favourable vintages from the Montlouis vines. The last vintage was 2005. Residual sugar in 2009 is approximately 200 g/l. Still has a cloudy appearance and a fine golden hue in the glass. Surprisingly not very expressive on the nose, but there is wonderful character on the palate, where notes of honey and dried-fruit-botrytis swirl around one another, trailing a little ripe fruit volatility behind them. Despite all that richness this cuvée actually feels very tense and wound, structured and concentrated, clearly just brimming with potential. A true vin de garde in the making. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 18.5-19.5+/20 (February 2010)

Vouvray

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Les Caburoches 2009: This cuvée is effectively the Vouvray equivalent of Les Dix Arpents, the fruit from the first pass through two parcels of vines (Venise and Bretonnière) in the Vouvray appellation. This has a mineral nose, stony, a straight and restrained character. A vibrant style on the palate, rich with acidity, a gentle shell of fruit around the core, still very primary, with notes of pear and flowers. A touch fatter in the midpalate, with intense minerality. This is very good indeed. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 16-17+/20 (February 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Bretonnière 2009: A much fresher nose, albeit one that is showing some oak at present, with just a touch of honeyed and matchsticky character in the background. The palate is full and supply styled, with good acidity. Nicely minerally, with a stony style, but that matchstick note is far more pervasive here than the nose suggested. This seems rather more awkward than the sample tasted in London only a few weeks ago. Another wine that is difficult to judge. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 16-17?/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Bretonnière 2009: Clean and crunchy Chenin fruit character here, with beautifully crystalline fruit on the nose, pure and lifted. The palate follows on in much the same style, showing delightful fruit concentration, sweet and defined Chenin character, backed up by a light grip and plenty of firm, fine acidity. Supple, minerally yet rich and with a fleshy touch of residual sugar. An absolute delight. From a Loire 2009 tasting. 17/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Bretonnière 2009: This is the second pass through the vines of this 3.5-hectare vineyard. The nose here is very refined, subtle and lightly mineral. A fine palate, very flavoursome, rich in perfumed nuances of stones and flowers, and there is a little autumnal quality to it as well, with notes of soft, ripe and sweet dessert apples. Laser-like acidity which I like very much, giving it an elegant but vigorous style. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 16.5-17.5+/20 (February 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Moelleux 2009: Residual sugar 50 g/l, already bottled. A very stony substance here, bright with subtle golden fruits. The palate is showing a more expressive golden sweetness, with a fruit pastille intensity suggestive of yellow plum with some grip behind, and a light, elegant minerality. In the finish, a welcome, mouth-puckering style. Lovely potential here. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 17/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Moelleux 2009: In suitable years there may be a moelleux cuvée from the Vouvray vines, and 2009 is one such vintage. Residual sugar approximately 70 g/l. Sweet dessert apples on the nose, very aromatic pears too, followed by a beautiful purity on the palate. A very rich style in terms of flavour, autumnal again, dried fruits, all painted on a broad but beautifully defined canvas, with the welcome tones of acidity. Fine vibrancy to the cuvée despite the fulsome fruit character. For an 'entry-level' moelleux this is delicious. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 16.5-17.5+/20 (February 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Venise 2009: As was the case with the Clos Michet and Clos de la Bretonnière tasted alongside, this shows a lot of reductive, matchsticky character. It dominates the wine at present. All three need time to come good. For the moment, very much a hedged and tentative opinion here. This seems rather more awkward than the sample tasted in London only a few weeks ago. A wine that is difficult to judge. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 16-17?/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Venise Moelleux 2009: This cuvée is now reported as 110 g/l, slightly more than the figure (which may well have been an estimate) presented last year. A lovely nose, gentle with a polished expression, very characterful. The palate is just spot on, showing lovely sweet fruits and a golden expression, bright star fruit and yellow plum. It has a fine acid core and a fresh, minerally structure. The overall finish is suggestive of a beautiful polish, so mellifluous and seductive, leading into a long mineral finish with a light grip. Very stylish. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 17.5/20 (January 2011) 

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Venise Moelleux 2009: A sweet cuvée from this 1-hectare plot which has a favourable aspect. Residual sugar here is 100-105 g/l. Honeyed apples on the nose, intense and sweetly aromatic, with a vibrant acid core. Very linear style, although around the edges there is a fine body of intense apple and pear fruit. Softly done, but with a superbly defined finish, and great length. Delightful wine. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 17-18+/20 (February 2010)

Montlouis

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Les Dix Arpents 2008: Just one year since I last tasted this entry-level Montlouis cuvée. It has a green-gold hue, and a very restrained nose, with some elements of green fruit. A very light texture on entry, with a gentle fleshiness, quite subdued in style. Lightly mineral; in fact it has a style somewhat reminiscent of that of Champalou. Good but not compelling. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 16+/20 (February 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Les Dix Arpents 2008: This seems restrained on the nose, although there are appealing suggestion of richness underneath. The palate is defined, stony, with good freshness. The acid balance is lovely, polished, with lots of mineral character. There is a lovely, juicy fruit towards the finish. Very good. 16-17+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus 2008: This is the second pass through the Montlouis vines, one step up from Les Dix Arpents. Very dry, residual sugar just 2 g/l. Much more appeal than its little brother, honeyed with a creamy stone character. Gently defined, quite fleshy though, much more flattering in terms of texture and composition. Overall, a very good wine. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 17+/20 (February 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus 2008: A clay-limestone terroir. This has gentle, stony, herb and apple fruit on the nose. The palate is nicely composed, polished, with nice minerality. Ripe fruit, lovely weight, and overall a delicious style. Really good potential here. Tasted once at Charles Sydney's tasting, and once a day or two later with Anne-Françoise Blot. 17-18+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus Plus 2008: A grand name for the top sec cuvée, a cellar selection aged in a mix of new and nearly-new barriques for 18 months. A delicious nose, smoky golden fruits, quite beautiful style, very pure, fine and appley. A grippy-sappy backbone to the palate, a gentle texture laid over the top, and a fine seam of acidity cutting through to the finish. This has fine potential but of course is not yet bottled. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 17.5-18+/20 (February 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Demi-Sec 2008: A pale golden hue. Aromatically it feels drier than I expected, starting off with a minerally, straw-like nose, with white fruit, especially pears, and a dry, slightly bitter pear-skin edge to it. There is also a citrus edge to it, lifted and lightly herbal, with scents of bergamot and dry honey. These elements come through on the palate, as does that dry and delightfully bitter sensation. This is demi-sec without the luscious sweetness some possess, but instead has a dry and precise core, around which is built a flesh which represents the sugar, but with only bare tenderness, not overt sweetness. There is a little flourish of sweetness near the start, but through the midpalate the dry grip comes to the fore, giving the wine a spicy, peppery, herbal element. It has certainly tightened up since my previous tasting in July 2010. It reveals a lovely breadth when I let it relax on the palate towards the end though. Crunchy, precise, lightly crystalline, and an appealingly bitter finish, always countered by that vein of fleshy substance. Delicious. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 17.5/20 (October 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Demi-Sec 2008: This is a great vintage of demi-sec in this region and this seems to show through in this cuvée, which has a delicious and well-defined presence of pear fruit on the nose. The palate has a good substance to it, a fine and fleshy character in keeping with the residual sugar, all backed up by a crisp acid backbone. Gently honeyed fruits abound. An elegant and well-framed wine. Very good indeed. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 17.5+/20 (July 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Demi-Sec 2008: A vintage with an excellent reputation for demi-sec of course. Residual sugar here is approximately 15 g/l. Sweet and honeyed white fruits on the nose, pears and flowers, certainly this is very open and expressive. A lovely, sweet and gentle style on the palate, with good minerality which builds through the middle of the wine, which becomes more flashy and textured as it does so. A very nice seam of acid here, a vivaciously composed wine, lots of potential here for sure. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 17.5+/20 (February 2010)

Vouvray

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Les Caburoches 2008: Fresh and clean fruit on the nose, lively and quite stylish I think. Good, rich minerality on the palate follows on. It has freshness of fruit, but in a full and attractive style. Very good. 16-17+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Bretonnière 2008: This is the second pass through the vines in this Vouvray climat. The nose here has lovely minerality, almost like quartz, and there are honeyed elements too, even though it is vinified down to sec level. Great flesh on the palate, a fine style, defined, lovely clean white fruits, just gently honeyed. Apples and pears, lots of minerals and fine acidity. A long finish too. This is very impressive. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 17+/20 (February 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Bretonnière 2008: A clay-limestone terroir. A fine, attractive, mineral-laced nose. Rather lighter than some on the palate, a touch leafy, but quickly revealing sweet fruit beneath. This is rather ethereal in style, with good substance too, backed up by fine acidity. Very good indeed. Tasted once at Charles Sydney's tasting, and once a day or two later with Anne-Françoise Blot. 16.5-17.5+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Venise 2008: This is the second pass through the vines in this Vouvray climat. Residual sugar 3 g/l. This wine has a lovely, quite evocative but delicate nose here, a fine and elegant style. Very flattering on the palate, with smoothly polished fruit and elegant balance. There is plenty of grip too though, especially towards the finish. Great defining acidity here. Long as well. A fine effort and I just prefer it to the Bretonnière today. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 17.5+/20 (February 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de Venise 2008: This is restrained and pure on the nose, but it is also quite expressive. It has gently ripe, sweet fruits, with a lively and vibrant character. There is more power here, a great texture balanced out very nicely by the acids. A very substantial and certainly admirable wine. 17-18+/20 (February 2009)

Montlouis

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus 2007: This wine is also showing some oak on the nose but it has an elegant integration with the rest of the wine. The palate is soft, rounded and concentrated, with a subtle acid backbone. It doesn't have as much focus as some of the other cuvées, but it does have a very attractive spice and there is no shortage of substance. Good potential. 16-17+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus Plus 2007: This has a restrained, honey-fruit element on the nose which sings quality. There is oak there too, which needs to integrate. A big, stylish wine on the palate, with a lot of grip, and fine acidity appearing in the midpalate. Lots of substance here; this needs some time in the cellar to come together though. 17.5-18.5+/20 (February 2009)

Vouvray

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Bretonnière 2007: Honeyed oak on the nose here, with some sweet fruit. This has a very nice style on the palate, and a harmonious, rounded character. Gently textured, with attractive fruit, the oak dominates here at present but it simply needs time to integrate I feel. Give it time. 17.5-18+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de Venise 2007: Again, honeyed oak on the nose here, but there is a good layer of fruit beneath. It has a rich, round, mouthfilling style on the palate, with a touch of grip too. This wine has evident substance, is rich but balanced; it just needs some time for that oak to integrate. 17.5-18+/20 (February 2009)

Montlouis

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Moelleux 2005: This has 45 g/l residual sugar, and displays an attractive layer of crisp and crunchy fruit. The palate has a good character, although there is a slightly vegetal note alongside the fruit in this particular bottle. Good sweetness to it though. A warm and appealing vintage. I'm not sure if this completely typical but I have included my note anyway, although I am continuing to hedge my score. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 16-17+?/20 (July 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Moelleux 2005: This wine is an entry-level moelleux before the Cuvée des Loups and Romulus cuvées. Residual sugar 45 g/l. Not very expressive on the nose. Good weight on the palate though, finely textured with good acidity. Not a lot of distinctive character at present to be honest. Certainly some elements of honeyed richness on the palate, showing more sweetness and mineral fruit towards the finish. Clearly a good wine but being rather reticent today it seems. A hedged score with that in mind. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 16.5-17.5+?/20 (February 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Cuvée des Loups 2005: I last tasted this super moelleux cuvée one year ago, when I was told it had 90 g/l residual. Today the figure seems to be 100 g/l; one of them is probably right! Either way it is clearly a very richly styled wine, showing an amazing golden colour here today, obviously botrytised, the honey-apple fruit showing a very strong character on the nose but with a linear edge to it all. A compact, very defined palate, sweet but with good substance too, rich and ripe but well framed. An impressive wine which makes an impact with its rich depth and breadth rather than any fine nervosité. Still lovely though. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 17.5+/20 (February 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Cuvée des Loups 2005: This liquoreux cuvée is made from botrytised fruit and has 90 g/l residual sugar. Fresh honey and minerals on the nose here, gentle and integrated, this is certainly stylish. Quite fat on the palate, rounded and muted, flattering, rather marrowy, with bright and golden fruits. Good smoky grip in the finish. Lots of structure here, and potential for further development yet. Good wine. Tasted at Charles Sydney's tasting. 17+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Romulus 2005: It is always difficult to know what to write of this cuvée, one of the best examples of the style to come from the appellation, in this vintage possessing 130 g/l residual sugar. An intense nose, full of rich and toothsome sweetness, with notes of honey and beeswax. Great breadth and richness on the palate, a cuvée destined to spend a long time in the cellar, if you have any. Excellent. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 19+/20 (July 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Romulus 2005: The absolute crème de la crème here, with 150 g/l residual sugar in this vintage. Very open on the nose unlike the two preceding sweet wines from this vintage, with notes of honey and beeswax, presented in a clear and bright fashion. I wonder if there is just too much packed in here for this wine to close down? A beautiful texture, pure with elements of quartz, minerals and golden fruits. A huge depth on the palate, dense and incredibly impressive, but not just in terms of power but with its balance also. An amazing substance and rounded extract here. Brilliant. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 19+/20 (February 2010)

Vouvray

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de Venise Moelleux 2005: This has 100 g/l residual sugar, with lovely bright fruit on the nose, again showing a sweet and crunchy character despite the warmth of this vintage. And on the palate it has a remarkably fresh character, with a good seam of minerality. Lifted, fresh and attractive, certainly showing more expressively than it did in February when it seemed a little sullen aromatically. A good wine. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 18+/20 (July 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Venise Moelleux 2005: This has 100 g/l residual sugar. A rather reticent nose here, perhaps this wine and the straight moelleux are both sulking a little today. It has a fresher style than the Loups cuvée, with a more vibrant acid backbone and a fresher, brighter minerality, as well as some lifted herbal elements. A superbly styled wine, perhaps more precise in its composition than the Cuvée des Loups, characterful and long. A fine effort although it does need time in the cellar. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 18+/20 (February 2010)

Montlouis

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus 2002: It's a delight to taste this alongside the 2007 and 2008 to gain some idea of where they might be going. This has very fine aromatics; there is not a trace of oak here anymore. It has rich minerally fruit on the nose, with a lovely sweet-stony character; it is expressive, with fine purity, but also with nuances of complexity. Precise and defined, yet rich, spicy and concentrated, this is really impressive wine. In style it has more resemblance to the 2007 than the 2008 I think, with a similar fresh acid backbone. 18.5/20 (February 2009)

Tasting notes are ordered by date of tasting, most recent first. I have tried to indicate whether it is a tasting of a new release, or of a wine I have cellared.

Montlouis Triple Zero

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Pétillant Triple Zero NV: Although officially non-vintage, this is from 2008. A fine and crunchy freshness here, with a precise minerality. The palate is full with lots of vigour, showing a good substance, with a very chalky richness. It is dry and yet the acidity still lends it a lovely buoyancy, helped by a defined mousse. Overall, an impressive style. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 17.5/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Pétillant Triple Zero NV: I admit to having very much an on-off relationship with Jacky Blot's Triple Zero. Sometimes it really sings, fresh and expressive, but sometimes it just seems bald and lean. Happily, this seems to one of the former moments. It has a very faint bead at first, setting down to a subtle, fine, central stream. The nose opens out to reveal a fine, golden, crunchy fruit character, and it seems to speak very clearly with that soft, orchard fruit character of the appellation, with a crystalline-straw edge. The palate follows the same theme, the crystalline fruit develop into a richer, sweet, autumn-apple feel, always cut through by vibrant acidity and sparkling mousse, and a bright, flint, incisive finish. This is a really delicious showing for this cuvée; maybe I hit it at just the right moment? From a tasting of Loire Valley Fizz. 17/20 (August 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Pétillant Triple Zero NV: Tasted once at the domaine, and once subsequently. Although not commercialised as a single vintage this cuvée is based entirely on the 2008 vintage. No sugar added at fermentation, tirage or dosage, hence 'triple zero'. A pétillant style, light and fresh on the nose suggestive of vanilla ice and freshly cut, watery-juicy apple. Great flavour here, plenty of fresh apple-tinged characteristics, apple sorbet with a full, ripe, crisp character. A gently prickling mousse. Dry, flavoursome and very good. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 17.5+/20 (July 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Pétillant Triple Zero NV: An interesting comparison with the younger wine, as this cuvée is based on the 2000 vintage, so has about eight years of bottle age on the first wine tasted. It shows some really appealing development on the nose, with a crystalline, honey-fruit character. The palate though is less easily described, and displays a rather medicinal quality. Its initial aromatic appeal doesn't translate well onto the palate for me. Certainly an instructive wine to taste though. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 14.5/20 (July 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Pétillant Triple Zero NV: The usual Triple Zero recipe here, no chaptalisation, no sugar in the liqueur de tirage, dosage with dry wine. Almost a green hue in the glass, dry and powdery-chalky on the nose, with a volcanic element. Creamily textured, very bright and vibrant, with notes of stones rather like those volcanic elements on the nose. Fresh and quite lovely. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 17.5+/20 (February 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Pétillant Triple Zero NV: Purchased Summer 2009. A pale straw-gold in the glass, with a moderately fine bead. There is a little richness on the nose, fleeting nuances of caramel over plump, ripe but fresh and crystalline fruit. It has a ripe, tangible, golden character, nicely offset by nuances of nettle and stone. A good, broad entry onto the palate, very fresh and vivacious, with a lively but tightly packed mousse, and very minerally fruit alongside. Nicely integrated, slightly mineral, sappy and dry but certainly not bone dry despite that triple zero designation. Really very fine, gentle composition, and a gentle, softly-fruited finish. Some length too. This actually seems better integrated and has more harmony than the last bottle, and my score reflects this. Very good indeed. For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 17/20 (September 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Pétillant Triple Zero NV: Purchased Summer 2009. The 'triple zero' denotes no added sugar at fermentation, or with the liqueur de tirage or indeed with the dosage. This wine has a pale hue and a very subtle bead, with just a few streams of moderately small bubbles. The nose caries the aromas of sweet, ripe and perfumed dessert apples and a light minerality, very soft in style, suggesting richness. In the mouth it has a creamy entry, is bone dry underneath, with a slightly flat midpalate but lovely style though, with lots of appley, chalky Chenin character. More creamy again at the finish. Great acidity here despite the slightly soft-focus fruit, and a gentle mousse. Supple, full, cream-soda mouthfeel with a bitter edge just at the finish. Moderate length. This is very entertaining, stylish, dry and a great aperitif. 16.5/20 (September 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Pétillant Triple Zero NV: Latest release. Bottled at 2.5 atm. Good character on the nose here; it is subtle, fresh, with a good vein of rock-dust minerality, but also a little edge of nut which I didn't expect. The palate has flesh and an elegant texture, underneath there is a firm mousse - despite the low bottling pressure. This is surprising; the weight and polished-cream style can only come from the original ripeness of the fruit. I like it. 16.5/20 (February 2009)

Montlouis Triple Zero Rosé

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Touraine Pétillant Triple Zero Rosé NV: Although officially non-vintage, this is from 2009 vintage, and Anne-Françoise Blot tells me it is 100% Gamay. It has a peachy hue, with rather a soft substance to it. The palate gives little hints of texture, but it is undeniably very dry, albeit with a very firm, broad, minerally substance. An expressive style which I rather like. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 16/20 (January 2011)

Montlouis Brut Tradition

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Pétillant Brut Tradition NV: Although officially non-vintage, this is from 2009. It has a lovely fruit presence, with a yellow-gold plum character sitting over a fine mineral core which is the start of a wealth of tangible minerally texture. A better presence and grip than the Triple Zero on this showing. Lots of ripe substance. Very attractive, with a hint of very low-level reduction to it which I rather like. Lovely. From a 2011 Taille aux Loups update. 18/20 (January 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Pétillant Brut Tradition NV: A pale hue, and a very gentle bead, quite fine though, with just one or two little streams of lazy bubbles. A lightly floral nose, expressive although not exuberant, with notes of white peach and flower petals, but also rather more exciting elements redolent of citrus fruits. Very polished on entry, smoothly defined and full, especially as it moves into the midpalate. Here it shows an appealing combination of punchy acid-framed fruit, with a stony backbone. It has a good fleshy presence, well balanced and appropriate but still offering a little note of flattery. A lovely crisply-defined mousse keeps it all fresh and lively. I find myself increasingly enamoured with this cuvée, against the Triple Zero. From a tasting of Loire Valley Fizz. 17/20 (August 2011)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Pétillant Brut Tradition NV: Tasted once at the domaine, and once subsequently. Again, like the Triple Zero, although not commercialised as a single vintage this cuvée is based entirely on the 2008 vintage. A more smoky nose here, and a big presence of very ripe fruit. The palate is fresh, stylish, with a good creamy mouse, filling out in the mouth in an admirable although very elegant and controlled fashion. An attractive style here. From a 2010 Taille aux Loups update. 16.5+/20 (July 2010)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Pétillant Brut Tradition NV: Latest release. Bottled at 4.5 atm. Much more mineral than the Triple Zero, with little notes of honey. A fresh palate ensures, with lovely crisp fruit and a gentle mousse. There is a grand finesse on the palate, which is integrated and stylish. The finish is attractive, lively but elegant. Very appealing. 16.5+/20 (February 2009)