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Château Pierre-Bise Update, January 2011
Château Pierre-Bise
This update relates to wines tasted in January 2011.
For more on this estate, including all my relevant tasting notes, see my Pierre-Bise profile.
In previous years I have on occasion not tasted Claude Papin's most recent releases at the Salon des Vins de Loire, safe in the knowledge that I would be visiting him later in the year. As a result I missed out on a chance to get to grips with the full range of wines from the latest vintage, and in 2011 I was keen not to repeat that mistake. And so very shortly after my arrival in Angers this year I sat down with Claude, together with his wife Joëlle (pictured below) together with their sons Rene and Christophe, to taste through a host of wines from the 2009 vintage, and one solitary representative of 2010.
Claude determined the order of tasting, and so we kicked off with his three offerings from Savennières, two of which - the Clos de Coulaine and Clos le Grand Beaupréau - I have tasted before in this vintage, at the domaine and with Claude in London last year. Both showed very consistently, although they fell into the shadow cast by the previously untasted 2009 Roches aux Moines cuvée, which showed a fine and more polished composition than the first two wines. Things started to get even more interesting with his Haut de la Garde cuvée though; for those surprised that this 'mere' Anjou cuvée should be poured after the trio of Savennières, a quick taste was all that was required to see that this was the correct order for these wines; they are rich, grippy and minerally, more than a match for the first three wines.
The 2008 Haut de la Garde is a fascinating wine, in that Claude has two bottlings in this vintage. Both have been fermented in a mix of wood and cuve as is the norm, but whereas the first spends its entire élevage in wood and cuve, the second moves into cuve alone for a second year of maturation before bottling. This certainly has influenced the style of the finished wine; that which had been bottled first showing a more evolved and caramelly edge, whereas that which had been left in steel prior to bottling showed a composed and polished finish and, ultimately, greater definition. Both wines showed very nicely though, even though Claude confessed that he usually finds this wine closes down at 2-5 years of age.
After looking at his red cuvées, two examples of Anjou-Villages from schist and spilite, and a Cabernet d'Anjou from 2010, we moved onto his sweeter wines from 2009. Starting with the Coteaux du Layon, his Rochefort Les Rayelles cuvée was fine but most certainly eclipsed by the Beaulieu Les Rouannières, as might be expected. Claude was unsure of the residual sugar in these wines, but estimated 60-65 g/l. But then came Chaume and Quarts de Chaume, two fabulous wines showing all the extra layers and depth that we should look for here, their rich textures imbued as they were with sweet, quartzy, herb-tea minerality.
No doubt about it; in the 2009 vintage Claude Papin still has a firm grip on his crown, and he remains king of the Layon. (8/3/11)
Château Pierre-Bise, January 2011 - Tasting Notes
These wines were tasted in January 2011. I have presented them in order of
tasting. All my notes on Claude Papin's wines, including those below, are collated under my
Pierre-Bise profile. Click
to locate stockists.
Claude opened with his three Savennières cuvées from the 2009 vintage.
Château Pierre-Bise Savennières Clos de Coulaine 2009:
Fermented approximately 50% en cuve and approximately 50% in wood.
Malolactic fermentation 100%. Only just bottled. Fresh and clear, with a very
clean style on the nose. Also very fresh and easy on the palate, initially at
least, then showing a lot more structure in the midpalate, with a powerful acid
backbone and a lot of grip. Firm and austere, despite my first impressions. A
good and supple style, but powerful and definitely one that needs the cellar.
Showing a tinge of baked apples in the background. 17/20
Château Pierre-Bise Savennières Clos
le Grand Beaupréau 2009: Schist and siliceous terroir. Fermented approximately
50% en cuve and approximately 50% in wood. Malolactic fermentation 100%.
More honeyed and mineral than Coulaine, with seashell and oyster clarity,
showing a fresh, saline minerality. The same start on the palate, showing more
substance in the middle, but not the overt power of the Coulaine. More
controlled and composed, but still a huge structure and plenty of acid here.
Good overall substance, lots of power, and a firm, austere finish. 17/20
Château Pierre-Bise Savennières Roches aux Moines 2009:
The fermentation here is 100% in wood. Malolactic fermentation 90-95%. This
shows very little on the nose, clearly a more reserved style, although there is
still a very precise and direct style of fruit here. On the palate it is very
much more reined in than the first two, showing a less angular character, more
polished, with all of its corners shaved off. But there is still a very dense
structure to it. Overall this has a beautiful style, and is just full of
potential for the cellar. 17-18/20
A variety of wines, colours and vintages, listed in order of tasting.
Château Pierre-Bise Anjou Blanc Le Haut de la Garde 2008:
From a vineyard that lies opposite the Roches aux Moines, but still 1 km distant -
the valley itself is very wide at this point. Fermented in wood and cuve,
the same for the élevage. I just love the character on the nose, all
crunchy caramel-tinged fruit. Very fresh on the palate though, lots of
minerality and substance here, with bright acidity too. Good grip, throughout
especially at the finish. Showing a gentler style than the Savennières cuvées
but not intrinsically soft; indeed, it seems remarkably austere and structured
on this tasting. 17+/20
Château Pierre-Bise Anjou Blanc Le Haut de la Garde 2008:
This version of the 2008 Haut de la Garde was bottled later than the norm,
moving into cuve for a second year when the first wine was being bottled.
It has a very clean nose, less caramelly than the first wine, with a more
polished texture also. It still has the same austere structure but it also has a
straighter and more defined feel to it. A great finish, showing lots of
structure and good length. Seems quite grippy here too. This is impressive, and
set for the long haul. 17+/20
Château Pierre-Bise Anjou Blanc Le Haut de la Garde 2007:
This has a rather more honeyed feel than the 2008, softer and quite well
polished, attractive, with gently creamed yellow fruit. The palate has a big and
impressive structure though, lots of minerality despite the aromatic plushness,
and lots of acidity too. Good style here, with evolving polished and gentle
maturity but with a very straight supporting structure. Top flight but it needs
time. 17.5+/20
Château Pierre-Bise Anjou-Villages Sur Schistes 2009:
Dark and spicy black fruits here, fresh and lifted but with a very firm depth.
Forest fruits, black cherry especially. Good substance on the palate, round and
attractive, but with a good backbone of tannin. A drier structure showing in the
finish and a creamed fruit character. Very ripe and almost chewy tannic core.
Lots of lively acidity too. An attractive dark character, beautifully composed
but with a very robust backbone to it. Needs time. 16-17/20
Château Pierre-Bise Anjou-Villages Sur Spilite 2009:
Rather more hedonistic fruit character on the nose here, with a very pure and
bright style. And on the palate a softer and more supple style although with a
very certain, precise and crunchy acidity coming in through the middle. More
silky character to the tannins here, although they still have a very strong
presence on the finish. Good substance to it. Very interesting potential. Needs
time. 16-17/20
Château Pierre-Bise Cabernet d'Anjou 2010:
This has just been bottled. Carbonic maceration, if I understood Claude
correctly, and there is 60-65 g/l residual sugar. The nose has a typically sweet
and open style, smoky too. Sweet fruits. Good substance on the palate, although
with a rather medicinal cherry streak. Good acids. In the finish some more
savoury fruit character which I like. Full and sweet, although I wouldn't have
thought as high as 60 g/l. Certainly interesting but not my style. 14/20
We finished with four sweet wines. The residual sugar in the first two is in the order of 60-65 g/l, although Claude was unsure. In Chaume and Quarts de Chaume it will undoubtedly be higher. The style of 2009 seems to be rich with correct rather than delightfully nervy acidity; the wines are delicious though, especially the latter two.
Château Pierre-Bise Coteaux du Layon Rochefort Les Rayelles 2009:
A good depth of character here, golden honeyed fruit on the nose, clean and
rich, with nuances of quince and honeyed tea. On the palate a very soft and
broad style, then more acidity through the middle. An attractive minerally seam
here and towards the finish a more savoury, reined-in style. There is plenty of
grip to it, a good and tangible substance and extract too, bringing that mineral
edge but the style has a rather soft acidity. Moderately long. 16.5/20
Château Pierre-Bise Coteaux du Layon Beaulieu Rouannières
2009: A very pure and precise character on the nose, quite reserved though,
with a softness to the fruit. Lovely sweet style on the palate, a fine presence,
also quite firm and structured underneath the fruit. Good minerality here
cutting through it, but the acidity although at first subtle soon rolls up
through the middle of the wine. A very dense and sweet style, all honey, quince
and beeswax rather than the vibrancy of brighter vintages. Very good though, as
it has the requisite acidity. 17.5+/20
Château Pierre-Bise Chaume 2009:
Not so expressive on the nose, opening out to give notes of honey, with a
brighter quince and mineral, herbal tea character. The palate has a fine
elegance, showing a lovely wealth of sweet botrytised fruit and also a plenty of
very classic acidity. Lots of savoury substance here, plenty of defining acidity
too. This wine has a great presence on the palate, showing all the structure and
depth it will need as it evolves in the cellar. 18.5+/20
Château Pierre-Bise Quarts de Chaume 2009:
A more dense, golden hue here than the Chaume. The nose has more to give as
well, a more quartzy, quincy, herbal and mineral style with lots of sweet
suggestion. This is true on the palate which has a rich depth with a lot of
appropriate texture and delightfully candied golden fruits. The complexity isn't
here yet but the profound depth of character is. And there is good acidity
backing it up although it is rather subdued at the start, perhaps somewhat
subsumed by the pure substance of the wine, but in the midpalate it is much
firmer. A good vein of spicy minerals here too. It culminates in a splendid
finish with a lot of potential here. Fine. 18.5+/20
