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Château de Villeneuve Update, 2010
Château de Villeneuve
This update relates to wines tasted in February and July 2010.
For more on this estate, including all my relevant tasting notes, see my Château de Villeneuve profile.
I find it amusing to think that when I first tasted the wines of Château de Villeneuve it was purely by chance, after I had wandered into the Maison du Vin in Saumur close to two decades ago. Then Château de Villeneuve was described to me, by the maison's employee, as an up-and-coming name, a long-established domaine perhaps, but one which was experiencing something of a revitalisation. Today I would describe it as a leader within the context of the appellation, a domaine turning out superlative wines in red and white. The name still has less caché than Clos Rougeard for example, but there are many advantages to this; the wines are far more accessible, more widely available, and while they are appropriately priced for their quality they are nevertheless much more affordable than your average bottle of Le Bourg from Les Frères Foucault.
And so this year I have revisited the
wines of Château de Villeneuve not once but twice, first tasting
through the latest releases in February at the
2010 Salon des Vins de Loire, both wines in bottle and also
brut de cuve samples, second during a visit to the château (shown left) in
Souzay-Champigny in July. At both tastings it was the white Les Cormiers which really stole the
show, in February showing a delicious combination of mineraliness and honeycomb-sweet fruit,
whilst maintaining a fine acid backbone. So much so that when I visited the
domaine in July I was delighted to be able to taste the wine again when I found
it just as convincing, sufficiently so for me to add more than a bottle or two
to the cellar. Also worthy of mention was the 2009 red brut de cuve sample,
tasted in February; the purity and vibrancy combined with depth of fruit clearly
indicated the high quality that should be available from this vintage. Even lined up
against grander cuvées such as both the Vieilles Vignes and Le Grand Clos cuvées from the 2006 vintage, my
choice - on this momentary assessment at least - would be the 2009. Sadly I was
unable to revisit it in July when only wines in bottle were tasted, so I hope to
be able to do that early next year when I return to the Salon. (23/11/10)
Château de Villeneuve, 2010 - Tasting Notes
The wines below were tasted in Angers at the
Salon des Vins de Loire in
February 2010, and during my visit to the domaine in July 2010. All my notes on the wines of Château de Villeneuve, including those below, are collated under my
Château de Villeneuve profile. Click
to locate stockists.
Wines tasted at the Salon des Vins de Loire in Angers, in February 2010.
Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc 2009: A brut de cuve sample,
so unfinished and unblended, but the fermentation has completed. Residual sugar
5 g/l. A very dry and papery nose, typical young Chenin Blanc, very clean, just
a suggestion of mineral here and there. The palate has a nice substance, is very
direct, with a clean and powerful structure and mineral-tinged stone fruits.
16-17+/20
Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc 2008: Having tasted a brut de
cuve last year, this is now the finished wine from bottle. Fermented in oak.
Very clean on the nose though, with lovely stone fruit character dusted with
minerals. The texture on the palate is fine, much softer than the 2009 sample,
rounded, polished, although with a great mineral character. A lovely style here,
and one that would go well with food. 16+/20
Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc Les Cormiers 2007: This is
fermented in a mix of old and new wood, where it rests for nearly a year before
bottling. Yield in this vintage 30 hl/ha. The nose seems less expressive at
first, although it certainly has a good seam of minerals. The palate though is
beautiful, a gentle creamy substance, grippy and well composed, with great
structure running through to the finish. There is real depth and substance here;
a wine with excellent potential. Still all wrapped up in oak though; it needs
time. 17.5+/20
Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc Les Cormiers 2006: This has a very
fine nose of minerals and honeycomb, certainly full of character. A lightly
honeyed style on entry, quite softly structured at first, with a very creamy
feel. Through the midpalate there is more acid and even some grip here, a
substance suggestion of tannin perhaps from the oak, giving the wine a
delightful backbone. What a fine structure; this is a wine that will continue to
do well in the cellar for the moment. 17+/20
Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny 2009: A brut de cuve
sample, so unfinished and unblended. A glossy appearance, with a blue rim. A
great smoky nose with intense fruit, fabulous, expressive and rich. The palate
follows suit; a hugely impressive style here, fine texture and weight, backed up
by a firm and tannic structure. Great acidity too. This is simply beautiful and
yet it is only the entry-level cuvée. Yet more evidence that 2009 is a great
vintage for the Loire. 17-18+/20
Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny 2008: This entry-level wine has
just been bottled one month ago. A really fine character on the nose with good
fruit complexity and a gamey tinge. The palate is finely textured with a touch
of cream and a good tannic structure. Ripe, concentrated, this is high quality
for the "basic" cuvée. 16.5+/20
Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny Vieilles Vignes 2006: This wine
is not so expressive on the nose, and indeed there is even a little cloudiness
to it in the glass. Slightly high-toned fruit here, still showing a stony
character, revealing more gamey character with time in the glass. A good and
polished texture, coming along nicely, some early complexities typical of
maturing Cabernet Franc here, but still with a very good tannic backbone and
classic composition. Very good. 16.5+/20
Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny Le Grand Clos 2006: Compared with the
vieilles vignes cuvée this is a touch more evocative in style, although
again it is showing a few little touches of early maturity. Elegantly textured,
fine and precisely composed, nicely polished, and yet backed up by an admirably
firm and tannic backbone. Balanced acidity, real finesse here. This has
wonderful potential but don't be afraid to tuck in now if you have a few
bottles. 17.5+/20
Wines tasted at the domaine in Vouvray, in July 2010.
Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc 2008: Another pop at this vintage.
This pale-looking wine has an autumnal nose full of soft-fleshed fruits, apples
and pears. Quite soft on the palate, with a very slight suggestion of papery
Chenin, but also lots of plump, juicy autumnal stone fruits. Very expressive of
the variety, in a very primary fashion, fruit-dominated, but nicely textured and
appealing. A very good style. 16/20
Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc Les Cormiers 2007: A rich
lemon-gold hue and similarly rich fruit characteristics on the nose, especially
sweet pear, golden and yet crunchy too. Having said that, there is still a
corset of tight oak around it at the moment. Broad, bold and very impressive on
the palate, showing great depth of fruit, still intertwined with golden oak as
the nose suggested, but there is a fine, acid-bound freshness to it as well.
Really rather taut in the finish, and very long. Needs to be left well alone for
a year or two, at the very least. 17.5+/20
Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny 2008: Another wine which I have
met before as a brut de cuve but am now meeting in bottle for the first
time. Remarkably crisp and crunchy on the nose, more so than my previous
encounter. More stony than creamy on the palate, crunchy and direct, with rather
restrained flesh. Seems a little disjointed on the palate, awkward and
unflattering. Good bright acidity though, with a firm, charcoaly tannic grip. It
needs to be left alone for a year or two I think. 15.5+/20
Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny Vieilles Vignes 2008: Clearly a
step up from the entry-level cuvée here, full of bright perfume and style on the
nose. On the palate though also showing, rather like the preceding wine, a
rather awkward and lean character. Plenty of fruit and a good tannic core, but
comes across as quite disparate and in need of cellar time for it all to
integrate. 16+/20
