Les Vignes Herbel: Tasting & Drinking
The first time I encountered the wines of Les Vignes Herbel it was immediately apparent that they were made in a very ‘natural’, oxidative style. This was only confirmed on a subsequent tasting; the wines generally have a rich, golden hue, and the aromas are characteristic. Nevertheless there are some interesting floral and fruit-derived aromas along with these browner, nutty scents, and the wines also possess some energy and definition, vital components which I find can disappear the more the oxidative style moves towards full oxidation. For this reason these wines remain of interest to me. Nevertheless, it would be a disappointment to me if all the wines of the Loire Valley were made in this style; as it is, I think the wines say more about Laurent and Nadège, their beliefs and philosophies, than they do about their origins, the soil, stone or vineyard from which they sprang. (16/8/13, updated 26/4/15)
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