Vincent Carême: Tasting & Drinking
There is no doubt that Vincent Carême is committed to his organic methodology (during one visit I made I tagged along with the Ecocert inspector, pictured below, who was also visiting that day to inspect the vines). Her work was thorough, taking in all the notable vineyards; I watched as the inspector, in Le Clos, disappeared into the vines to examine them for any signs of exposure to chemicals.
And I have no doubt that Vincent is equally committed in the cellars, working rigorously, investing in new facilities and new equipment along the way. But the Loire Valley is rich in vignerons who are meticulous in their methods, in the vineyard, and when it comes to the vinifications. What about the quality of the wines?
Happily, Vincent is not one of those vignerons where quality, which is what ultimately matters to drinkers, is sidelined for dogma. The wines here are impressive, great in great vintages, but also set to stun and surprise in lesser vintages. I could draw many examples from my notes below, but I will simply point the finger at a handful of examples that spring spontaneously to mind. The first is the 2008 Le Peu Morier; in a great vintage for the demi-sec style, Vincent has turned out a wine to win over any drinker who has given up looking beyond the long-established names in Vouvray. Its dried-fruit concentration, tangible in the mouth, puts the domaine on a footing with even the biggest names. And then there are the difficult years, such as 2012, when the 2012 Le Clos and 2012 Le Peu Morier were the best still wines I tasted in the appellation in this most difficult vintage, easily knocking more famous names for six.
