Domaine des Aubuisières, 2015 Update
One of the relatively unsung (well, he is compared to Domaine Huet and Philippe Foreau, anyway) stalwarts of the Vouvray appellation, Bernard Fouquet started out during the 1980s. He was therefore in a great position to take advantage when the 1989-1990 vintage duo came along, and with the wines he made in those two vintages his reputation seems to have been secured. He has remained on top form ever since, his wines sometimes flirting with brilliance. Various vintages of his Cuvée Alexandre (the 1997 and 2003 spring immediately to mind) in particular have to be tasted to be believed. As an aside, I know I have complained often enough about those who can’t look beyond the sweet wines of the Loire Valley, so I hope readers will forgive me breaking my own personal rule by mentioning this cuvée before we have even reached the end of this opening paragraph.
There was no Cuvée Alexandre up for tasting on this most recent encounter with Bernard and his wines. There was, however, a welcome return for Le Plan de Jean, a moelleux cuvée from one of Bernard’s limestone lieux-dits, a wine which I have not seen since the 2010 vintage (and which was a particular favourite of mine in the 2002 vintage).
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