A Visit to Domaine aux Moines, 2024
I have followed the fortunes of Domaine aux Moines since the early days of my Loire obsession, for perhaps thirty years. In those early days this was the dominion of Monique Laroche; she was the driving force behind the estate, and the wines she made here during the 1990s had a strong following. They were attractive and well-built wines, even if they perhaps missed a little of the vivacity and panache we see here today. And such inadequacies were more than compensated for by the easy availability of old vintages in the marketplace, not to mention the fact they were often sold for a song or a sixpence.
Little did I realise at this time that there was an exciting new winemaker waiting in the wings, in the shape of Monique’s daughter, Tessa Laroche. She took control of the cellar in place of her mother in 2001, subsequently assuming responsibility for the vineyard in 2003. In these first vintages, however, there was no discernible change in style, and Monique’s influence could still be felt in the rather solid and golden build of the wines. Tasting with mother and daughter at this time the wines were reliable rather than revolutionary, although the rarely seen sweeter cuvées – the Cuvée de L’Abbesse (last seen by me in the 2016 vintage) and the Cuvée des Nonnes (last encountered by me in 2005) – always offered a frisson of excitement. With their salty minerality and controlled sweetness they provided testament to the fact Savennières was once a highly regarded terroir for its sweet wines.
But this was all ten or fifteen years ago. Things have changed, and the domaine today offers something very different.
