Domaine de la Butte, 2024 Update
The late Jacky Blot will always be best remembered for his work at Domaine de la Taille aux Loups, a property he took on in the late 1980s after it faltered under the direction of its founder, Christian Prudhomme. It was to be the making of him, the wines – particular the dry Rémus and Rémus Plus (later known as Les Hauts de Husseau) cuvées, not to mention the sparkling Triple Zéro – would earn him a legion of ardent fans. I might just include myself among their number.
Jacky did not limit himself to Montlouis-sur-Loire though, as in 2002 he stepped in to take on a domaine situated high up on the limestone slopes of Bourgueil. The domaine had been acquired by Paul Salmon only four years earlier, its running then entrusted to Francis Poirel, better known for his tenure of Château de Suronde in the Quarts de Chaume appellation. But things were clearly not working out, and the domaine went back on the market. Jacky Blot, who had been looking to move into reds to complement his range of whites for some time, could not believe his luck; a deal was quickly struck, and he was soon vinifying the 2002 vintage.
I recall tasting the first ever vintages of Domaine de la Butte in a mini-vertical with Jacky many years ago and, having been impressed, I have followed the wines ever since. They have never garnered the cult following one or two Bourgueil domaines have acquired, despite the fact they age extremely well, developing a beautifully complex character even with just modest maturity, and I have had a couple of delightful restaurant experiences with semi-mature bottles at bargain prices. No surprise, then, that I often also add some bottles to my own cellar too.
Earlier this year I met up with Jean-Philippe Blot, who has taken over the running of the domaine since Jacky’s passing, to taste the latest releases, with a focus on the 2022 and 2021 vintages.
