Philippe Delesvaux, 2013 Update
It has been quite a while since I have cast the spotlight on the wines of Philippe and Catherine Delesvaux, which is a shame because I find everything here quite charming. Both Philippe and Catherine are warm, open-hearted people with a good sense of humour. And like the winemakers, the wines too have charm, showing the warm and pastoral softness of the Anjou vineyards from which they originate. They almost certainly deserve more of my time than I have previously given them.
The focus here is undoubtedly Coteaux du Layon, although there are also wines made under the Anjou Blanc and Anjou Rouge appellations, the former being of certain interest, the latter perhaps not the strongest facet of the portfolio. The vineyards are managed with organic methods, the domaine having been certified by ECOCERT, with subsequent FNIVAB certification of his biodynamic status on top of this. The fruit is picked in tries, with the fermentations carried out on a small-scale plot-by-plot and tri-by-tri basis. The style is quite classic, the dry wines often exhibiting the softer, more autumnal side of Anjou, and on occasion something of an oxidative style (although Philippe has denied this when it was brought up in conversation – but I think I know oxidation when I see it). The sweet wines vary from bright and accessible to rich and lusciously concentrated, but all are worth experiencing.
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