Domaine de Juchepie, 2015 Update
There are few more welcoming vignerons than Eddy and Mileine Oosterlinck; whether they are standing to attention behind their table at the annual Renaissance tasting in the Greniers Saint-Jean in Angers, or pouring tasting samples at the domaine, which sits to one side of the road between Montbenault and Beaulieu-sur-Layon (to the west) and La Touche and Faye-d’Anjou (to the east), they always have a smile and a welcoming word at the ready. And there are few people turning out finer wines in the Coteaux du Layon appellation, although as I was reminded on the occasion of this tasting, this is a domaine that should not be overlooked when it comes to its dry wines.
Here Eddy (pictured) and I worked our way through three dry wines, all Anjou Blanc, before moving onto the sweet wines. The dry wines, made in very small volumes and evidently popular, tend to sell out quickly, and two vintages tasted here were therefore new to me. When it came to the sweet wines, however, it was rather like an old school reunion. There were a lot of familiar faces.
The Wines
One of the three dry wines I tasted I won’t report on here, this being Le Sec de Juchepie Anjou Blanc Le Mont 2013. Eddy poured this and asked me what I thought, with a quizzical look; this clearly wasn’t a straightforward invitation, and I sensed Eddy was looking for some feedback. A moment later I realised why; on tasting the wine it was clear to me it was corked. “That’s what everyone says this morning”, replied Eddy, “but every bottle tastes like that at the moment. I think it is a transient phase, reflecting a high toast on the barrels”. I remained equivocal, as it wouldn’t be the first time a wine has been ruined by an entire batch of faulty corks, but Eddy seems adamant. My only hope is that I will have the opportunity to taste this again at some other time. For the moment though, it seems inappropriate to provide a tasting note on the wine.
