Tasting at La Table, 2012: Vincent Ogereau
Yves Guégniard, Jim Budd, Tom King and myself were taking a look at some of Bergerie’s oldest vines, trying to shake off their blanket of snow, when Vincent Ogereau (pictured) drew up in his little blue combi-van. Perhaps sensing there was just as much gossiping going on here, about the latest vintages, wine and the world in general, it was not long before Vincent had left the secure warmth of his vehicle to join us among the vines.
Vincent is a man who is as charming as his wines. A fourth generation vigneron, he took charge of the family domaine in 1989, having worked alongside his father there since 1983. Prior to that he had been studying, although he never restricted himself to just viticulture and winemaking; it is no secret that Vincent (and the same goes for his son, Emmanuel) is a talented musician. Sadly Vincent had not brought his tuba with him today, so we would have to make do with his wines instead. That, it has to be said, is never a hardship.
As is the case with Yves Guégniard, Vincent has an impressive portfolio of vineyards and therefore wines, and thus his is another domaine which displays, to its full extent, the diverse and multifaceted nature of the Anjou vineyard. We have here wines that are pink, white or red, dry and sweet, and – although he did not show any on the day – there are bubbles to be found here too. It all naturally has the potential to confuse. With so many wines, where should we direct our attention first? It is a question we might ask ourselves when approaching any Anjou domaine, not just those of Yves or Vincent.
There is, however, a simple rule to follow when buying and drinking in Anjou. It is not a rule I follow when reviewing wines for a report such as this, because in these situations I always think it appropriate to taste everything that is available, or at least as much as the proprietor is willing to pour. But when shopping for wines to drink, handing over your hard-earned for hopefully a good bottle, it pays to know which wines originate from the best terroirs. And in doing so, remember that it is not only the exciting appellations – Quarts de Chaume or Savennières for example – that have the most thrilling combinations of aspect and soil type. Nestled within the very broad catch-all appellations such as Anjou, Anjou-Villages and Coteaux du Layon there are some sites which are capable of turning out superb wines. These are the wines on which the buyer and drinker should focus.
