Loire 2006 at Ten Years
The 2006 vintage will never be remembered as a great year, neither here in the Loire Valley, nor in my other region of interest, Bordeaux. Nevertheless, having come back to the wines as they hit ten years of age I have been reminded that both regions gave us any number of really attractive, substantial and deliciously drinkable wines. For my take on Bordeaux in this vintage, I will have to refer you to the fairly comprehensive review I published earlier this year, my 2006 Bordeaux at Ten Years report, which summarises my thoughts on the vintage as well as looking at the red wines from all the big-name appellations, from St Estèphe through to Pomerol. Here in this article I am looking (as the title hopefully suggests!) at a selection of wines from the Loire Valley.
Vintage Recap
For a full review of the vintage, my Loire 2006 vintage report should provide even the most fastidious reader with all the meteorological data they require. To provide a briefer recap, there was a cool start to the year, followed by some very warm and dry weather during June and July. Although the cooler spring meant that the vines had initially lagged behind, the conditions during June and July had a significant impact, both on the vines and the mood of the vignerons. The vines did more than catch up, as the véraison was ahead of schedule in August, and it seemed clear that if things continued in the same manner then this could be a great vintage.
Any talk of a great vintage in the Loire Valley calls to minds the words of Pierre Couly of Couly-Dutheil, who once said there are only six weeks that really matter when it comes to the Loire, three for the flowering, and three for the harvest. In other words, août fait le moût, August makes the must. Midway through August it began to rain, and it continued to rain through the rest of the month, then through all September, and right through October as well. The vintage suddenly seemed less prodigious. There were high levels of disease pressure from oidium and mildew, and when it came to picking rot was a real problem, from Muscadet right up to Touraine.
