Loire 2022: First Taste
Hot on the heels of my Loire 2022 Vintage Report I present a first selection of tasting notes on the wines of this vintage, taking in a variety of styles from across the region.
Despite having organised my Loire Valley tasting notes by region for more years than I can remember, this year I present them according to variety and style. Well, a change is as good as a rest, I’m told. So after a couple of fairly embryonic pétillant naturel sparkling wines, both from the new owner of Château Gaudrelle in Vouvray as it happens, we have a trio of Folle Blanche cuvées, followed by all things Melon de Bourgogne (sorry, I just can’t bring myself to use the term Melon B, which some advocate using so that thin-skinned Burgundians don’t get upset).
After that come a few IGP and Vin de France white blends, followed by a Sauvignon Blanc smorgasbord, everything from cheap and not necessarily cheerful IGP styles, through Touraine and the infrequently seen Haut-Poitou appellation, to the more highly regarded names of the Central Vineyards. Then it is on with a handful of early-released examples of Chenin Blanc, a fine collection of rosés in all appellations, and I finish up with a selection of reds featuring Pinot Noir, Gamay, Cabernet Franc and of course the Loire Valley’s secret weapon, Côt.
The Wines
After such a detailed review of the vintage I don’t need to explore again the character of the growing season here, suffice to say that among the whites the majority of wines tasted here – most of which are entry-level styles, from lesser terroirs, in many cases intended for early drinking in unfussy settings – transmit the warm and dry nature of the vintage. Many of the Muscadets are softly styled, with plump midpalates and tangibly low acidities.
