Domaine Ogereau, 2013 Update
Following on from my recent report on the latest releases from Château Pierre-Bise, the wines tasted with Claude Papin in February 2013, it is time now to move on to Domaine Ogereau. Proprietor Vincent Ogereau is the fourth generation of the Ogereau family to run the domaine although his son Emmanuel, who has just completed an internship at Carrick in New Zealand, is set to become the fifth. Although he is not yet permanently returned to the domaine, Emmanuel has recently assisted Vincent in a project of some significance, the planting of a new Chenin Blanc vineyard very close to the Rouannières lieu-dit that fans of Château Pierre-Bise will know well. Now this is done Emmanuel has his sights set beyond the Loire again, this time a stage in Burgundy, but he expects to return to take up a permanent and full-time role with his father sometime in 2015.
Like Claude, Vincent (pictured) is a ‘generalist’, meaning that rather than specialising in one particular appellation, he takes advantage of all that Anjou has to offer. This means the portfolio features not only grander appellations such as Savennières and Coteaux du Layon, but also Anjou in both colours, including the occasionally stunning Cote de la Houssaye cuvée, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as rosé. This makes for something of a marathon tasting, as described below. During my time with Vincent I tasted eighteen wines, with an onslaught of Anjou Blanc and Anjou Rouge at the heart of it, surrounded by all these other styles.
Rosé
As an opener to the tasting, we waded in with two examples of Vincent’s rosé; to my mind there are two distinct styles of Loire rosé, the styles partly the result of the varieties involved. The classic Cabernet Franc rosés are about structure rather than delicacy or perfume, as you might expect with the variety. The wines, under the Cabernet d’Anjou appellation, also usually come with some residual sugar. Second there are the wines based on more esoteric varieties (esoteric to non-Loire geeks, anyway), perhaps Gamay but more likely Grolleau or Pineau d’Aunis, often marketed as Rosé de Loire. These wines have more delicacy to them, prettier aromas, and more interest on the palate (especially with the peppery Pineau d’Aunis). They can come with some residual sugar, but usually less than Cabernet d’Anjou, and often they are quite dry. Vincent has one example of each style. His Rosé de Loire in the 2012 vintage is Grolleau and Gamay, vibrant in hue, and rather more solid in style than expected, proving that there are always exceptions to the rule. All the same, I preferred it to his 2012 Cabernet d’Anjou, with its typically leafy Cabernet character but also the density and residual sugar that comes with the style. I have not included my tasting notes on these wines below, however, as I have already published them in my Loire 2012 report.
