Domaine Perrault-Jadaud, 2017 Update
It was the summer of 2014 when I first met Tanguy Perrault and his partner in life and wine, Anne-Cécile Jadaud. I was keen to find out what was new in the appellation, and asking around Tanguy’s name had cropped up a couple of times. One telephone call later, in my best pidgin-French, and I had an appointment. I liked Tanguy immediately I met him; he is young, motivated and true. I sense you get what you see. And his wines showed real potential too.
Nearly two years on an – as you might expect with an up-and-coming vigneron who started out with next to nothing – the domaine has grown and developed at a fantastic pace. The number of parcels in his possession has grown from four to ten, and he now has a respectable 4.5 hectares at his disposal. Some of these parcels are rich in flint, not something that could be said of his start-up parcels, and Tanguy feels this has had a major impact on the style of wine he is making. There is, of course, only one worthwhile method for me to test that theory….
The Wines
During my visit back in 2014 Tanguy (pictured) disgorged a bottle of his 2012 Pétillant Naturel before my eyes, purely so I could taste. I don’t think I will ever forget the eruption of foaming Vouvray that came once the crown cap had been dislodged. On this occasion, the bottles were opened with less drama. The 2013 Vouvray Pétillant Haut Les Choeurs shows an attractive concentration of fruit for the vintage, while the 2014 Vouvray Pétillant Haut Les Choeurs showed the orchard fruit flavours that tends to characterise more youthful examples of Vouvray. Quality was similar, although the 2014 was an early disgorgement and it was a touch more potential than the 2013 I think.
