Domaine de la Taille aux Loups, 2015 Update
It seems appropriate, having very recently published a tasting update on the wines of François Chidaine, that I should get around to publishing my most recent tasting notes for the wines of Jacky Blot, of Domaine de la Taille aux Loups, as quickly as possible. First, because it is these two vignerons who have spearheaded the Montlouis-sur-Loire revolution, albeit with two different styles when it comes to their wines. They also have the highest profiles in the region, each having an admirable portfolio of wines, in an appellation which seems to me to be otherwise dominated by small-scale vignerons tending a mere handful of hectares each. And lastly, both have been slapped back by the INAO, who have given both a great big Non! when it comes to awarding them the agrément for the wines they make from their vineyards in Vouvray.
I have already made clear my feelings about this most recent appellation farce, as well as in my François Chidaine 2015 Update, and so there is little point going over the same ground here. Suffice to say that without the necessary appellation Jacky (pictured) will have to sell his Vouvray wines as Vin de France. In a magnificent example of French bureaucracy the word clos is not permitted on Vin de France labels, so I imagine the Clos de la Bretonnière will become simply La Bretonnière, while the Clos de Venise will perhaps be named Venise. This might not matter to you and me, but to some customers perhaps less familiar with the wine, it will make it a harder sell. I believe that to many French customers dining at their favourite Michelin-starred restaurant, appellations still hold more significance than you might imagine, and a Vouvray Clos de la Bretonnière for €40 holds significantly more appeal than La Bretonnière Vin de France for the same price.
The Wines
It is not unusual to find vignerons in Anjou and Touraine pouring their sparkling wine as if it were a mouth rinse, bridging the gap between white wines and red. The implication is that it is not an important cuvée, but that is not something that can be said of the Triple Zéro. The latest incarnation, based on the 2012 vintage, led the tasting here, and frankly it was one of the best wines there (although some of the 2014 cuvées challenge it in terms of their scores), and it is surely one of the best examples of Triple Zéro I have tasted in recent years. I will be looking to add this one to the cellar.
