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Domaine FL

Domaine FL is Philippe Fournier and team, although the domaine is named in honour of Philippe's parents, the F coming from Fournier and the L from Longchamps. This name perhaps suggests some heritage, a family domaine passed down from one generation to the next, but it is not so. Domaine FL is a very new venture, formed in the early years of the 21st Century when Fournier, head of the French telecommunications group Afone, brought together two pre-existing domaines under one label. The birth of this new venture was not an entirely smooth one, as I have already discussed in my profile of Jo Pithon - the man behind one of the domaines Fournier acquired - and also in my account of Pithon's new négociant business, Pithon-Paillé.

Fournier's own PR machine tells us that after settling in Angers it was the discovery of the multifaceted wines of Savennières that gave rise to his desire to invest in - or indeed buy outright - some of the local vineyards. Fournier got involved with Jo Pithon in 2005, buying out his debt which has been said to be considerable, and he added the Savennières estate Chateau de Chamboureau to his mini-portfolio the following year, bringing in Stéphane Derenoncourt to consult. Naturally his literature says nothing of the acrimony that surrounds these events, but I think I have alluded to these sufficiently in my two Pithon profiles, linked above. Suffice to say having bought out Pithon's debts, Fournier found himself in possession of not only many of the vineyards and labels previously associated with Pithon, with only a few hectares in Pithon's personal possession being the exception.

The end result of this union is a domaine with approximately 40 hectares of vines, of which about 21 hectares have been committed to biodynamic viticulture since 1997. The remaining 18 hectares, which lie close to Epiré and the Clos de la Coulee de Serrant began the process of conversion to biodynamics in 2006. This includes 4 hectares in the Savennières cru of Roches-aux-Moines. Naturally all these vineyards are now managed without chemical herbicides, and from 2007 régisseur Hugues Daubercies - the nephew of Pierre Soulez - has begun the planting of cereal crops between the rows of vines. The vines are on average 25 years old, and Chenin dominates, accounting for 88% of the vineyard, with 11% Cabernet Franc and just 1% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Naturally the vineyard work is done by hand, the vines pruned to eight buds during the winter, and with the arrival of spring and summer yields can be further controlled with debudding and a green harvest. As summer progresses there is leaf-thinning if necessary, and the harvest when it begins is by hand. The first two passes through the vineyard are for fruit for the vins secs, but these will be followed by a number of tries for the moelleux and liquoreux cuvées, with workers passing through the vines as many as five times. Once in the cellar the march against the use of chemicals continues, with fermentation by indigenous yeast, and both enzymes and chaptalisation are avoided. The wines are fermented either in wooden, fibreglass or enamelled steel vats, or in oak barriques of which just 10% are new each year, the remainder a mix of ages ranging from one to five years old. After fermentation the wines are left on their lees, unracked, for between 12 and 24 months, before assemblage en cuve and bottling. The sweet wines see a sterile filtration purportedly to reduce the amount of sulphur required. For the moment this all happens in the cellars at Chateau de Chamboureau, although there are plans for a new facility which Fournier aims to have up and running by 2010.

The Domaine FL wines cover many of the major Anjou appellations, from Anjou (both red and white) through Savennières (and Roches-aux-Moines), Coteaux du Layon and Quarts de Chaume. The white Anjou is Les Bergères, 100% Chenin Blanc from 14 hectares of carboniferous soils harvested at 25 hl/ha, fermented at a cool temperature and then raised in oak for 10 months. There are two red counterparts, Cabernets and Cabernet Franc. The former is as you might suspect a blend of the two Cabernets from 5 hectares of volcanic spilite (pierre-bise) and rhyolite, harvested at 20 hl/ha, fermented in large oak vats with temperature control and then held en cuve for up to 18 months. The pure Cabernet Franc, meanwhile, comes from vines which at 50 years of age are twice the age of those that give rise to the blend. Otherwise, apart from élevage en barrique rather than cuve, the wines are very similar.

There are three cuvées of Savennières, one from the Roches-aux-Moines cru and the other two originating from the Chamboureau and Pithon vineyards. La Croix Picot will be familiar to fans of Jo Pithon; this wine comes from 2.5 hectares of schistous vineyard harvested at 30 hl/ha, has a temperature-controlled fermentation with partial malolactic and sees ten months en barrique (10% new). The Chamboureau cuvée is more prodigious, with 10 hectares of vines for this cuvée harvested at 30 hl/ha; here malolactic is blocked, and there is a little more new oak (20%) in the élevage. The story for the Roches-aux-Moines cuvée is similar, but here there is 25% new oak. The portfolio is rounded out by two sweet cuvées, Les 4 Villages, a Coteaux du Layon from 11 hectares of carboniferous and schistous sites, and a Quarts de Chaume from a 1 hectare plot in that appellation. (12/3/09)

Contact details:
Address: 49170 Savennières (Chateau de Chamboureau)
Telephone: +33 (0) 2 41 77 20 04
Fax: +33 (0) 2 41 77 27 78
Internet: www.domainefl.com

Domaine FL - Tasting Notes

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Domaine FL Anjou Les Bergères 2007: From schistous soils. Clean and rather immature and papery on the nose, with a little note of minerality. The palate is firm, with a lot of structure and good, peppery acidity. This has an attractive if rather grippy style. 16/20 (February 2009)

Domaine FL Savennières La Croix Picot 2007: As noted above this has seen 10 months in barrels, 10% new. It has an attractive, honeyed nose, with stone fruit and a little floral acacia. The oak is fairly dominant on the palate at the moment, and there is plenty of midpalate grip and structure. It has a honeyed texture although the palate is dry, backed up by peppery acidity. A nice wine. 16.5+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine FL Savennières Chamboureau 2007: As noted above this has seen 12 months in barrels, 20% new. Dry, but with a honeyed edge, elegant character on the nose, with the lightness of fresh fruit, acacia and a touch of cream. Ripe and grippy in character, rich and flavoursome on the palate, with notes of stone fruit and mango, backed up by a lot of midpalate structure. The oak is more evident than the Croix Picot, but there is a lot more to the wine. Very good potential. 17-17.5+/20 (February 2009)

I have also included here two wines tasted at Stéphane Derenoncourt's annual La Grappe tasting in Bordeaux, in April 2008. I believe that the Savennières below and the Savennières Chamboureau above are one and the same, although the April 2008 tasting was of course a much earlier sample from barrel soon after fermentation:

Chateau de Chamboureau Savennières 2007: An appealing softness to the fruit on the nose, with a floral minerality. This is quite attractive. Full and fleshy on the palate, appealing, and appropriately textured and weighty. There is some good grip here. Very good indeed. 16-17+/20 (April 2008)

Chateau de Chamboureau Savennières Roches-aux-Moines 2007: Pure, elegant and honeyed on the nose, a touch floral, with a really attractive mineral character. Superb style on the palate, which shows depth and minerality and structure. Fabulous character, showing flesh and structure, with a fine grip. Floral, but this is vigorous and full of energy. Great finish. 17-18+/20 (April 2008)

Domaine FL Savennières Roches-aux-Moines 2006: I imagine this is a re-labelled Chamboureau Roches-aux-Moines. It has honey and dried fruit on the nose, well defined if rather oaky still. Full and textured, with lots of impact on the palate, although it is all smoothly integrated. Lots of woody character on the palate today, with a drying finish perhaps related to this. Ripe, heavily oaked, but certainly an interesting wine with potential for good drinking if that oak integrates further. 17+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine FL Anjou Cabernets 2006: This is 50% each Franc and Sauvignon, fermented in large oak cuves with 18 months barrel ageing. It has a reserved nose of dark red fruits, and although not hugely expressive today it does show some ripe cranberry character. The palate is big and structured, with dark fruit flavour, huge grip and a lot of tannin rearing up at the finish. Good wine. 16+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine FL Anjou Cabernet Franc 2006: Eighteen months in oak here, 20% new barrels. This is more aromatic, with cherries and forest fruits on the nose. The palate still has a lot of structure though, although it has a more generous, softer, more welcoming nature too. But underneath, there is still a lot of grippy tannin which comes to dominate at the finish. This needs time, but it could be very good indeed with time. 16+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine FL Savennières Doux 2006: From vines on schistous soils, harvested in three tries, only minimal botrytis estimated at 10%, the end result having 70 g/l residual sugar. Despite this apparent low level of noble rot it has gently honeyed botrytis character on the nose, with hints of almond pastry. The palate is dense and rich, although gentle and softly focused. Despite a decent core of acidity it seems a little lost on the palate. Interesting though. 15+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine FL Coteaux du Layon Les 4 Villages 2006: This cuvée has been produced using 100% botrytised grapes, with 20% new oak, and at the end we have 100 g/l residual sugar. This is certainly more attractive than the Savennières Doux, with aromas of quince, honey, almond and the freshness of lemon zest. The palate is fine, fresh, with good acidity and a gentle texture which builds through the midpalate. There is a good fresh fruit character to the flavour too. Overall this has a really good impact. Fine. 17/20 (February 2009)

Domaine FL Quarts de Chaume 2006: This cuvée really illustrates the transgression from the Pithon to the Fournier era quite poignantly. Although this is to be marketed as a Quarts de Chaume from Domaine FL, when I tasted it today it was still wearing the label declaring it to be Jo Pithon's Quarts de Chaume Les Varennes. The nose is rather mealy and hoppy, and as such is rather reminiscent of whisky more than wine. The palate has a good structure though, with well defined texture and sweetness with lots of bright and peppery acidity. It doesn't have the freshness of some of the other wines, and there is a little whisky-like note in the finish too. Interesting. 15?/20 (February 2009)