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Domaine de la Taille aux Loups

Although the Domaine de la Taille aux Loups does not seem to enjoy the same high profile as one or two of its Vouvray or even Montlouis stablemates, it is certainly one of the most significant domaines of Touraine, and is a good candidate for appellation leader in Montlouis. And yet this is a very young domaine, established only twenty or so years ago. For most of those years it has been home to Jacky Blot, although it was not he who established it; frequently overlooked, the viticultural maverick who brought La Taille aux Loups into being was a man from Bordeaux named Christian Prudhomme.

Prudhomme clearly wanted to make waves in Montlouis; having worked for the Rothschilds in the vineyards and cellars of Mouton-Rothschild, and also at Opus One in California, his curriculum vitae suggested he was up to the job. In 1988, having acquired 7 hectares of old vines scattered about the appellation, he set about making wine his way. This meant reducing yields by crop thinning, harvesting into tiny crates to protect the fruit and fermenting using indigenous yeasts, in barrels purchased from Yquem. The wines produced were reputedly a testament to the wild dedication he exhibited; Jacqueline Friedrich, in A Wine & Food Guide to the Loire, described them as "magnificent". So it seemed a tragedy when the business collapsed within a year or two of starting up. But this is the point in which Jacky Blot enters the story.

Blot was not born to viticulture, but he had gained some experience as a négociant based in Tours, and he took up where Prudhomme left off, with his initial 7 hectares. Unlike much grander appellations in Bordeaux and the Côte d'Or, vineyards here are relatively affordable, and during the two decades that have since passed he has brought together a significant domaine which includes not only a sizeable portion of the Montlouis and Vouvray appellations but also, with his purchase of Domaine de la Butte, vines in nearby Bourgueil. Today the Taille aux Loups vineyards account for 45 hectares, the majority of which is in Montlouis, recently augmented in 2008 with another 10 hectares, with just a few hectares in Vouvray.

The vineyards are naturally given over in their entirety to Chenin Blanc, and the vines are cared for along the lines of lutte raisonnée; there is limited use of organic manure, and spraying is kept to the bare minimum necessary. Surface weeds are kept down with ploughing, which also forces the vines to root more deeply. The leaf canopy is closely controlled during spring and summer, and towards the end of the latter the vineyard may be entirely stripped of leaves, leaving just the bunches of fruit, improving exposure to the sun and also dramatically increasing ventilation, thereby greatly reducing the risk of rot.

Obsession in Vineyard and Cellar

From September onwards grapes from across the various plots are sampled and tested, in a rolling program (which has over ten years behind it) to monitor the effect of age of vine, terroir and aspect on fruit ripening and this to guide future harvests. When it is finally time to pick the fruit this is achieved entirely by hand, beginning only at the point of optimal ripeness. Each vineyard is harvested in tries by up to 50 pickers working in small teams. Sometimes an entire bunch will be harvested, but it is more usual for individual berries to be picked, leaving the other fruit to ripen further. In vintages where rot is a problem, bunches are sorted in the vineyard on tables positioned at the end of the rows; from each bunch the rotten and unripe fruit is removed by hand, leaving only the ripe and healthy grapes. This fruit is typically destined for the sparkling wines. In subsequent tries those grapes that have ripened are harvested and sorted in the same manner, and this fruit is used to produce dry and perhaps demi-sec cuvées, should the must weight permit it. In more favourable years almost the opposite is true; the harvest is just as considerate, but this time the first tri aims to remove as much of the botrytised fruit from the ripe and ripening bunches as possible. This is sorted on the tables and fruit of sufficient quality will be used in the production of the sweetest, liquoreux cuvées. Subsequent tries, bringing in less heavily botrytised fruit will give moelleux and perhaps some demi-sec wines. The harvested fruit is transported in small cages carrying a maximum of 12 kg in order to avoid crushing the fruit, thus reducing oxidation of the juice and consequently decreasing the need for sulphur. Overall the yield averages out at 35 hl/ha, although on favourable plots, especially when there is dehydration through botrytis, this figure might be as low as 10 hl/ha.

This vinous obsession continues into the cellar with the vinification; Jacky has never shied away from appropriate research into the use of oak, particularly using barrels made from various sources, different forests and different coopers. As a result of this work almost all of the wines at La Taille aux Loups are fermented in wood, either in barrique, demi-muid or even large foudres. In order to ensure that there is appropriate hygiene these barrels are replaced after their tenth vintage; so each year 10% of the oak is new, but the average age of all the barrels is an impressive five years. There is a policy against chaptalisation and, as suggested above, there is a preference for minimal use of sulphur. After a debourbage (settling) the must is transferred into the aforementioned barrels for fermentation which occurs without the addition of yeast; the cellar is cold, thus discouraging the malolactic fermentation. Afterwards the wines are racked just one or two times before they are assembled and bottled.

The Wines of Domaine de la Taille aux Loups

Perhaps Blot's most iconic wine is Triple Zero, a sparkling wine produced from vines of at least 50 years of age in the Montlouis appellation. The harvest is meticulous, as described above, rejecting substandard or under-ripe fruit, meaning anything with less than 12º of potential alcohol. The three zeros of the name refer to what happens next; there is no addition of sugar (chaptalisation) before fermentation, for which the very oldest barrels are utilised, nor with the liqueur de tirage (the yeast and sugar mixture usually added to kick-start secondary fermentation in bottle), nor indeed with the dosage. Topping up after disgorgement is achieved with the same wine rather than the usual sugar-rich liqueur d'expédition, so what sugar remains at the end is purely a result of the ripeness of the fruit. The end result is much richer than you would expect from a zero-dosage cuvée, and no doubt this reflects the quality and ripeness of the grapes utilised. For those that would prefer a less esoteric style, however, the Brut Tradition may be more approachable; it also displays its bubbles in a more overt fashion, being bottled at 4.5 atm compared to the more pétillant 2.5 atm for Triple Zero.

Other Montlouis cuvées start with Les Dix Arpents, sourced from vines averaging around 50 years of age on a south-facing slope with a mix of soils, including clay-limestone and flint. The fruit from the first tri is utilised for this cuvée, and a typical yield might be 15 hl/ha. The fermentation takes place in four- and five-year old barrels. Thereafter comes Rémus, another of Blot's best known cuvées; here the vines are older, typically between 70 and 80 years old, again planted on clay-flint soils on a south-facing slope. This is a second tri cuvée, typically yielding about 20 hl/ha, which is fermented in a mix of new, one- and two-year barrels. King of the sec cuvées though is Rémus Plus which comes from the oldest vines, 80 to 100 years old, again on a south-facing slope. Again this is a second tri wine, picked in mid-October, selecting fruit from only the oldest vines. In favourable vintages these vines may also yield demi-sec and moelleux cuvées, as well as the botrytised Cuvée des Loups and Romulus, the latter featuring older vines.

The main sources of fruit in Vouvray are the Clos de la Bretonnière and the Clos de Venise. The first pass through each vineyard is combined into a cuvée named Les Caburoches, the yield typically 15 hl/ha and the fermentation in four and five year old wines. The second tri from the Clos de la Bretonnière, a 3.5 hectare vineyard with clay and a good quantity of flint, typically yielding 30 hl/ha, is bottled under the name of the clos after fermentation in new, one-year and two-year barrels. Meanwhile the Clos de Venise, a 1 hectare vineyard with less flint, also sees a second tri which is handled in much the same way as Bretonnière. As with Montlouis, the Vouvray vineyards may also yield moelleux and liquoreux cuvées.

Tasting a broad selection of wines from this domaine reveals that the quality is very high, as might be suggested by the obsessive attention to detail in the vineyard and in the cellar. The sparkling wine Triple Zero is remarkable for the quality of fruit from which it is born; in many domaines the sparkling wines are little more than a sponge for unripe and lesser quality grapes. Through the range, however, this high standard is maintained. These are delicious wines made in an obsessive fashion, and they certainly deserve a place in any cellar. (5/5/09)

Contact details:
Address: 8, rue des Aîtres, Husseau 37270 Montlouis-sur-Loire
Telephone: +33 (0) 2 47 45 11 11
Fax: +33 (0) 2 47 45 11 14
Internet: www.jackyblot.fr

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups - Tasting Notes

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Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Caburoches 2008: Fresh and clean fruit on the nose, lively and quite stylish I think. Good, rich minerality on the palate follows on. It has freshness of fruit, but in a full and attractive style. Very good. 16-17+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Bretonnière 2008: A clay-limestone terroir. A fine, attractive, mineral-laced nose. Rather lighter than some on the palate, a touch leafy, but quickly revealing sweet fruit beneath. This is rather ethereal in style, with good substance too, backed up by fine acidity. Very good indeed. Tasted once at Charles Sydney's tasting, and once a day or two later with Anne-Françoise Blot. 16.5-17.5+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de Venise 2008: This is restrained and pure on the nose, but it is also quite expressive. It has gently ripe, sweet fruits, with a lively and vibrant character. There is more power here, a great texture balanced out very nicely by the acids. A very substantial and certainly admirable wine. 17-18+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Les Dix Arpents 2008: This seems restrained on the nose, although there are appealing suggestion of richness underneath. The palate is defined, stony, with good freshness. The acid balance is lovely, polished, with lots of mineral character. There is a lovely, juicy fruit towards the finish. Very good. 16-17+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus 2008: A clay-limestone terroir. This has gentle, stony, herb and apple fruit on the nose. The palate is nicely composed, polished, with nice minerality. Ripe fruit, lovely weight, and overall a delicious style. Really good potential here. Tasted once at Charles Sydney's tasting, and once a day or two later with Anne-Françoise Blot. 17-18+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de la Bretonnière 2007: Honeyed oak on the nose here, with some sweet fruit. This has a very nice style on the palate, and a harmonious, rounded character. Gently textured, with attractive fruit, the oak dominates here at present but it simply needs time to integrate I feel. Give it time. 17.5-18+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Vouvray Clos de Venise 2007: Again, honeyed oak on the nose here, but there is a good layer of fruit beneath. It has a rich, round, mouthfilling style on the palate, with a touch of grip too. This wine has evident substance, is rich but balanced; it just needs some time for that oak to integrate. 17.5-18+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus 2007: This wine is also showing some oak on the nose but it has an elegant integration with the rest of the wine. The palate is soft, rounded and concentrated, with a subtle acid backbone. It doesn't have as much focus as some of the other cuvées, but it does have a very attractive spice and there is no shortage of substance. Good potential. 16-17+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus Plus 2007: This has a restrained, honey-fruit element on the nose which sings quality. There is oak there too, which needs to integrate. A big, stylish wine on the palate, with a lot of grip, and fine acidity appearing in the midpalate. Lots of substance here; this needs some time in the cellar to come together though. 17.5-18.5+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Cuvée des Loups 2005: This liquoreux cuvée is made from botrytised fruit and has 90 g/l residual sugar. Fresh honey and minerals on the nose here, gentle and integrated, this is certainly stylish. Quite fat on the palate, rounded and muted, flattering, rather marrowy, with bright and golden fruits. Good smoky grip in the finish. Lots of structure here, and potential for further development yet. Good wine. Tasted at Charles Sydney's tasting. 17+/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Rémus 2002: It's a delight to taste this alongside the 2007 and 2008 to gain some idea of where they might be going. This has very fine aromatics; there is not a trace of oak here anymore. It has rich minerally fruit on the nose, with a lovely sweet-stony character; it is expressive, with fine purity, but also with nuances of complexity. Precise and defined, yet rich, spicy and concentrated, this is really impressive wine. In style it has more resemblance to the 2007 than the 2008 I think, with a similar fresh acid backbone. 18.5/20 (February 2009)

Tasting notes are ordered by date of tasting, most recent first. I have tried to indicate whether it is a tasting of a new release, or of a wine I have cellared.

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Pétillant Triple Zero NV: Purchased Summer 2009. A pale straw-gold in the glass, with a moderately fine bead. There is a little richness on the nose, fleeting nuances of caramel over plump, ripe but fresh and crystalline fruit. It has a ripe, tangible, golden character, nicely offset by nuances of nettle and stone. A good, broad entry onto the palate, very fresh and vivacious, with a lively but tightly packed mousse, and very minerally fruit alongside. Nicely integrated, slightly mineral, sappy and dry but certainly not bone dry despite that triple zero designation. Really very fine, gentle composition, and a gentle, softly-fruited finish. Some length too. This actually seems better integrated and has more harmony than the last bottle, and my score reflects this. Very good indeed. For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 17/20 (September 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Montlouis Pétillant Triple Zero NV: Purchased Summer 2009. The 'triple zero' denotes no added sugar at fermentation, or with the liqueur de tirage or indeed with the dosage. This wine has a pale hue and a very subtle bead, with just a few streams of moderately small bubbles. The nose caries the aromas of sweet, ripe and perfumed dessert apples and a light minerality, very soft in style, suggesting richness. In the mouth it has a creamy entry, is bone dry underneath, with a slightly flat midpalate but lovely style though, with lots of appley, chalky Chenin character. More creamy again at the finish. Great acidity here despite the slightly soft-focus fruit, and a gentle mousse. Supple, full, cream-soda mouthfeel with a bitter edge just at the finish. Moderate length. This is very entertaining, stylish, dry and a great aperitif. 16.5/20 (September 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Triple Zero NV: Latest release. Bottled at 2.5 atm. Good character on the nose here; it is subtle, fresh, with a good vein of rock-dust minerality, but also a little edge of nut which I didn't expect. The palate has flesh and an elegant texture, underneath there is a firm mousse - despite the low bottling pressure. This is surprising; the weight and polished-cream style can only come from the original ripeness of the fruit. I like it. 16.5/20 (February 2009)

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups Brut Tradition NV: Latest release. Bottled at 4.5 atm. Much more mineral than the Triple Zero, with little notes of honey. A fresh palate ensures, with lovely crisp fruit and a gentle mousse. There is a grand finesse on the palate, which is integrated and stylish. The finish is attractive, lively but elegant. Very appealing. 16.5+/20 (February 2009)