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Paul Dollymore

Paul Dollymore

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Hi All

Been a bit quiet with one thing and another, but now having got my holidays booked, have got the zest back!

In May we're off Eurocamping near Saumur, so hoping to take in the Troglovinum in Vouvray and the Fete des vins d'Anjou in Chalonne sur Loire. In September, Mrs D has found us a cracking little gite on a wine producing Chateau just outside Nuits St Georges. (Anyone know anything about Chateau de Premeaux?!)

Having got the vineyard-visit bug in the Loire last year (Cheverny, Touraine Oisly, Touraine Amboise) - I'm really keen to make the most of my time and limited budget to visit more vineyards to try and find some value for money/hidden gems. Last year, without access to the internet, no satnav and a map that didn't quite cover Oisly, we lucked out a bit on our "hit and hope" technique, stumbling upon bargain gems such as Domaine Octavie's 2014 Touraine Oisly, Domaine de la Gitonniere's Touraine Oisly and Domaine de Vieux Pressoir's Cuvee des Sourdes Touraine Rouge - all at circa 7 euros a bottle.

I'm hoping that I might avail you of your collective knowledge for some suggestions of producers I should be visiting. With so many to choose from and a toddler (and wife!) who won't stand for hours of vineyard windowshopping, do any of you have any personal recommendations? Sadly I lack the budget to come home with a boot full of Grand Cru (or indeed the space in the wine rack when i get home) though I hope to pick up at least some bottles of the special stuff but mostly want to bring back great but more everyday wine at every day prices!

Thanking you in advance!
 
Non-wine, but if you have toddler there's a nice zoo just south of Saumur at Doué-la-Fontaine.

On the road to Amboise (on the river) in Montlouis there is François Chidaine's shop, Cave L'Insolite. Sells Chidaine's own wines (you can taste) plus dozens of other really good producers. May be the best wine shop in the region, though the Leclerc just outside Saumur has a good wine section.

In Burgundy the Berthaut domaine in Fixin (9 rue Noisot) make good value wines and they have a shop on site so you can drop by without an appointment if you don't need the tour. Lots of good value producers up there, including Sylvain Pataille in Marsannay, a personal favourite.

Andrew Nielsen (of this forum and Le Grappin) is one of the few people with a working winery actually in Beaune (in an old army gunpowder store in the ancient ramparts). Well worth a visit if he's there, but contact first. Stunning wines, great value, though a wee bit over €7/bottle - but then so is most Burgundy.

The Cavon de Bacchus is, for me, the best wine shop in Nuits itself (look up their web site, 19 rue Crébillon). Worth a browse. Beaune has many good wine shops, and also the Athenaeum complex which sells all things wine-related. Well worth a look around after you've seen the Hospices (it's pretty much opposite). Nice Saturday market there, too, in the main square.
 
Very sound suggestions from DC. Berthaut now added to hit list.
I was underwhelmed on my most recent visit to Cavon Be Bacchus. Best bet, IMHO, is Rateau's caveau in Chassagne. The caveau in Puligny is decent, with the added advantage of being able to sit outside with a glass of wine, overlooking the square.
If you are travelling between Saumur to Vouvray, you almost have to pass the front door of Bernard Baudry. An excellent source of VFM Chinon & extremely nice people to boot. Best to pre-arrange an appointment.
Ch. de Villeneuve in Saumur-Champigny makes top wines at very fair prices. Located a couple of minutes of the main road running along the Loire. Again best to arrange an appointment, though it is more likely somebody will be there.
Across from Vouvray in Husseau (& just down the road from Chidaine) is Jacky Blot/Taille aux Loups. Just off the main road along the Loire, no appointment required. A little pricier but real value & Montlouis & Bourgueil available.
There are other excellent producers but more off the beaten track.
 
David Crossley said:
Non-wine, but if you have toddler there's a nice zoo just south of Saumur at Doué-la-Fontaine.
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This sounds like a great suggestion - will have to make sure there are at least some toddler-friendly activities during our stay ;)

David Crossley said:
On the road to Amboise (on the river) in Montlouis there is François Chidaine's shop, Cave L'Insolite. Sells Chidaine's own wines (you can taste) plus dozens of other really good producers. May be the best wine shop in the region, though the Leclerc just outside Saumur has a good wine section.
Click to expand...

Crikey, just looked on Google street view - so unassuming! I like the look of it already

David Crossley said:
In Burgundy the Berthaut domaine in Fixin (9 rue Noisot) make good value wines and they have a shop on site so you can drop by without an appointment if you don't need the tour. Lots of good value producers up there, including Sylvain Pataille in Marsannay, a personal favourite.

Andrew Nielsen (of this forum and Le Grappin) is one of the few people with a working winery actually in Beaune (in an old army gunpowder store in the ancient ramparts). Well worth a visit if he's there, but contact first. Stunning wines, great value, though a wee bit over €7/bottle - but then so is most Burgundy.
Click to expand...

I'm sure I can find room in the budget for the nicer end of the market. What would you suggest is a realistic ball park for average spend?

David Crossley said:
The Cavon de Bacchus is, for me, the best wine shop in Nuits itself (look up their web site, 19 rue Crébillon). Worth a browse. Beaune has many good wine shops, and also the Athenaeum complex which sells all things wine-related. Well worth a look around after you've seen the Hospices (it's pretty much opposite). Nice Saturday market there, too, in the main square.
Click to expand...

A day in Beaune is definitely on the list :)
 
Mark Carrington said:
Very sound suggestions from DC. Berthaut now added to hit list.
I was underwhelmed on my most recent visit to Cavon Be Bacchus. Best bet, IMHO, is Rateau's caveau in Chassagne. The caveau in Puligny is decent, with the added advantage of being able to sit outside with a glass of wine, overlooking the square.
If you are travelling between Saumur to Vouvray, you almost have to pass the front door of Bernard Baudry. An excellent source of VFM Chinon & extremely nice people to boot. Best to pre-arrange an appointment.
Ch. de Villeneuve in Saumur-Champigny makes top wines at very fair prices. Located a couple of minutes of the main road running along the Loire. Again best to arrange an appointment, though it is more likely somebody will be there.
Across from Vouvray in Husseau (& just down the road from Chidaine) is Jacky Blot/Taille aux Loups. Just off the main road along the Loire, no appointment required. A little pricier but real value & Montlouis & Bourgueil available.
There are other excellent producers but more off the beaten track.
Click to expand...

Marvellous! More top suggestions, thank you! We don't mind off the beaten track. Villeneuve I think is touted in HJ's pocket guide so Mrs D had that on the list as a potential from her research. Glad to here the suggestion being seconded :)
 
Useful thread for me too as we are visiting the same (Saumur) Eurocamp in the summer. Paul, would be particularly interested in hearing how you fare on your return..
 
I can definitely second recommendations of visits to Francois Chidaine's La Cave Insolite [for his and many other top Loire wines and those of other French regions] in Amboise, to Jacky Blot's nearby retail and tasting facility at Husseau and to Bernard Baudry at Cravant les Couteaux near Chinon. While near Chinon I would add Charles Joguet at Sazilly.

Across the river from Chinon, in Bourgueil and St. Nicholas de Bourgueil I would recommend Yannick Amirault, Frederick Mabileau and Catherine and Pierre Breton.

While at Amboise, across the river in Vouvray, Huet's modern tasting and retail facility is worth a look even if the wines have increased in price in recent years. Lots of other producers around Vouvray making good Chenin Blanc wines too.

You mentioned Oisly and our personal favourite in that area is the Barbou family's Domaine des Corbilieres. A large range of Sauvignon Blanc - un-oaked and oaked [Cuvees Fabel and Justine respectively] as well as other white and red wines. Not too far away Henri Marrionet at Soings-en-Sologne is also an interesting producer.

All the above have websites which should help in deciding those that appeal most to you but take a look at Richard Kelley's and Jim Budd's websites for histories and opinion on these and a wider list of other top producers like Claude Papin at Chateau Pierre Bise et al.
 
on zoo trips in the loire, it is well worth the trip to Beauval if you can make it Paul - the bird show they put on is simply brilliant. How the hell they train such a wide variety of species is beyond me - it has to be seen to be believed.
 
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