Loire Wine Salons 2015

The big week has nearly arrived and it's time to descend on the various Wine Salons held in the Anjou region of the Loire. Gone are the days of visiting one major salon (Salon des Vins de Loire) as 'Offs' or off-shoot salons have grown year by year. This year we have the challenge of visiting all SIX - yes six different shows within the space of 3 days (although the elapsed time is over 5 days). So here is the unofficial list of what is going on, when and where. Salons are reserved for professionals in the wine trade and usually by invitation although some allow a supplementary entrance to be paid on the door in return for a glass and an extraordinary range of tastings.

 

Starting on Saturday is the Renaissance des Appellations 2015 at Greniers Saint Jean - Angers Saturday 31st January and Sunday 1st February 9h30-19h. One of our favourite salons for the quality of wines represented and showing organic and biodynamic wines with a great selection from the Loire Valley. Including :

LOIRE

- Didier Chaffardon
– Christophe Daviau
– Yves et Anne Guégniard
– Clément Baraut
– Toby Bainbridge
– Eddy Oosterlinck
– Benoit Blet
– Didier Hauret
– Olivier Lecomte
– Patrick Baudouin
– Xavier Cailleau
– Damien et Didier Richou
– Stéphane Rocher
– Th. Ducleux, JM Brousset et J. Delrieu
– Jean-François Vaillant
– Thomas Carsin
– Jo Pithon
– Nathalie et Vincent Betis
– Thierry Michon
– Joseph Landron
– Frédéric Niger Van Herck et Guy Bossard
– Sébastien Riffault
– Philippe Gilbert
– Michel Gendrier
– Michel Quenioux
– Laura Semeria
– Bruno Allion
– Louis-Jean Sylvos
– Olivier Bellanger
– Paul Gillet
– François Plouzeau
– François Chidaine
– Vincent Carème
– Hélène Fillette
– Eric Nicolas
– Philippe Delesvaux
– Maï et Kenji Hodgson
– Stéphanie et Vincent Deboutbertin
– Joël Ménard
– Thomas Batardière
– Liv Vincendeau
– Bruno Rochard
– Richard Leroy
– Rémi Bonnet
– Bernard et Benoit Landron
– Jacques Carroget
– Tessa Laroche
– Loïc Mahé
– Virginie Joly
– Yannick Amirault
– Sébastien David
– Pascal Lambert
– Etienne de Bonnaventure
– Bernard Baudry
– Guillaume Pire
– Guillaume Reynouard
– Jean-François Regnier
– Jean-Noël Million
– Mathieu Vallée
– Anne-Claude Leflaive
– Xavier Caillard
– Aymeric Hilaire
– Philippe Gourdon
– Mark Angeli

Also on the Saturday and Sunday 31st Jan - 1st February 10h - 18h is an off-shoot from Les Salons des Amis - Les Pénitentes @ Hotel de Penitents Angers. Bonhomme, Chaussard, Mosse, Puzelat and Villemade have invited a range of producers listed below with empasis on organic and natural wines.

In it's third year now but this time a new location on Sunday 1st February at the Salon Curnonsky, rue st martin, 49700 Angers (in front of the old location of the collegiale saint Martin) from 10h00 - 19h00  is the Vins Anonymes 2015. The idea of this salon is to allow a collective of young and perhaps relatively unknown vignerons show their wines that are either alternative, close to natural and authentic. Some of the vignerons represented include our neighbour Jacky RIPOCHE of LES NOADES SAUMUR along with – LA COULEE D’Ambrosia johana et jf Chene ANJOU – LAMBERT Jérôme ANJOU – CAVE BECLAIR ANJOU – GARREAU cédric ANJOU – SAURIGNY jérôme ANJOU – BOUTIN Thomas ANJOU – LES VIGNES DE BABASS ANJOU – BOREL Pierre BOURGUEIL – DOMAINE DU MORTIER maison Boisard BOURGUEIL - – COURANT XAVIER BOURGUEIL – COURTAULT Joel TOURAINE – LA LUNOTTE Foucher TOURAINE

Let's not forget another of our favourite events of the year the Dive Bouteille this time on the 1-2  February Sunday and Monday in the sous terrain setting of the caves of Ackerman. Organised by Sylvie Augereau this salon features natural wines from all over France, but also some wines from Italy and producers from the USA. This is the 15th Dive and we are sure it is going to be a popular as ever with a diverse and electic range of natural wines.

 

Many of the Loire regulars including

 – Marion Pescheux et Manuel Landron, Complémen’terre (Muscadet)
– Jérôme Bretaudeau, Bellevue (Muscadet)
– Marc Pesnot, la Sénéchalière (Muscadet)
– J Bresteau et M Houtin, Grange aux Belles (Anjou)
– Philippe Delmée (Anjou)
– Geneviève et Nicolas Bertin-Delatte,Echalier (Anjou)
– Clément Baraut (Anjou-Savennières)
– Sylvain Martinez (Anjou)
– François Saint-Lô (Anjou)
– Stéphane Erissé (Anjou)
– Nicolas Reau (Anjou)
– Eric Dubois, Clos Cristal (S-Champigny)
– Antoine Sanzay (S-Champigny)
– Bruno Dubois (S-Champigny)
– Matthieu Bouchet, Gaillard (Saumur)
– Thierry Germain, Roches Neuves (S-Champigny)
– Sylvain Dittière, Porte Saint-Jean (S-Champigny)
– Caroline et Antoine Foucault, le Collier (Saumur)
– Arnaud Lambert, Brézé (Saumur)
– Emeline et Sébastien Bobinet (S-Champigny)
– Romain Guiberteau (Saumur)
– Patrick Corbineau (Touraine-Chinon)
– Fred Sigonneau, de l’R (Chinon)
– Jérôme Lenoir, cave des Roches (Chinon)
– François Blanchard, le Grand Cléré (Touraine)
– Gérard Marula (Touraine-Chinon)
– Lise et Bertrand Jousset (Montlouis)
– Sébastien Brunet (Vouvray)
– Mathieu Cosme, Beaumont (Vouvray)
– C. et D. Delecheneau, Grange Tiphaine (Mtlouis)
– Grégory Leclerc, Chahut et Prodiges (Touraine)
– Noella Morantin (Touraine)
– Laurent Saillard (Touraine)
– Brendan Tracey (Touraine)
– Olivier Lemasson, les Vins Contés (Touraine)

New for the 2nd February Dans Nos Pas 12h-21h chez La Gastonomie featuring from the Loire Chateau de Fosse Seche and Ferme de Caudalies (5 mins from Parc des Expo)

Returning again this year is another newish salon La Levée de la Loire scheduled for Monday 2/3/4th February 2015 this time at the Parc des Expositions d’Angers  from 9h - 19h. This is the Association interprofessional of the Organic Wines of the Loire (Vin Bio de Loire) organised in partnership with the Renaissance, the Dive and le Salon du Logis du Gouverneur.

 


Represented from the Loire we have -

– AMIRAULT Xavier, Thierry et Agnès
– AUPETITGENDRE Claude et GOZARD Jacques
– BILLARD Jérôme
– BOISARD Fabien et Cyril
– BOURSE Quentin
– BRETON Pierre
– CAREME Vincent
– CASLOT Claudia, Franck et Bertrand
– CASLOT Stéphanie et Emmanuel
– CHANSON Ludovic
– COURANT Xavier
– COURTEMANCHE Frédéric
– DAVID Sébastien- DANSAULT Gabrièle et Régis
– DESCHAMPS Sandrine et Christophe
– DE BONNAVENTURE Pascale et Etienne
– GALBRUN Bertrand- GASNIER Fabrice
– GAUTHIER Pierre et Rodolphe
– GENDROT Fabrice
– GERARD Philippe et DETECHEVERRY Arnaud
– GROSBOIS Nicolas
– GUION Stéphane
– HERIVAULT Arnaud
– HERLIN Laurent
– JOURDAN Francis
– KLOECKE Jean-Daniel
– LAMBERT Pascal et Béatrice
– LAMBERT Patrick
– LANDRY Thierry
– MABILEAU Frédéric
– MANCEAU Jean-Max
– MERIAS Benoît
– MUREAU Stéphane
– PELLETIER Jean-Christophe
– PICHET Thomas
– PINON François
– PLAISANTIN Yves
– PLOUZEAU Marc
– RIMBAULT Sophie et ROUXELIN Anne
– ROUSSE Wilfrid
– SIGONNEAU Frédéric
– SPELTY Johann
– SYLVOS Louis-Jean
– THIBAULT Marie
– VALLEE Gérald
– VAN DEN BERGHE Kathleen
– VALLEE Gérald

Last but never least the BIG one that starts on 2nd February and runs for 3 days to the 4th February inclusive the Salon des Vins de Loire at the Parc des Expositions in Angers from 9h - 19h each day except Wednesday to 18h as everyone will want to go home as let's face it they will be exhausted by this time! It is here that the Medal Winners (Palais de Ligers) are announced along with the winners of the blog trophy, the best student sommelier and many other master classes on terroir and chenin.

Within the Salon des Vins de Loire is also the Salons des Vins de Loire Stand Collectif Vins Bio a stand for the collective of organic producers.

So you see the wine world is going to be a buzz in this area of the Loire Valley over the next week. The logistics of getting from one show to the other are going to be fun but at the least the weather is on our side at the moment but we know how precocious February can be in the region - so fingers crossed !

Previous years we had heavy snow - this years forecast is looking ok!!  

Dive Bouteille - Nul n'est censé ignorer la Loire 

© Sylvie Augereau

Loire Wine Salons February 2013

The big week has nearly arrived and it's time to descend on the various Wine Salons held in the Anjou region of the Loire. Gone are the days of visiting one major salon (Salon des Vins de Loire) as 'Offs' or off-shoot salons have grown year by year. This year we have the challenge of visiting all SIX - yes six different shows within the space of 3 days (although the elapsed time is over 5 days). So here is the unofficial list of what is going on, when and where. Salons are reserved for professionals in the wine trade and usually by invitation although some allow a supplementary entrance to be paid on the door in return for a glass and an extraordinary range of tastings.

 

Starting on Saturday is the Renaissance des Appellations 2015 at Greniers Saint Jean - Angers Saturday 31st January and Sunday 1st February 9h30-19h. One of our favourite salons for the quality of wines represented and showing organic and biodynamic wines with a great selection from the Loire Valley. Including :

LOIRE

- Didier Chaffardon
– Christophe Daviau
– Yves et Anne Guégniard
– Clément Baraut
– Toby Bainbridge
– Eddy Oosterlinck
– Benoit Blet
– Didier Hauret
– Olivier Lecomte
– Patrick Baudouin
– Xavier Cailleau
– Damien et Didier Richou
– Stéphane Rocher
– Th. Ducleux, JM Brousset et J. Delrieu
– Jean-François Vaillant
– Thomas Carsin
– Jo Pithon
– Nathalie et Vincent Betis
– Thierry Michon
– Joseph Landron
– Frédéric Niger Van Herck et Guy Bossard
– Sébastien Riffault
– Philippe Gilbert
– Michel Gendrier
– Michel Quenioux
– Laura Semeria
– Bruno Allion
– Louis-Jean Sylvos
– Olivier Bellanger
– Paul Gillet
– François Plouzeau
– François Chidaine
– Vincent Carème
– Hélène Fillette
– Eric Nicolas
– Philippe Delesvaux
– Maï et Kenji Hodgson
– Stéphanie et Vincent Deboutbertin
– Joël Ménard
– Thomas Batardière
– Liv Vincendeau
– Bruno Rochard
– Richard Leroy
– Rémi Bonnet
– Bernard et Benoit Landron
– Jacques Carroget
– Tessa Laroche
– Loïc Mahé
– Virginie Joly
– Yannick Amirault
– Sébastien David
– Pascal Lambert
– Etienne de Bonnaventure
– Bernard Baudry
– Guillaume Pire
– Guillaume Reynouard
– Jean-François Regnier
– Jean-Noël Million
– Mathieu Vallée
– Anne-Claude Leflaive
– Xavier Caillard
– Aymeric Hilaire
– Philippe Gourdon
– Mark Angeli

Also on the Saturday and Sunday 31st Jan - 1st February 10h - 18h is an off-shoot from Les Salons des Amis - Les Pénitentes @ Hotel de Penitents Angers. Bonhomme, Chaussard, Mosse, Puzelat and Villemade have invited a range of producers listed below with empasis on organic and natural wines.

In it's third year now but this time a new location on Sunday 1st February at the Salon Curnonsky, rue st martin, 49700 Angers (in front of the old location of the collegiale saint Martin) from 10h00 - 19h00  is the Vins Anonymes 2015. The idea of this salon is to allow a collective of young and perhaps relatively unknown vignerons show their wines that are either alternative, close to natural and authentic. Some of the vignerons represented include our neighbour Jacky RIPOCHE of LES NOADES SAUMUR along with – LA COULEE D’Ambrosia johana et jf Chene ANJOU – LAMBERT Jérôme ANJOU – CAVE BECLAIR ANJOU – GARREAU cédric ANJOU – SAURIGNY jérôme ANJOU – BOUTIN Thomas ANJOU – LES VIGNES DE BABASS ANJOU – BOREL Pierre BOURGUEIL – DOMAINE DU MORTIER maison Boisard BOURGUEIL - – COURANT XAVIER BOURGUEIL – COURTAULT Joel TOURAINE – LA LUNOTTE Foucher TOURAINE

Let's not forget another of our favourite events of the year the Dive Bouteille this time on the 1-2  February Sunday and Monday in the sous terrain setting of the caves of Ackerman. Organised by Sylvie Augereau this salon features natural wines from all over France, but also some wines from Italy and producers from the USA. This is the 15th Dive and we are sure it is going to be a popular as ever with a diverse and electic range of natural wines.

 

Many of the Loire regulars including

 – Marion Pescheux et Manuel Landron, Complémen’terre (Muscadet)
– Jérôme Bretaudeau, Bellevue (Muscadet)
– Marc Pesnot, la Sénéchalière (Muscadet)
– J Bresteau et M Houtin, Grange aux Belles (Anjou)
– Philippe Delmée (Anjou)
– Geneviève et Nicolas Bertin-Delatte,Echalier (Anjou)
– Clément Baraut (Anjou-Savennières)
– Sylvain Martinez (Anjou)
– François Saint-Lô (Anjou)
– Stéphane Erissé (Anjou)
– Nicolas Reau (Anjou)
– Eric Dubois, Clos Cristal (S-Champigny)
– Antoine Sanzay (S-Champigny)
– Bruno Dubois (S-Champigny)
– Matthieu Bouchet, Gaillard (Saumur)
– Thierry Germain, Roches Neuves (S-Champigny)
– Sylvain Dittière, Porte Saint-Jean (S-Champigny)
– Caroline et Antoine Foucault, le Collier (Saumur)
– Arnaud Lambert, Brézé (Saumur)
– Emeline et Sébastien Bobinet (S-Champigny)
– Romain Guiberteau (Saumur)
– Patrick Corbineau (Touraine-Chinon)
– Fred Sigonneau, de l’R (Chinon)
– Jérôme Lenoir, cave des Roches (Chinon)
– François Blanchard, le Grand Cléré (Touraine)
– Gérard Marula (Touraine-Chinon)
– Lise et Bertrand Jousset (Montlouis)
– Sébastien Brunet (Vouvray)
– Mathieu Cosme, Beaumont (Vouvray)
– C. et D. Delecheneau, Grange Tiphaine (Mtlouis)
– Grégory Leclerc, Chahut et Prodiges (Touraine)
– Noella Morantin (Touraine)
– Laurent Saillard (Touraine)
– Brendan Tracey (Touraine)
– Olivier Lemasson, les Vins Contés (Touraine)

Returning again this year is another newish salon La Levée de la Loire scheduled for Monday 2/3/4th February 2015 this time at the Parc des Expositions d’Angers  from 9h - 19h. This is the Association interprofessional of the Organic Wines of the Loire (Vin Bio de Loire) organised in partnership with the Renaissance, the Dive and le Salon du Logis du Gouverneur.

 


Represented from the Loire we have -

– AMIRAULT Xavier, Thierry et Agnès
– AUPETITGENDRE Claude et GOZARD Jacques
– BILLARD Jérôme
– BOISARD Fabien et Cyril
– BOURSE Quentin
– BRETON Pierre
– CAREME Vincent
– CASLOT Claudia, Franck et Bertrand
– CASLOT Stéphanie et Emmanuel
– CHANSON Ludovic
– COURANT Xavier
– COURTEMANCHE Frédéric
– DAVID Sébastien- DANSAULT Gabrièle et Régis
– DESCHAMPS Sandrine et Christophe
– DE BONNAVENTURE Pascale et Etienne
– GALBRUN Bertrand- GASNIER Fabrice
– GAUTHIER Pierre et Rodolphe
– GENDROT Fabrice
– GERARD Philippe et DETECHEVERRY Arnaud
– GROSBOIS Nicolas
– GUION Stéphane
– HERIVAULT Arnaud
– HERLIN Laurent
– JOURDAN Francis
– KLOECKE Jean-Daniel
– LAMBERT Pascal et Béatrice
– LAMBERT Patrick
– LANDRY Thierry
– MABILEAU Frédéric
– MANCEAU Jean-Max
– MERIAS Benoît
– MUREAU Stéphane
– PELLETIER Jean-Christophe
– PICHET Thomas
– PINON François
– PLAISANTIN Yves
– PLOUZEAU Marc
– RIMBAULT Sophie et ROUXELIN Anne
– ROUSSE Wilfrid
– SIGONNEAU Frédéric
– SPELTY Johann
– SYLVOS Louis-Jean
– THIBAULT Marie
– VALLEE Gérald
– VAN DEN BERGHE Kathleen
– VALLEE Gérald

Last but never least the BIG one that starts on 2nd February and runs for 3 days to the 4th February inclusive the Salon des Vins de Loire at the Parc des Expositions in Angers from 9h - 19h each day except Wednesday to 18h as everyone will want to go home as let's face it they will be exhausted by this time! It is here that the Medal Winners (Palais de Ligers) are announced along with the winners of the blog trophy, the best student sommelier and many other master classes on terroir and chenin.

Within the Salon des Vins de Loire is also the Salons des Vins de Loire Stand Collectif Vins Bio a stand for the collective of organic producers.

So you see the wine world is going to be a buzz in this area of the Loire Valley over the next week. The logistics of getting from one show to the other are going to be fun but at the least the weather is on our side at the moment but we know how precocious February can be in the region - so fingers crossed !

Previous years we had heavy snow - this years forecast is looking ok!!  

Dive Bouteille - Nul n'est censé ignorer la Loire 

© Sylvie Augereau

12 More Things To Do in the Loire Valley Around Saumur

Back in August I started a series of "12 Tips for Things to do in the Loire Valley" around Saumur. It's now December the days are shorter, darker and colder but in between we get some beautiful blue sky days which provide a great opportunity to explore the local area which is so rich and varied in it's history and culture. So here are some ideas for day trips from La Grande Maison along with some places to visit a little closer to home.

1. Fontevraud Abbey is a must see especially the tombs of the Plantagenêts, Aliénor of Aquitaine, Richard the Lionheart, Henri II and Isabelle d'Angoulême

2. The beautiful medieval city of Loches with it's imposing 11thC Dungeon built by Foulques Nerra. It's a long climb up and not for those with a fear of heights!

3. The 17thC (New Town) of Richelieu with it's stunning Baroque church and mathematical town planning. The chateau and gardens a worth a visit too.

4. The City of the Plantagents in Le Mans with it's glorious St Julien Cathedral

5. The light in the David d'Angers Sculpture Gallery in Angers is amazing and the Beaux Art gallery has a great permanent collection along with innovative exhibitions.

6. The old LU (Lieu Unique) biscuit factory in Nantes converted into a funky bar and has a great book store and theatre space.

7. It's worth getting up early enough to see the sunrise over the Loire

8. Take the Amarante boat along the river for a great view of Candes St Martin

9. See Joan of Arc ride her horse into Chinon or visit the house of Rabelais La Deviniere.

10. Brewing beer is becoming popular locally. Tastings can be arranged at Brasserie des Fontaines just across the vineyards from La Grande Maison.

11. Fine dining in the many of the local restaurants just ask us for a recommendation.

12. ...and certainly don't miss the wooden alterpiece (misericord) in the local church of Le Puy Notre Dame. The carved stall of the monk drinking out of the barrel has become the symbol for one of the latest wine appellations Saumur - Le Puy Notre Dame AOC !

Sante!

12 More Things To Do in the Loire Valley Around Saumur

A couple of weeks ago I promised I would find you "12 More Tips for Things to do in the Loire Valley" around Saumur from La Grande Maison. So here they are! Enjoy...

1. Take a ride on Le Grand Elephant at Les Machines des Isles in Nantes

2. See the hand harvest at the Chateau of Saumur around the end of September

3. Visit a riverside 'Guinguette' like this one on the island of Béhuard
for traditional Friture de Loire

4. Go to the beautiful Chateau at Montreuil-Bellay for a walk around the magnificent gardens

5. Interested in art then the Contemporary Art Gallery at Bouvet Ladubay is for you

6. Enough of wine tasting then how about a liquer at the Combier Distillery?

7. Angel or Demon everyone likes to visit the tomb of Leonardo da Vinci at the Chateau in Amboise

8. Chinon is not far either for all things Rabelais & this amazing statue of Joan of Arc


9. The fairytale castle of Rigny Ussé will bring out the sleeping beauty in you

10. Get clean at the most amazing homemade soap shop at Domaine de Mestré


11. A little dressage at the Equitation Centre in Saumur

12. ...and home for a wine tasting in the pigeon tower at La Grande Maison with one of our local winemakers

Phew! So much to do and so little time. Don't underestimate just how much there is to see and do here. It is worth taking a little more time out than you think to explore this area. It's a rich tapestry of history, food, wine & vines, culture & traditions. If any of these ideas appeal to you then make sure you ask for more details during your stay here at La Grande Maison ... a biéntot as there will be more to come over the next few weeks so don't forget to check back.

A Trip to Angers for Haircuts!

Ok so this does not look like a hairdressers but then Xavier the owner is not your normal hairdresser either. He has entirely restored this old wooden fronted building in Angers and renovated all the detailed wooden carvings at Salon Baert. Xavier is a philosopher and keen fly fisherman too. Keeping a conversation going in French about fly fishing is tricky at the best of times. I won't mention the haricut!?!

With a feeling of Spring in the air in January the beautiful florists shops display daffodil and hyacinth bulbs already.

The Fountain of Communication and Discussion in Angers. I wonder if this is where Xavier gets all his ideas? The city of Angers has a wealth of art and sculpture galleries and is also home to the Apocolypse Tapestry at the magnificent Chateau. You can also visit the Cointreau Museum. The shops are also fantastic. Although with so much to see and do who wants to go shopping?