Day 4
Lovely
welcome and wines at 17th century Chateau du Petit Thouars
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| In the vineyard today with Sebastien du Petit Thoaurs |
Built at the same time as Cardinal Richelieu was building
his nearby model town, the 17
th century
Chateau de Petit Thouars was our destination today. We were warmly welcomed by Sebastien and Darcy and
started with a walk through the vineyard, planted in 1975, and which escaped
the early summer hailstones that caused havoc in other parts of the Loire this year.
Cabernet Franc is the grape here for reds, roses and a
Cremant de Loire which I’m now sipping as I type. But this year, for the first time,
Sebastien will harvest Chenin Blanc and he is really looking forward to the results
of that.
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| Cabernet Franc |
In from the sun then to the cool of the cellars, mainly
caves excavated in higgledy piggledy fashion but since adapted to the use of the
wine-maker with a temperature almost always at an ideal 12 degrees.
Since its rebirth in 1975, the vineyard has grown to a 15
hectares (30 acres) estate. The winemaker is Michel Pinard, who built his
well-deserved reputation working for more than ten years with the famous Chinon
winemaker Charles Joguet.
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| The Chateau's top wine |
The subsequent tasting left us in no doubt that superb wines,
from the 2009 Selection to the Amiral (24 months in oak, including one change
of barrel) of the same year, are being made here. No wonder they are winning
awards and are being sold both in the France and Belgium and in England and the
US, and China is on the horizon as well. How about Ireland?
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| Sipping this lovely sparkler right now. |
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| Superb example of Cabernet Franc |
Earlier we had visited the nearby Château in
Montsoreau. The remains of the 15th
century building, the setting for an Alexandre Dumas novel of murder most foul
(Le Dame du Mortsoreau), provides a terrific view over the coming together of
the Loire and the Vienne rivers and over the village itself, designated a village
fleuri.
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| Boat on the Loire at Montsoreau |
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| Meeting of the waters: the Vienne (right) is taken over by the Loire. |
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| Château
in Montsoreau |
Earlier we had visited the nearby Château in
Montsoreau. The remains of the 15th
century building, the setting for an Alexandre Dumas novel of murder most foul
(Le Dame du Mortsoreau) provides a terrific view over the coming together of
the Loire and the Vienne rivers and over the village itself, designated a village
fleuri.
 |
| Enjoying the pool in the evening sun. |
Today also we sorted out one of the priorities of holidaying
in France, this to find a good traiteur. These shops can give you a taste of
France at a much cheaper rate than restaurants. We found one here in Chinon (it
was closed yesterday). From the Aux Delices du Terroir, on rue Marceau, we bought
some rabbit in a Basque sauce which just needs a little reheating in the
microwave. Looking forward to that now, with a glass of Sebastian’s Selection
2009!
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