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Côtes de l'Auvergne – portraits from this week's trip
Le Puy de Dôme – the region's iconL'Auvergne en EruptionThis week we spent a very interesting and useful three and a half days in the Auvergne visiting producers and getting a better handle on the area...
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Côtes d'Auvergne: excellent visit to Yvan Bernard
Yvan Bernard outside his caveau in MontpeyrouxCRM, Wink Lorch, Lyn Parry and I spent three nights in the Auvergne visiting some producers in a small but an increasingly interesting wine region.Our...
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Côtes d'Auvergne: a few local eruptions.....
Stock photo of volcanic eruption at Tungurahua (Ecuador)Some local tensions In common with a number of other French wine regions producers in the Auvergne appear to have problems working together for...
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Discovering Desprat Saint-Verny with Léa (Part 1 – morning)
Léa DespratDesprat Saint-Verny winery & shop2 Route d'Issoire, 63960 Veyre-MontonOn our first full day in the Côtes d'Auvergne we spent the day with Léa Desprat, daughter of Pierre Desprat who is...
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Sunday 28th June 2020: Epeigné-les-Bois – 2nd Round elections.....
Mairie @Epeigné-les-BoisCovid-19 voting precautions:Instructions include: all voters must wear masks, clean hands entering and exiting the Salle des Fêtes and no more than three voters inside at any...
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Fabrice Gasnier est le nouveau Président du Syndicat des Vins de Chinon
Press release on the appointment of Fabrice Gasnier as the new president of the Syndicat des Vins de Chinon following the end of Francis Jourdan's three year term. <!-- /* Font Definitions */...
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Epeigné-les-Bois: result of 2nd Round of election for new Conseil – Sunday...
Result of the 2nd Round of the municipal elections @Epeigné-les-Bois:Ludovic Guillon: 102 votes (56.04%) elected Dominique Hisbergue 80 votes (43.96%) 58.65% of the electorate voted. 0.55% of votes...
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Jean Candiago is Epeigné-les-Bois' new Maire
Jean Candiago with his wife Véronique Following last Sunday's 2nd Round of the Municipal Elections the first meeting of Epeigné-les-Bois new Conseil Municipal was held last evening. Jean Candiago was...
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Côtes d’Auvergne: Discovering Desprat Saint-Verny with Léa (Part 2 – pm)
Léa DespratAt the end of June I wrote about our morning getting to know Desprat Saint-Verny with Léa Desprat, now it is time to cover the afternoon activities. However, before I do a mention of an...
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Auvergne (cont): Domaine Miolanne
Vineyards and the wooden winery @Domaine MiolanneWe made a morning visit to Domaine Miolanne on our second and last full day in the Côtes d'Auvergne. The evening before in a bistro/wine bar in nearby...
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2020 Muscadet harvest officially starts tomorrow
From the 2018 vintage @Domaine Luneau-PapinThey start tomorrow The 2020 Muscadet harvest officially starts tomorrow. The start is very early but not, however, the earliest in recent times as the...
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Frédéric Mabileau: killed in a micro-lite plane crash – terrible news!
Frédéric Mabileau during the 2018 vintage with his prized new foudre Frédéric Mabileau, one of the most talented Loire producers and a star of Saint-Nicolas-de Bourgueil and Bourgueil not forgetting...
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Remembering Frédéric Mabileau
Fred @ RSJ Restaurant 2010 A week after Fred died in a ULM crash at Saumur Airport on 31st August I still haven't come to terms with his sudden and shocking death. An article (Décès de Frédéric...
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Great day for a bike ride and other reflections......
London: view towards Canary Wharf Today has been a lovely mid-September's late summer's day with temperatures around 27˚C perfect for a bike ride, especially as this is the second rest day in the Tour...
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Legendary Jacques Puisais dies at 93
Jacques Puisais with Ivan Massonnat and Jo Pithon (Belargus)30th March 2019 @ Vincent le Cuisinier with the 1961 le haut Lieu demi-sec Jacques Puisais (born: 8th June 1927 Poitiersdied 6th December...
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Finally back in the Loire + 2021 vendange
Part of Epeigné including the Mairie taken from top of l'Eglise A little after 18.30 on Monday 27th September 2021 we came back to France, La Loire and Epeigné-les-Bois for the first time since 9th...
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2021 in Muscadet Sèvre et Maine
Melon de Bourgogne @Domaine Luneau-Papin Hod carrier@ Domaine Luneau-Papin Last Thursday (29th September) we headed to the Pays Nantais to visit a few vigneron in Muscaxdet Sèvre-et-Maine to see how...
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2021 Loire Vintage – Montlouis, Touraine, Bourgueil, St Nic and Chinon
2021 Cabernet Franc Last week I made a number of visits to producers to see how the 2021 Loire vintage was coming along. The start of the 2021 Loire harvest was a good couple of weeks later than the...
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Clos Rougeard – can its iconic status be maintained?
Extensive construction at Clos Rougeard 14th October 2021Above and below Last Thursday (14.10.21) we went across to Saumur to see how the 2021 vintage was coming along – overall the vignerons we saw...
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Sancerre: autumn colours
Les Monts Damnés from Chavignol Slopes of Monts Damnés – Sancerre in mist in distance Clos de la Poussie, Bué We were in Sancerre last Wednesday and Thursday checking out the 2021 harvest, which has...
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Ivan Massonnat buys Domaine de Beauséjour (AOP Chinon) – a second ambitious...
Ivan MassonnatDomaine de Beauséjour, Panzoult October 2010On Friday 15th October 2021 Ivan Massonnat realised a vinous dream that predates his Belargus project in Anjou when he signed the contract to...
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Brief sortie to Anjou in late October
Magnificent autumn colours from the Quarts de Chaume and way into the distance Also a reminder of how high parts of Q de C are before it plunges down to the LayonHeavily laden ChaumeAlso demonstrates...
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Farewell inspirational Catherine Roussel @ Clos Roche Blanche
September 2014: Catherine at the start of the last vintage We were very sad to hear late yesterday afternoon that Catherine Roussel, the inspirational owner of the Clos Roche Blanche in the Cher...
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Farewell Guy Bossard
(This post was originally published on Les 5 du Vin on Sunday 14th May 2023)I was very sorry to learn overnight (13th-14th May 2023) that Guy Bossard (Domaine de l’Ecu, Pays Nantais) had died. Guy...
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Jacky Blot – one the Loire’s greatest vignerons – died on Monday
(This post was originally published on Les 5 du Vin on 16th May 2023)Jacky in the Taille aux Loups cellars in Husseau – all the wines were fermented in woodDuring the harvest Jacky was always in the...
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