New release Loire reds: the best from 2019 and 2020

Loire reds have probably benefited most from the remarkable succession of good vintages since 2014 as ripeness is particularly important for red wines.

Like the whites, 2020 was also an early vintage for the reds with flowering starting in May.

Overall yields are normal, except for producers with a poor fruit set in some appellations and for some varieties.  

Scroll down for tasting notes and scores of 31 new-release Loire reds

Unfortunately, due to the Covid pandemic, I have been unable to make my usual trips to the Loire to taste wines that are still maturing, so I have had few opportunities to taste the more structured reds that will not be bottled until later this year or sometime in 2022.  

Concentrated fruit

The 2020 reds are deep coloured, with ripe, concentrated fruit. As with the whites the high temperatures in September meant that potential alcohol levels rose quickly, so it was important that the grapes were picked before they became over-ripe. 

This is particularly important for Pinot Noir, as some wines that I have recently tasted have been so powerful and concentrated that they lack the delicacy and finesse associated with good Pinot Noir.

The 2019 domaine Sancerre from Vincent Pinard shows that is possible to have ripe fruit, sufficient concentration as well as finesse and delicacy. It’s a challenge to find the optimum picking window.

Top Loire red producers in 2020:

• Yannick  Amirault (Bourgueil/ Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil)
• Domaine de la Noblaie, Domaine Vincent Pinard (Sancerre)
• Domaine des Pothiers (Côte Roannaise)

As in 2019, heat spikes that frazzle exposed bunches of grapes are a recent challenge. De-leafing has been popular to help grapes to ripen but heat spikes mean that this practice has to be adapted, especially for bunches exposed to the afternoon sun.

Great ageing potential

The 2020 reds should age well with the best wines drinking well for at least 20 years as Jean-Pierre Chevalier (Château de Villeneuve, Saumur Champigny suggests: ‘With a particularly scorching summer and a dry and hot month of September, nature did not spare the zenitude of the wine-grower, but she knew how to reward us with a beautiful vintage of exceptional precocity, giving us grapes full of sugar with good balance and good acidity – everything you need to make great wines for cellaring.’

Florent Pinard (Domaine Vincent Pinard, Sancerre) recalls: ‘We harvested the 2020 vintage on 28 August. This is the first time in the history of the estate that we have picked in August, and we were finished by 11 September. We have thus managed to keep a nice freshness for the vintage and achieved around 14˚C on the whites and reds. 

‘It’s a gourmet and very fine vintage!’ He continues. ‘Yields are normal for the whites (at around 50hl/ha), but some reds had poor setting during flowering and were then grilled by the sun, so we have very low yields for the reds.’

Loire vintages at a glance

2020: Fortunately frost free, a successful and very early vintage across the Loire for both red and white. (5/5)

2019: Another frost affected vintage, especially to the west of Tours, due to a frost very early in April. Despite hot, dry conditions, some beautifully balanced wines were made. (5/5)

2018: Hailed as a great vintage, giving both quality and quantity – above average yields. Certainly some lovely wines, especially reds and sweet whites, but high levels of alcohol were a problem in some wines. (4/5)

2017: A second year hit with a series of April frosts, but not quite as devastating as 2016. Wines have excellent balance and finesse. (4/5)

2016: Badly frost-affected year with a series of April frosts reducing many producers’ harvest to 20% or less of normal. Once again Sancerre was spared. Good quality for the crop that remained. (4/5)

Looking ahead, 2021 – with its cold spring, succession of spring frosts and devastating local hailstorms – may see the end of this series of good vintages. Let’s hope not!

31 new-release Loire red wines

In A-Z appellation order

Anjou

89 Domaine des Rochelles L’Ardoise Anjou 2020

89 Château Pierre-Bise Schistes Anjou-Villages 2020

91 Domaine des Rochelles Breton Anjou-Villages Brissac 2019

Bourgueil

98 Jacky & Jean-Philippe Blot, Domaine de la Butte Perrières Bourgueil 2019

93 Domaine Yannick Amirault Le Grand Clos Bourgueil 2019

91 Jacky & Jean-Philippe Blot, Domaine de la Butte Le Haut de la Butte Bourgueil 2019

Chinon

94 Domaine de la Noblaie Les Blancs Manteaux Chinon 2019

93 Domaine de la Noblaie Les Chiens Chiens Chinon 2019

89 Nicolas Grosbois La Cuisine de ma mère Chinon 2019

Domaine de la Noblaie Le Temps des cerise Chinon 2020

Côte Roannaise

92 Domaine des Pothiers Côte Roannaise 2020

Côteaux du Giennois

86 Clément & Florian Berthier Coteaux du Giennois 2019

IGP Côtes de la Charité

91 Alphonse Mellot Les Pénitents IGP Côtes de la Charité 2019

IGP Val de Loire Vendée

92 Les Vignobles Mourat Grenouilles IGP Val de Loire Vendée 2019

Reuilly

91 Matthieu & Renaud Mabillot Reuilly 2020

Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil

89 Gérard Vallée, Domaine de la Cotelleraie Pigeur Fou Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil 2020

87 Gérard Vallée, Domaine de la Cotelleraie Domaine de la Cotelleraie Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil 2019

Saint-Pourçain

88 Les Vignerons de Saint-Pourçain La Ficelle de Saint-Pourçain 2020

Sancerre

94 Vincent Pinard Vincent Pinard Pinot Noir Sancerre 2019

92 André Dezat & Fils, Les Celliers Saint Romble Les Celliers Saint Romble Sancerre 2019

86 Clément & Florian Berthier Sancerre 2019

Saumur

87 Domaine de la Bonnelière Gourmandine Saumur 2020

Saumur-Champigny

91 Château de Targé Le Pavillon Saumur-Champigny 2019

90 Château de Targé Saumur-Champigny 2019

90 Château de Villeneuve Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny 2019

89 Château du Hureau, Philippe Vatan Tuffe Saumur-Champigny 2019

Touraine

88 Jean-François Merieau Le Bois Jacou Touraine 2020

87 Cellier de Beaujardin Domaine des 7 Lieues Touraine 2020

Valençay

90 Bertrand Minchin Le Claux Delorme Valençay 2020

85 Nathalie Lafond, Domaine Claude Lafond Nathalie Valençay 2020

Vin de France

93 Bonnet-Huteau Ordolia Vin de France 2019

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