Loire 2021 red wines: vintage report and new releases

The pattern for Loire reds in 2021 is similar to the whites . Initially there were some cold periods over the first part of winter, followed by rising temperatures in mid-February that continued into March, causing early bud-break. Once again producers were faced with a series of spring frosts starting in late March, continuing into the first part of April. This series of frosts accumulated in severe crop loss similar to that of the infamous 1991 frost, which was a result of just one harsh night. Exceptionally, even Sancerre, which often escapes frost, was badly hit in 2021 . Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for 31 top Loire red wines from 2020 and 2021 [subscriber-content] A fine autumn Just as in 1991, the weather was cold after the frosts so the vines were slow to recover, reducing the number of second-generation bunches. The flowering was patchy and a wet summer provoked mildew. Xavier Frissant, a winemaker in Touraine-Amboise, said: ‘In 2021 we made just 15hl/ha due to the frosts and poor flowering, especially for the Côt [ Malbec ], and mildew then caused further considerable damage.’ Fortunately, as so often happens in the Loire, a fine September and October with a drying wind from the east saved the vintage, with producers often surprised by the quality. Picking for the early red varieties started around 20 September, while harvesting for the Cabernet Franc started around the beginning of October and continued well into the month as the good weather allowed producers to wait for optimum maturity. See Jim Budd's Loire 2021 white wine report here [caption id="attachment_481092" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Emptying Cabernet Franc grapes at Domaine de la Butte. Credit: Jim Budd[/caption] [breakout] Loire red wine 2021: top producers Baudry-Dutour Clos Roussely Domaine de la Bonnelière Domaine de la Noblaie Lionel Gosseaume – Domaine de Pierre At the time of tasting, many wines were yet to be bottled and released. [/breakout] What to look out for in Loire 2021 reds Although it is still relatively early days, my impression is that Gamay and Cabernet Franc have been more successful than Pinot Noir , where a very careful selection of grapes was essential. This was confirmed by Florent Pinard, of the Vincent Pinard domaine in Sancerre: ‘For both our whites and reds we had to select the grapes we used very carefully. However, quality-wise we are fairly happy with the result, similar in style to 2014.’ In Chinon, Jean-Martin Dutour of Baudry-Dutour said: ‘Despite the small crop we are very happy with the reds; due to the fine September our Cabernet Franc reached 12.5% alcohol and was phenolically ripe.’ [breakout] Loire red wine 2021: value picks Domaine de la Bonnelière, Tradition, Saumur-Champigny 2021 Lionel Gosseaume, Domaine de Pierre Les Marcottes Gamay, Touraine 2021 Domaine des Rochelles, L’Ardoise, Anjou Rouge 2021 Domaine des Rochelles, Malbec, Val de Loire 2021 [/breakout] The small crop has forced some producers, such as Jean-Marie Bourgeois of Famille Bourgeois, to make difficult choices: ‘We didn’t make any red in 2021, choosing to make rosé instead.’ On the other hand, some, like Domaine Fouassier in Sancerre, chose not to make rosé in 2021. François Crochet made just one cuvée of his red Sancerre. In a difficult vintage like 2021, the good producers have benefitted from the way they work in the vineyards and from making the right decisions during the fermentation and maturation processes. As with the whites, there is a considerable range of quality, with some wines lacking ripe fruit and displaying green tannins. Of the producers who have made attractive reds, these are less powerful with lower alcohol levels than recent vintages, with more noticeable acidity - more like the traditional profile of Loire reds. With their strong acid line, these well made 2021 reds, like the whites, should age well - provided they have enough fruit character to balance the acidity. It was very important to pick when the tannins were ripe, to treat them gently during fermentation, and not to leave them too long on the skins. [breakout] Know your Loire red vintages 2017 : Once again spring frosts reduced the crop but less severe than 2016. Fourth successive good quality red vintage with balance and finesse. 5/5

2018 : A rare frost-free very hot vintage with often high levels of alcohol up to 15%. More successful than whites with some very good reds, especially those from fruit picked before they became over-ripe. These should age very well. 5/5

2019 : Another frost-affected but high quality vintage 5/5

2020 : Hot but good vintage with often concentrated, ripe whites some with very high alcohols up to 15%. However, there is more freshness and balance than 2018. Some top cuvées yet to be released. 5/5.

2021 : Most difficult vintage since 2013 with a small crop due to spring frosts, mildew and poor flowering for some varieties. Overall quality better than feared – return to a fresher more traditional Loire style. Some attractive reds but also there are some thin and mean examples. 3/5

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[/subscriber-content] Jim Budd's top Loire reds from 2020 and 2021: [wine-collection] Related content: New release Loire reds: the best from 2019 and 2020 10 top-rated Cabernet Francs from around the world worth seeking out