| A new star has emerged in the heart of the Loire Valley: he is Jacky Blot of Domaine de la Taille aux Loups, in Montlouis.
Montlouis is located on the southern bank of the Loire, not far from Tours. Blot, a Loire wine broker by profession, acquired about 8 hectares of 50-75 year old vines in 1989. These prized, ancient parcels belonged to families that could no longer continue to cultivate the vines and so entrusted them to Blot and his team. Blot brings a passion and exacting determination to make wines of only the highest quality.
The estate comprises today 24 hectares in Montlouis, Vouvray and now 14 hectares in Bourgeuil at his Domaine de la Butte, which Blot acquired in 2002. The core of estate lies in the Montlouis sur Loire appellation, on a high plateau overlooking the Loire River. The soil is a mix of stony limestone and clay that allows for perfect ripening of the Chenin Blanc grapes. As the vine rows are plowed (instead of being treated chemically) the roots descend deep into the limestone bedrock. Blot cultivates his vineyards sustainably with respect for the natural environment, following the guidelines of lutte raisonnee. This, combined with severe pruning and late season leaf-stripping, keeps yields low and enhances the concentration and complexity of the wines. Average yields are very low, and lower still in the botrytis-effected selections. Harvest is carried out by hand, as late as possible, in successive passes through the vineyards, with a sorting table placed at the end of each row to eliminate unsuitable grapes. After pressing, the wines ferment in barrels that have been crafted for the domaine in Burgundy from Allier and Troncais oak, with regular batonage and two rackings. None of the cuvées undergo malolactic fermentation, thus preserving acidity and enhancing the wines’ freshness. Jacky Blot keeps his barrels, which have varying degrees of toast, for up to 10 years. When new, they are used for the long-aged wines such as Remus and Clos de la Bretonniere. After 3 years, they are used for the elevage of the Spring bottlings, the Montlouis 10 Arpents and the Vouvray Caburoches. And after 5-6 years, Blot uses them for the fermentation of the base wine for his Sparkling cuvees. |
| Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Website |
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| Montlouis Petillant Triple Zero |
| A non-dose sparkling, 100% Chenin Blanc from 50 year old vines. One of Jacky Blot most striking creations is his Triple Zero. This wine is unique amongst sparkling wines as only fully ripe, healthy grapes are used. This allows master winemaker Jacky Blot to never add sugar during the winemaking process. Triple Zero refers to the fact that no sugar is added during the three traditional times that sugar is usually added for sparkling winemaking: zero chaptalization, zero tirage, zero dosage. This methode traditionelle wine Blot describes as “above all a natural wine, that happens to have some bubbles.” The story of how it is made is interesting in its own right, and also for how it illustrates Blot’s dedication to quality and originality. Exceptionally for a sparkling wine, the Triple Zero begins with fully ripe Chenin Blanc grapes from low-yielding, 50+ year old vines. The grapes are all harvested by hand. Any fruit insufficiently ripe (i.e., under 12 degrees natural sugar) or showing any sign of rot is eliminated. The grapes are gently pressed in a pneumatic press and the two-stage fermentation begins slowly in barriques with only native yeasts. Blot bottles the wine after about 3 months, when the fermentation in barrel has proceeded to the point where the natural sugars have almost fully fermented and only about 14 grams per liter of sugar remain. It then finishes fermenting in bottle; the delicate bubbles develop in these bottles while resting on their sides, or sur latte. At this phase, Blot does not add liqueur de tirage, or sugar syrup, as is it commonly practiced in Champagne. Once the secondary fermentation is completed (after about 30 days) and the wine develops on its lees for about 24 months, the temporary capsules are removed (degorgé) from the bottles, and they are topped off with the wine itself. At this last stage before final bottling, Blot does not add liqueur d’expedition or dosage with sugar rich juice. The result is a sparkling wine with unsurpassed elegance, purity and expression of fresh, soft citrus and pear flavors. |
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| Montlouis Sec - Remus |
| 100% Chenin blanc. The dry Montlouis Remus comes from non-botrytised grapes picked at the end of the harvest. The yield is about 25hl/ha. The Remus cuvee is aged in 50% new and 50% one year-old barrels and is bottled in the fall after the harvest. It is a very concentrated, dense wine that will age well in bottle for up to 10 years. It is best served with rich fish dishes, white meats and goat cheeses. When young, it profits from decanting. |
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| Montlouis Sec - Dix Arpents |
| 100% Chenin blanc. The Montlouis Sec Les 10 Arpents comes from 50- year-old vines across several parcels on clay-limestone-siliceous soils. The vineyards are plowed and cultivated following the practice of lutte raisonnee. Blots prunes severely, with the goal of attaining a yield of about 20 hectolitre per hectare, which is tiny for the region. The grapes for the 10 Arpents are all harvested by hand in the first of three (or more) passes through the vineyard. They are then hand-selected on a sorting table. After a gentle pneumatic pressing, fermentation begins with the native yeasts and no chaptalization. The wine develops on its lees in neutral, 4-5 year old barrels until the spring, when it is bottled. Blot’s 10 Arpents is a full, pure, dry Chenin Blanc with great intensity of vivid citrus and pear flavor and a soft underlying minerality. |
| Montlouis Demi Sec |
| 100% Chenin blanc. The Montlouis Demi Sec is made from vines averaging 50 years of age, harvested in late October. Blot describes the wine as “reasonably demi-sec,” meaning that he aims to balance the freshness and elegance with 15 grams of residual sugar. As such, the Demi-Sec is very food-friendly and can age for up to 20 years. |
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| Montlouis - Clos Michet |
| 100% Chenin blanc. Vines 30 to 70 year old. The grapes are hand-harvested in the 2nd passage (the first passage going to the "Dix Arpents"). Very small yields, 15 to 20 hl/ha. The fermentation begins with only the native yeasts and no chaptalization, and takes up to 6 months. The wine is then aged on fine lees, entirely in barriques, 25% new, 25% one year old, 25% two year old, 25% three year old. |
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| Montlouis - Clos Mosny |
| 100% Chenin blanc. Jacky and Joëlle Blot took over the historic Clos Mosny from Monmousseau after the 2010 harvest. Clos Mosny is a 12 hectare Clos that is now a monopole. The soil is a mix of flint and sand. Only the best fruit from the Clos is used for the single vineyard cuvée with the lesser fruit going into either Les Dix Arpents or to the base wine for Triple Zéro. |
| Montlouis Romulus |
| 100% Chenin Blanc from 70 to 80 year old . Sweet wine. 2003 vintage: "One thing is clear to me (at the close of the harvest): this year and for once I have no regret. The strategy [to wait to pick] was the correct one to the end. We have produced bottles that are eternal. They will, I hope, be opened over many decades in moments of happiness. What pleasure!”Jacky Blot, October 23, 2003. 100% botrytised grapes picked from several parcels during the 1st week of October. Extraordinary maturity and conditions at harvest for the creation of a historic wine; virtually every berry was used. A feast of tropical fruit underpinned by a refreshing fruity acidity. |
| Montlouis Romulus Plus |
| 100% Chenin Blanc. Sweet wine. A tiny selection of the above left to ripen for one more week. Nectar. |
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| Vouvray Sec - Les Caburoches |
| 100% Chenin Blanc. Vouvray Les Caburoches used to be called Champs Rougets. Analogous to the Dix Arpents, this accessible Vouvray is from the first passage (tri) through the vineyards. Blot’s Vouvray Sec Les Caburoches originates in a 30-year-old, south-facing vineyard with limestone-clay soil on a pure limestone base. The vineyard is plowed and cultivated following the practice of lutte raisonnee. Blots prunes severely with the goal of attaining a yield of about 20 hectoliters per hectare, which is tiny for a Vouvray. The grapes are all harvested by hand and then hand selected on a sorting table. After a gentle pneumatic pressing, fermentation begins with the native yeasts and no chaptalization. The wine develops on its lees in neutral, 4-5 year old barrels until the spring, when it is bottled. Blot’s Vouvray is a deeply textured, concentrated yet fresh and vivid Chenin Blanc. |
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| Vouvray Clos de la Bretonniere |
| 100% Chenin Blanc. The Clos de la Bretonniere is a south-east facing 4 hectare Clos located on the steep first slopes overlooking the Loire river. Blot is the sole owner of the entire Clos and made the first vintage in 2003. The soil here is deep clay over a limestone subsoil and the vines average 40 years of age. Blot prunes severely to limit the number of bunches of grapes, thereby assuring that the Clos Bretonniere fruit has the concentration he is looking for, with a yield of only 20 hectolitres per hectare. The grapes are hand- harvested in the 2nd passage through the vineyard in mid-October and then selected on a sorting table. After a gentle pneumatic pressing, fermentation begins with only the native yeasts and no chaptalization. Blot ferments the Clos Bretonniere for 6 months entirely in barriques, which are 10% new. Fermentation proceeds very slowly, and Blot does not add yeasts to advance the process. The wine is aged on its lees for six more months in barrel, and is bottled in November. The Clos Bretonniere combines remarkable density and richness with precision deriving from the wine’s minerality and focused acidity. It can be enjoyed young - especially if decanted –for the fruit typical of some more accessible vintages (like the 2009) or aged for many years which will bring out the nuances of a great Chenin Blanc from a top site in Vouvray. |
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| Vouvray - Clos Venise |
| Jacky Blot produced the first vintage of his “monopole” Vouvray Clos de Venise in 1998. It comes from a sloping, one hectare walled parcel (a Clos) with 40 year old Chenin Blanc vines in the commune of Noizay. The Clos faces due south, directly overlooking the Loire, and is sheltered by woods to the North and East. This is the most minerally and intense of Blot’s Vouvray’s, with remarkable finesse, precision and clarity. The grapes are hand picked on 2nd passage through the vineyards in mid-October. They are sorted on sorting tables in the vineyard, transported to the winery is small plastic crates to ensure that the fruit arrives undamaged, and then sorted again at the winery. The grapes are fermented fully dry using only native yeasts. Blot uses barriques that are 10% new. The Clos de Venise was recognized in the reader’s poll of France’s Bettane and Desseauve Guide as the wine of the year. Only 20 cases were imported to the USA. |
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