Cognettes
France, Nantes, Muscadet, Clisson
Seventh-generation winemaker brothers, Stéphane and Vincent started working in their family vineyards in 1988, converted to organic in 2009, and produced their first certified vintage in 2013.
Their soil is volcanic in two terroirs; the first has a top soil of sand, gravel and clay with a subsoil soil of gabbro. The second; a topsoil quartz with a subsoil of granite.
Their new 2019 reds as well as refills of their 2018 whites have just landed - we've had a quick chat:
"In 2019 we have lost a big amount of grapes to frost, but we've still had great results for our reds. The grapes were of very good quality with loads of aroma and a good colour. The harvest has been easy as there weren't many rotten grapes.
"For the Le Pas Rouge 2019 we've had two types of macerations: one with destemmed grapes only and the other one whole bunch. The result is a Gamay with a great balance between aroma and acidity. It's a red wine which is really fresh and not heavy to drink. So we are hoping to have a similar result in 2020!
"For the Pinot Noir 2019 we were lucky as well when it comes to the quality of the grapes last year. The wine has been aged in tanks as these don't change the aroma of the wine, so we've got the real taste of the Pinot Noir shining through. This cuvee has an ABV of 14% which is exceptional for our wines which have usually a lower percentage. In France we call this sort of wine 'le vin des copains', which means a wine particularly good for sharing with friends.
"As for 2018, we have lost a good amount due to mildew. But what we were able to save was of good quality. Due to a hot summer which followed after a rainy spring, the 2018 whites are generally rich but still very fresh, with fermentations ranging between three to 13 months in order to achieve the right balance. The 2019 Chardonnay will be great but it is still fermenting. In general, natural wines have a longer fermentation than conventional wines. And the whites are fermenting even longer than reds.
"At the moment we've got a three-week advance in the vineyard due to the mild climate. We are very happy as so far the vines are looking very good, after the last couple of challenging years this will be a welcome change. But, the advance means no holidays for us this summer as we will now need to work quicker to catch up as well as have an earlier harvest than usual.
"Next year we will be trying out something new: we will do a Sauvignon Gris maceration. We're looking forward to seeing the results of that!"
Now in Stock
WHITE
2018 (IGP) Gros Plant - Folle Blanche
2018 (IGP) Chardonnay - Chardonnay
2018 (AOC Muscadet) Muscadet les 2 Terres - Melon de B.
RED
NEW 2019 (IGP) Le Pas Rouge - Gamay
NEW 2019 (IGP) Pinot Noir - Pinot Noir
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