©2007, The Birmingham Post
Winery tours are not without their hazards, as I recently discovered to my cost. As my host, Edouard Pisani-Ferry was guiding me from one fermentation tank to another, to taste the freely-pressed juice, we were gingerly stepping over a labyrinth of hoses scattered across the winery floor.
Suddenly, I felt wet down the back of my legs, and turned round to see my beige trousers coloured purple. The winery-hand had detached a hose from a pump, believing it empty, but there was still enough liquid remaining to spurt over me.
Edouard was mortified, and after explaining that I didn't have a spare pair in my car, he took me to his house, found me something to wear to complete the visit and asked his housekeeper to remove the stain.
"You English are certainly phlegmatic, if that had been a Frenchman, he would have gone berserk!" he explained. "Well, accidents happen", I replied, "It's just one of those things", trying to shrug off the incident.
The episode did little to dampen a thoroughly absorbing tasting. Château de Targe is superbly situated, half-way up a limestone cliff, looking northward across the Loire river, just 20 minutes drive east of Saumur.
Originally a hunting lodge, the estate was acquired by an ancestor in the mid-17th century, a personal secretary to Louis XIV, and has remained with the same family ownership ever since. Other famous forebears include an Agriculture Minister under General de Gaulle, but Edouard is the first family member to become a full-time winemaker.
I first made Edouard's acquaintance at the Loire Salon in 2003, and found that both he and his wines were utterly charming. Notwithstanding, I should mention in passing that Edouard is profoundly deaf yet, despite this handicap, he experiences no problems in communicating, as he can lip-read fluently in English or French.
The estate comprises around 24 hectares, with the major part devoted to Cabernet Franc, plus a little set aside for Chenin Blanc. Both stalwarts are representative of the staple varieties of the appellation (AOC) Saumur-Champigny.
Out in the vineyards, Edouard explained he is a follower of Claude Bourguignon, a soil microbiologist who is a leading exponent of the belief that the micro-organisms in the soil make the terroir different in each vineyard. His research has shown that wines from shallow-rooted vines are likely to taste the same whatever the soil, whereas deep-rooted vines can process soil nutrients at depth, producing unique flavours.
Since the turn of the millennium, the entire operation has become more environmentally friendly. There is less use of sprays and pesticides, and grass is planted between the rows of vines. This soaks up the rain and offers competition, forcing the vines to thrust their roots deeper, in search of moisture.
Yet, in truth, there is nothing exceptional. Harvesting is undertaken by machine, and yields are in the order of 50-55 hectolitres per hectare. Nevertheless, Edouard employs two sets of sorting tables to reject unripe or rotten berries before reaching the reception area. Partly as a result of stricter selection, and partly due to climate change, over the past 4 years the wines have not been chapitalised, in order words, no sugar added to boost body and alcoholic strength.
If I've had a criticism of Loire reds in the past, it's that they've been, apart from exceptional vintages, rather green and stalky. Back at the tasting room, we discuss the relative merits of the last three vintages between 2005 and 2003. The years may vary, but the signature remains the same.
The reds have a freshness and silkiness, tasting of delicious raspberry fruit infused with spice and soft tannins, with a lovely length of finish. The balance is perfect, and there are no harsh notes. Edouard draws my attention to a poster of a fin-de-siecle French lady in appropriate costume. "She embodies my wine, feminine and elegant", and as we concluded our meeting, my trousers are returned, stain-free and ready to wear.
The Chateau de Targe Saumur-Champigny 2003 is available from Majestic at £7.49 a bottle. For more information on the property, including visits, click onto www.chateaudetarge.fr
A short distance upstream, in the direction of Saumur, is Gratien & Meyer, famous for its sparkling wine. Established in 1864, its founder Alfred Gratien also set up a Champagne House in Epernay in the same year.
The wines are produced using the "Champagne" method, namely secondary bottle fermentation, but under two AOCs, Saumur and Crémant de Loire. The main differences are the permitted grape varieties, with Saumur including higher proportions of Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc (for Rosé) from a more restricted area, and Crémant allowing greater use of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir (the Champagne varieties) over the entire region.
The wines are aged in bottle on lees for between 2 - 5 years, to allow the yeasty characters to develop. Annual production is currently 2 million bottles, and the stocks in the cellars amount to around 5 million bottles.
Whilst clearly not Champagne, the more basic blends do share an elegance, freshness and lightness of touch, although some would be hard-pressed to distinguish the premium Cuvee Flamme range from the real thing. The main difference, of course, is price, and this makes G&M exceptional value.
This has long been realised by the Wine Society (01438.740222) who have been working with G&M for over 100 years, to make their own-label Saumur (£6.50) and Cremant (£8.50). The former is clean, light and fresh, with pear and citrus fruit, whereas the latter replaces Chenin with Chardonnay, to produce more elegance and refinement.
In addition to the Brut, Connollys (0121 236 9269) stock their Rosé (£8.95) made from Cabernet Franc and Grolleau, which is surprisingly fragrant, with a nutty brioche finish. Finally, from a blend of Chenin, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc, Oddbins list the top-of-the-range Flamme d'Or, at £10.99. It won't disappoint.