2002 Valley- Tasting Notes by Daniel Haas

Vouvray [ JC & Christophe 1997 Vouvray The 2002 in the Vouvray region les Larmes de Bacchus was very successful, along with other re- Tropical nose. Almost white chocolate. The gions of the Loire. There was no doubt Pichot fruit is like cotton candy – super thick that the , Burgundy, Alsace and like butterscotch syrup. Some vanilla bean were the only regions that Domaine Coteau de la Biche nuances with a tiny bit of refreshing acid were able to produce great in 2002. 2002 Vouvray Sec on the final palate. 19.3 Every other region had problems with rain 8 grams of residual sugar. Very typical nose or hail or both. Anywhere south of Lyon of tropics and some banana. The fruit 1996 Vouvray had massive amounts of rain which pre- has a kumquat flavor with a great bal- les Larmes de Bacchus cluded them from making top notch wines. ance of a touch of sugar backed by some Lots of botrytis on the nose. Crème brûlée zippy acidity. A bit of butterscotch at the dessert. The fruit is intense like cotton As far as Vouvray was concerned, the tell- end. 17.8 candy; it is also floral with nuances of tale sign of a very ripe and great vintage fresh gardenias and magnolia blossoms, is the amount of semisweet and Moelleux Domaine too. The fruit is so sweet it’s like biting and some ultra sweet wines that are pro- into a sugar cone and then the bits of duced. Such was the case with the 2002 le Peu de la Moriette acid give it a dried apricot ending. 19.6 vintage. You have to go back to 1997 to 2002 Vouvray find the last vintage that was as intense 25 grams of residual sugar. Applesauce 1995 Vouvray as the 2002. The great thing though is nose, also some grapefruit on the palate. les Larmes de Bacchus that along with the high sugars, the cool The grapefruit is soaking in sugar with Hazelnut nose, almost coffee/mocha. summer protected the acids and you have some floral rose character, too. There is a Thick, somewhat one dimensional fruit at somewhat of a combination of 1996 and mass of tropical pineapple and cloves – first, then some citric ripe orange and 1997 . The grapes were so ripe very spiced with a refreshing lemony fin- mandarin fruit. Very refreshing, elegant, that very little dry was produced and ish. Top notch. 18.7 absolutely no was made. pure tangerines that have been soaking in sugar for days. Some mango and pa- 2002 Vouvray Moelleux The spring was quite nice, very little rain. paya at the end. 19.5 400 cases produced. 100 grams of residual Flowering started around June 20th and sugar. Smoky, buttery nose. Super silky it got very hot around that time. This in- and round fruit. Some ripe banana and tense, early heat produced the complete pineapple flavors, still with some very flowering in only three days. This made zippy acidity. It’s as though the pineapple for very even ripening potential and also has been marinated in sugar. The power- a decent-sized crop. The weather in Sep- ful acidity makes it like a sweet tart that tember was dry and cool with some strong has minerals added. The finish is like a north winds which concentrated the sug- lemon drop. 19.2 ars. In addition there was some fog in the mornings which precipitated the botrytis in the grapes. 2002 was a vintage of 2002 Vouvray botrytis, yet also some of the highest ac- les Larmes de Bacchus ids since 1996. The soil was dry, there 150 grams of residual sugar. 200 cases was only the fine rot. Production was a produced. Very ripe nose. The fruit is like little below normal since botrytis concen- peaches and cream. Very viscous and thick trated the sugars and there is less juice. and oily. Very powerful pungent flavors Production was about 2½ tons per acre with some burnt oranges. A bit of miner- and at the price of Vouvray on the mar- als and pine on the finish. 19.3 ket, I can’t imagine how one can make a good living. Needless to say, it’s a great wine for the money, providing it is prop- erly made and not the usual overproduced over-sulphured sugar water.

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