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Jacky Blot Uncorked

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EN

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Boris Buliga

A legendary discovery.


It takes significant willpower and discipline to resist the urge to immediately open the latest releases from Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups. My modest attempts to save some bottles for later, coupled with a few well-connected friends in Europe, afford us the opportunity to enjoy a variety of vintages, all crafted by the maestro before his passing.

Unlike the grand narrative of the Biblical "Genesis," the origins of Jacky Blot’s winery are more humble. Before his foray into viticulture, Jacky was a professional paratrooper, later transitioning into wine sales. It was this stint that ignited his passion for Burgundy wines, celebrated for their focus on individual vineyards. This passion led him to become a winemaker himself, eventually settling in Montlouis-sur-Loire, a less renowned but charming counterpart to Vouvray, located just across the river. Jean-Philippe humorously notes that his father chose Montlouis not only for its potential but also because the land was more affordable compared to the prestigious and costly Vouvray.

This geographical proximity is crucial for understanding the dynamic between the two regions. Divided by the river Loire, Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire are key locations for Chenin Blanc. Traditionally, Vouvray has been the more famous of the two, often praised in literature for its sweet wines. Montlouis, with less extensive vineyards, only gained its independent appellation status in 1937. A 2013 legislation that restricted the use of the Vouvray label to wines made from locally grown grapes within the region forced some producers to label their bottles simply as Vin de France—a twist that is both humorous and frustrating.

While Vouvray remains largely traditional, Montlouis has been the birthplace of new innovators like Jacky Blot and François Chidaine, who took a different approach to winemaking. They chose to produce dry wines, focused on expressing the terroir through single-vineyard productions, and immediately adopted organic practices.

Jacky Blot's acquisition of the winery from Prudhomme in 1989 marked the beginning of a new era in the region. His early vintages presented significant challenges: 1989 and 1990 were years of very ripe harvests, ideal for sweet wines, while 1991 experienced a severe frost with no production. The 1992 vintage was complicated, with an excessive yield of underripe grapes, and 1993 continued the trend of difficult years. In 1993, facing adversity, Jacky contemplated abandoning winemaking. Instead, he decided to experiment, making his first dry white wine, which initially did not gain popularity but later found acceptance. He also pioneered his first pet-nat, Triple Zero, questioning whether it was possible to create a sparkling wine without added sugar, chaptalisation, or dosage, while still maintaining sufficient freshness.

Thus began the story of Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups. The idea behind this tasting might initially appear unremarkable. Although I am not extensively experienced with Chenin Blanc or the Loire Valley, the wines from this domaine are considered among the finest globally, especially given their value. Their charm is immediate, capturing the hearts of many from the first sip, which makes the idea of gathering to appreciate these wines both deeply appealing and somewhat ordinary.

We recently received the 2022 vintages. While we could open these bottles now, I see little point in sampling such young wines prematurely (although people did convince me to open one as a welcoming drink). To enhance our experience, I've included his legendary sparkling wine, a rare red, a sweet wine, and a mini-vertical tasting from Montlouis and Vouvray, where the youngest is from the 2021 release. There is much to discuss and savour.

WinePlace
wavg
sdev
fav
price
volume
QPR
🏅 5th4.21690.01210
UAH 1,793.00
0.75 L
1.2081 😊
🏅 9th3.92820.00890
UAH 2,016.00
0.75 L
0.6302 😐
🥉 3rd4.34230.01562
UAH 1,619.00
0.75 L
1.6553 😍
🥈 2nd4.35070.03064
UAH 2,500.00
0.75 L
1.3562 😊
🏅 4th4.24370.03010
UAH 1,728.00
0.75 L
1.3015 😊
🥇 1st4.43800.02623
UAH 3,503.00
0.75 L
1.3804 😊
🏅 8th4.11130.01120
UAH 2,100.00
0.75 L
0.8965 🤔
🏅 6th4.18870.05470
UAH 3,570.00
0.75 L
0.8073 🤔
🏅 7th4.18030.01560
0.75 L

Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Les Hauts de Husseau 2022

Region
France » Loire » Montlouis AOC
Type
white still, dry
Vintage
2022
Grapes
Chenin Blanc
Alcohol
12.5
Sugar
1.5
Volume
750 mL
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Les Hauts de Husseau 2022

This wine secured the 🏅 5th place in our wine tasting lineup.

Welcome drink.

Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Triple Zéro NV

Region
France » Loire » Montlouis AOC
Type
white ancestral sparkling, brut nature
Vintage
NV
Grapes
Chenin Blanc
Alcohol
13
Volume
750 mL
Find at
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Triple Zéro NV

This wine secured the 🏅 9th place in our wine tasting lineup.

Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Les Hauts de Husseau 2021

Region
France » Loire » Montlouis AOC
Type
white still, dry
Vintage
2021
Grapes
Chenin Blanc
Alcohol
12.5
Sugar
1.5
Volume
750 mL
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Les Hauts de Husseau 2021

This wine secured the 🥉 3rd place in our wine tasting lineup.

Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Les Hauts de Husseau 2015

Region
France » Loire » Montlouis AOC
Type
white still, dry
Vintage
2015
Grapes
Chenin Blanc
Alcohol
13
Sugar
3
Volume
750 mL
Find at
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Les Hauts de Husseau 2015

This wine secured the 🥈 2nd place in our wine tasting lineup.

Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Bretonniere Cuvée Parcellaire Monopole 2021

Region
France » Vin de France
Type
white still, dry
Vintage
2021
Grapes
Chenin Blanc
Alcohol
12.5
Sugar
1.5
Volume
750 mL
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Bretonniere Cuvée Parcellaire Monopole 2021

This wine secured the 🏅 4th place in our wine tasting lineup.

Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Bretonniere Cuvée Parcellaire Monopole 2016

Region
France » Vin de France
Type
white still, dry
Vintage
2016
Grapes
Chenin Blanc
Alcohol
13
Volume
750 mL
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Bretonniere Cuvée Parcellaire Monopole 2016

This wine secured the 🥇 1st place in our wine tasting lineup.

Domaine de la Butte Bourgueil Mi-Pente 2020

Region
France » Loire » Bourgueil AOC
Type
red still, dry
Vintage
2020
Grapes
Cabernet Franc
Alcohol
13.5
Volume
750 mL
Domaine de la Butte Bourgueil Mi-Pente 2020

This wine secured the 🏅 8th place in our wine tasting lineup.

Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Romulus 2020

Region
France » Loire » Montlouis AOC
Type
white still, sweet
Vintage
2020
Grapes
Chenin Blanc
Alcohol
11.5
Volume
750 mL
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Romulus 2020

This wine secured the 🏅 6th place in our wine tasting lineup.

Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Clos Michet 2019

Region
France » Loire » Montlouis AOC
Type
white still, dry
Vintage
2019
Grapes
Chenin Blanc
Alcohol
13.5
Sugar
3.4
Volume
750 mL
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Clos Michet 2019

This wine secured the 🏅 7th place in our wine tasting lineup.

Bonus bottle from one of attendees.

Raw scores

WineBoris BElvira KAnya IMykola TMax DAndrii SDmytro KhVasyl VJulia K
4.304.104.004.104.304.104.104.254.00
4.104.003.903.903.803.803.803.903.90
4.404.304.104.204.504.204.304.304.10
4.604.204.304.404.104.104.204.504.50
4.304.304.004.104.454.353.904.054.10
4.504.304.304.404.604.504.004.354.40
4.204.003.904.104.254.154.004.004.10
4.204.203.703.904.554.304.004.004.00
4.204.104.104.104.304.353.904.104.20