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.
| Wine | Place | rms Average score calculated using the root mean square method, reflecting the collective assessment of a wine by participants. | wavg Weighted average score for the wine, where each participant's rating is adjusted for their wine assessment expertise. | sdev Standard deviation measures the controversy of a wine's reception. A lower value signifies greater consensus among participants. | fav Count of participants who selected this wine as their evening's favourite. | out Number of participants who identified this wine as their least favourite of the evening. | price Price of the wine, if available. | QPR Quality-price ratio, indicating value for money. A higher number denotes better value. Available when price is known. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🏅 5th | 4.1404 | 4.2081 | 0.0121 | 0 | 0 | 1,793 UAH | 1.8399 | |
| 🏅 8th | 3.9011 | 3.9270 | 0.0089 | 0 | 0 | 2,016 UAH | 1.0672 | |
| 🥉 3rd | 4.2685 | 4.3324 | 0.0156 | 2 | 0 | 1,619 UAH | 2.4751 | |
| 🥈 2nd | 4.3258 | 4.3568 | 0.0306 | 4 | 0 | 2,500 UAH | 1.6657 | |
| 🏅 4th | 4.1758 | 4.2378 | 0.0301 | 0 | 0 | 1,728 UAH | 1.9994 | |
| 🥇 1st | 4.3752 | 4.4365 | 0.0262 | 3 | 0 | 3,503 UAH | 1.3494 | |
| 🏅 7th | 4.0791 | 4.1108 | 0.0112 | 0 | 0 | 2,100 UAH | 1.3523 | |
| 🏅 6th | 4.1011 | 4.1811 | 0.0547 | 0 | 0 | 3,570 UAH | 0.8862 | |
| 🏅 6th | 4.1519 | 4.1811 | 0.0156 | 0 | 0 | – | – |
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Les Hauts de Husseau 2022
- Type
- white still, dry
- Region
- Montlouis AOC, France
- Producer
- Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups
- Vintage
- 2022
- Grapes
- Chenin Blanc
- Alcohol
- 12.5
- Sugar
- 1.5
- Price
- 1793 UAH
This wine secured the 🏅 5th place in our wine tasting lineup.
Welcome drink.
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Triple Zéro NV
- Type
- white sparkling, brut-nature
- Region
- Montlouis AOC, France
- Producer
- Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups
- Wine
- Triple Zéro
- Vintage
- NV
- Grapes
- Chenin Blanc
- Alcohol
- 13
- Price
- 23.90 EUR
This wine secured the 🏅 8th place in our wine tasting lineup.
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Les Hauts de Husseau 2021
- Type
- white still, dry
- Region
- Montlouis AOC, France
- Producer
- Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups
- Vintage
- 2021
- Grapes
- Chenin Blanc
- Alcohol
- 12.5
- Sugar
- 1.5
- Price
- 1619 UAH
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
- Type
- white still, dry
- Region
- Montlouis AOC, France
- Producer
- Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups
- Vintage
- 2015
- Grapes
- Chenin Blanc
- Alcohol
- 13
- Sugar
- 3
- Price
- 2500 UAH
This wine secured the 🥈 2nd place in our wine tasting lineup.
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Bretonniere Cuvée Parcellaire Monopole 2021
- Type
- white still, dry
- Region
- Vin de Table (France), France
- Producer
- Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups
- Vintage
- 2021
- Grapes
- Chenin Blanc
- Alcohol
- 12.5
- Sugar
- 1.5
- Price
- 1728 UAH
This wine secured the 🏅 4th place in our wine tasting lineup.
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Bretonniere Cuvée Parcellaire Monopole 2016
- Type
- white still, dry
- Region
- Vin de Table (France), France
- Producer
- Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups
- Vintage
- 2016
- Grapes
- Chenin Blanc
- Alcohol
- 13
- Price
- 59.5 EUR
This wine secured the 🥇 1st place in our wine tasting lineup.
Domaine de la Butte Bourgueil Mi-Pente 2020
- Type
- red still, dry
- Region
- Bourgueil AOC, France
- Producer
- Domaine de la Butte
- Vintage
- 2020
- Grapes
- Cabernet Franc
- Alcohol
- 13.5
- Price
- 29.9 EUR
This wine secured the 🏅 7th place in our wine tasting lineup.
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Romulus 2020
- Type
- white still, sweet
- Region
- Montlouis AOC, France
- Producer
- Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups
- Vintage
- 2020
- Grapes
- Chenin Blanc
- Alcohol
- 11.5
- Price
- 65 EUR
This wine secured the 🏅 6th place in our wine tasting lineup.
Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups Montlouis sur Loire Clos Michet 2019
- Type
- white still, dry
- Region
- Montlouis AOC, France
- Producer
- Domaine de la Taille Aux Loups
- Vintage
- 2019
- Grapes
- Chenin Blanc
- Alcohol
- 13.5
- Sugar
- 3.4
This wine secured the 🏅 6th place in our wine tasting lineup.
Bonus bottle from one of attendees.
Raw scores
| Wine | Boris B | Elvira K | Anya I | Mykola T | Max D | Andrii S | Dmytro Kh | Vasyl V | Julia K |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.30 | 4.10 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 4.30 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.25 | 4.00 | |
| 4.10 | 4.00 | 3.90 | 3.90 | 3.80 | 3.80 | 3.80 | 3.90 | 3.90 | |
| 4.40 | 4.30 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 4.50 | 4.20 | 4.30 | 4.30 | 4.10 | |
| 4.60 | 4.20 | 4.30 | 4.40 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.20 | 4.50 | 4.50 | |
| 4.30 | 4.30 | 4.00 | 4.10 | 4.45 | 4.35 | 3.90 | 4.05 | 4.10 | |
| 4.50 | 4.30 | 4.30 | 4.40 | 4.60 | 4.50 | 4.00 | 4.35 | 4.40 | |
| 4.20 | 4.00 | 3.90 | 4.10 | 4.25 | 4.15 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 4.10 | |
| 4.20 | 4.20 | 3.70 | 3.90 | 4.55 | 4.30 | 4.00 | 4.00 | 4.00 | |
| 4.20 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.10 | 4.30 | 4.35 | 3.90 | 4.10 | 4.20 |