Domaine de la Taille aux Loups

Domaine de la Taille aux Loups

Founded only some twenty years ago, Domaine de la Taille aux Loups is a very young estate, yet already one of the most important in the Touraine and a natural candidate to lead the Montlouis-sur-Loire appellation.

The late Jacky Blot (1948-2023) ran the domaine and did an immense amount for Montlouis-sur-Loire.

He was the first here to age his wines at length in barrel.

After founding the estate in 1989 he moved into Vouvray as well, giving magnificent expression to that exceptional terroir.

The more recent wines have been reclassified as Vin de France, since they are vinified outside the appellation boundary.

Almost all the vineyards in Montlouis-sur-Loire and Vouvray are given over to Chenin Blanc. The vines are farmed organically, with organic fertiliser used sparingly and treatments held to the strict minimum.

The soil is ploughed to keep weeds down at the surface and to push the vines to root more deeply.

Leaf management is meticulous from spring through summer, and towards the end of summer the foliage has at times been stripped away entirely, leaving only the bunches.

Exposure to the sun improves, air moves freely through the canopy, and the risk of rot falls away sharply.

The exacting standards Jacky Blot brought to the vineyard, and that Jean-Philippe Blot brings today, carry straight through into the cellar.

Jacky pursued serious research into the use of oak, trying barrels of different origins, from different forests and different coopers.

The upshot is that virtually every wine at La Taille aux Loups is fermented in wood — in barrique, in demi-muid or in large foudre.

Jean-Philippe has inherited that philosophy in full.