Jacky Preys during the 2009 harvest

I’m not at all surprised that Jacky Preys doesn’t mince his words about the stupid and nonsensical reform of the Touraine Appellation to make it ready to become an appellation d'origine protégée.

Jacky has spent about 40 years re-establishing Fié Gris, the local Loire name for Sauvignon Gris/ Sauvignon Rose. He is largely credited with saving this old variety of Sauvignon from extinction. Thanks largely to Jacky there are now a number of attractive and interesting Fiés Gris in the Loire. Wine with their own distinct personalities – often softer, spicier and more complex than its assertive Blanc cousin.

Post on Fie Gris from Wine terroirs

Now Jacky finds some damn-fool reform of the Touraine AC will outlaw 100% Sauvignon Gris from the appellation. Only the latecomer Sauvignon Blanc will have the right to be 100% in AOP Touraine.

There are many other idiotic proposals in the fatally flawed "Cahier des charges de l'appellation d'origine contrôlée Touraine" without even getting started on the proposed AOP ‘Touraine Chenonceaux etc’. Small wonder that Château de Chenonceau (‘eau’ for the château, but ‘eaux’ for the village) refused to countenance the use of their name for this elasticated dog’s breakfast of an AOP. ‘AOP’ here standing for ‘any old place’ as the zone of the proposed Touraine Chenonceaux includes 28 communes spread over two départments – 60.8 kilometres by road from west to east!

 Château de Chenonceau 

But let’s not get sidetracked onto this ‘mélange’ of idiocies, as there will be time enough to return to these idiocies, rather instead concentrate on Fié Gris.

Under the proposed changes a limited amount of Fié Gris will be permitted unlike other typical and historic Touraine white varieties such as Chenin Blanc, Arbois/ Menu Pineau and Petit Meslier. Up to 20% Fie Gris will be allowed to be blended with Sauvignon Blanc:

‘La proportion du cépage sauvignon gris ne peut pas être supérieure à 20 % de l’encépagement’.

 How one might ask did these geniuses, who drew up these loopy proposals settle on 20% max of Sauvignon Gris? You would hope that they patiently experimented with various proportions of Sauvignon Blanc and Sauvignon Gris to see what worked best and what might best appeal to the home and export markets.

They might have done some carefully considered but I think it extremely unlikely. Instead they probably drew lots. Or perhaps they accepted advice that in Anjou-Saumur a maximum of 20% Sauvignon/Chardonnay can be added to Anjou Blanc and Saumur Blanc and it would be bureaucratically tidy to stick to the 20% figure.

  Just to show that these jokers do have a sense of humour these proposals are for an appellation d'origine protégée. Protégée! This is truly Alice in Wonderland. You set out a Ligerian vinous apartheid and you call it ‘protégée’!   

Eastern Touraine is the Loire’s crossroads: where the grape varieties suited to the western part of the valley meets those from the east. This has long been the Loire’s varietal melting pot. By betting the kitchen sink plus the dishwasher on the continued popularity of esca-prone Sauvignon the Touraine producers are taking a huge gamble. 

In contrast New Zealand, one of the Loire’s competitors, is now looking increasing to diversify as

shows. Not content with Sauvignon Blanc in Marlborough they are increasing working with Pinot Gris, Grüner Veltliner and other varieties. 

I continue to suspect that this vinous apartheid is all down to the misguided idea that if Touraine could only get Sauvignon off the label then fame and fortune will rapidly follow. Theirs will be a new Sancerre success story! Some hope! Take Sauvignon off the Touraine label and I would be amazed if sales on export market don’t nosedive. Sauvignon de Touraine or Touraine Sauvignon has become a recognized brand. In the UK, if people can’t find Touraine Sauvignon, they’ll buy Chilean, South African or New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc instead.

The severe frosts of 1991 and 2008 torpedoed Muscadet export sales. These sales once lost are incredibly difficult to regain. Quite why those in charge of the Touraine reforms are so insistent on creating a man-made spring frost is entirely beyond my understanding.

Jean-Christophe Mandard

If these daft reforms go through, who are likely to be the ultimate losers? Not I suspect and hope producers like Jacky Preys, who will doubtless continue to make his fine and characterful Fié Gris whatever the Touraine appellation decrees. Probably he will create a brand and sell it as a Vin de France. Just as fellow Touraine Jean-Christophe Mandard is doing with his Orbois and probably soon, his Pineau d’Aunis, which will also be banned under the new Touraine apartheid rules.

Small quantities these may be but more producers will doubtless follow meaning that there will be less money paid to Interloire to promote Loire wines. In January René Louis David, director of Interloire, asked me how Loire wines could be best promoted in the UK? Part of the answer, René Louis, is to use your influence to put a stop to ‘ces réformes complètement folles’.