Appointment is made with Eric Morgat on Wednesday 16 January 2019 at 11am at his home in Clos Ferrard in Savennières. The weather is magnificent, the sun is shining and the cold is dry and prickly. The first surprise is that Eric Morgat's house is undergoing major renovations: he is building a brand new winery. A magnificent building of wood and stone, validated by the Bâtiments de France because we are in a classified natural area. All around, vines, which descend majestically towards the Loire. Eric arrives, all smiles, and gives us a tour of the site. We climb onto the future terrace to admire the panorama of the vineyards. It is magnificent, time stands still.
But it's time to go taste the wines and we're off, in the direction of Epiré, to Château in Chamboureau where Eric has his winery. A very nice château, typical of Anjou, which is in full restoration. 1st tasting of the 2017 on vat and it's already superb, in place. First Litus, chenins planted by Eric in Rochefort sur Loire on the other side of the Loire at a place called Pierre-Bise. A flattering, fruity, very pleasant wine with a very marked finish of citrus fruits, white skin of wild orange. Then comes Fides, very different, very marked by the terroir of Savennières. Less fruity, more mineral, longer. It's really interesting to see how the terroirs mark the wines on the same grape varieties, with the same winemaker.
Tasting then of the wines in barrels, the 2018 of course which are promising and then the 2016 which are in place. Small emotion with the tasting of a barrel of Roche aux Moines which really has the shoulders. Will it be blended? Will there be a plot of land? Only Eric knows...
It's time to leave for lunch next door at Epiré Chez Mili, a restaurant that has just opened in a very pretty maison. an address to recommend for anyone who passes by.
