GK wrote:
I cant comment on the '08 as I havent tried it, the '09 was poor IMO.
I find it hard to believe the difference between the two vintages would be so substantial that the '08 gets a Gold award, was '08 an exceptional vintage for the region? I cant find anything to back that up.
'08 was not exceptional for cab franc at Loire latitudes -on the face of it, that award is "all about face" unless the Cab franc was grown in a particulary good
climat a local micro climat south facing sheltered vineyard. The CF sometimes doesn't ripen enough to make anything other than rather hard and furry on the gums. Whilst 2009 was a warmer growing season with an Indian summer at harvest time in northern France and southern England.
So.......
It don't make sense on paper ?
But .... I did find '08 chenin blanc to be much more dimensional than '09 from the shale and sheltered north bank......yeah miro climat effect, that Vouvray demi sec I like for instance. - So....... go figure ! Praps the decent stuff went elsewhere, and the 09 dross for the bulk wine was worse than
'as it comes off the harvester' '08 fruit.
As Ba would say - "Just drink it and find out"