Lydie & Max Cognard-Taluau (From Winedoctor)

helles Lydie & Max Cognard-Taluau
The domaine of Lydie and Max Cognard-Taluau dates back to 1974, beginning with the marriage of Lydie Taluau with Max Cognard. Lydie brought 2.5 hectares to the union, and the pair have never looked back since. From their home in Chevrette, just to the north of Bourgueil, today they extol 12 hectares of vines, of which 9 are entitled to the St Nicolas de Bourgueil appellation, and 3 are within the Bourgueil appellation boundary. The vineyards are devoted in entirety to Cabernet Franc, planted at a density of 4500 vines/ha, with the rows of vines interspersed with grass to keep down the weeds and to force the vines to root deeper for nourishment. Vineyard management is, on the whole, along the lines of lutte raisonée, an increasingly popular system of agriculture which allows for appropriate use of chemical treatments where necessary, encouraging a reasoned approach to their application, and thus hopefully improving the quality and life of the soil underfoot. In more northerly climes such as the Loire, where rain, mildew and oidium are frequently observed visitors in many summers, many viticulteurs view organic viticulture as a step too far, and lutte raisonée is a much more comfortable option.
From the St Nicolas vineyards comes Cuvée Estelle (which may also be labelled as La Vinée), an easy drinking cuvée produced from sandy terroirs. Of considerably more interest is the Cuvée Les Malgagnes, which comes from a 2 hectare plot of vines on a much more favourable terroir of clay and flint. This is perhaps the flagship cuvée; in my limited experience it has given much pleasure. The Bourgueil vineyards include a mix of terroirs, some clay and limestone, some sand and a very small section of gravel. These vineyards yield a red Cuvée les Tuffes, and there is also a rosé. In addition there is L’Euphoria, a sparkling rosé.
Although my experience of this domaine is limited to a few bottles of Les Malgagnes, a couple of these were frankly delicious, and the 2005 in particular was one of the most fabulous expressions of Cabernet Franc I have ever encountered. It confirmed for me, with barely a smell and a sip, the fantastic quality that this vintage offers in the Loire. (21/8/08)Contact details:Address: Chevrette, 37140 St Nicolas de BourgueilTelephone: +33 (0) 2 47 97 76 88Fax: +33 (0) 2 47 97 97 83Internet: www.vins-stnicolas-bourgueil-cognard.com