The domaine is situated in the oustskirts of Morogues, the eastern part in the Menetou-Salon-zone and about 10 km from the Sancerre-region. Domaine Henry Pelle is a large estate of 40 hectares and since the 70’s they have owned vines in the Sancerre-zone in the commune of Montigny. Since 1995 they have also bought fruit for Sancerre from a grower in Verdigny. But most wines are from the appellation of Menetou-Salon. About to thirds of the production is whites, the rest is pinot noir vinified either as red or rose. The standard-cuvee is named Les Bornes and is made up from different parcels in the commune of Menetou-Salon. There's a red and a white. The white, red and rose named Morogues are from choice-plots in this commune. For the whites there are two cru wines: Vignes de Ratier and Les Blanchais. For reds there is the cru Les Cris – the vineyard right behind the cellars of the domaine. In certain vintages they also make a special selection of Les Cris named Couer de Cris. This is a selction from vines planted in 1960. All cru-vineyards are within the commune of Morogues.
Tasting notes
Menetou-Salon blanc Les Bornes 2010
This comes from soil with more clay. Traditional making with pneumatic pressing and aging on the lees for 6 months in stainless steel-tanks. Greenish and aromatic hints of the sauvignon blanc-grape. Some gooseberry. Quite mineral approach. Pretty intense wine in the mouth. There is a good concentration here. The wine is a little coarser and more rustic in style than those from Sancerre. Lightly earthy and fine vegetal sauvignon blanc-hints. Fine minerality. Good depth here for a standard-cuvee. Fine acids. Some grapefruit on the finish. Good.
Menetou-Salon blanc Morogues 2010
The soil around Morogues is kimmeridgian marl. Vinification and aging equal to the Les Bornes, but this has a little longer fermentation-time. More citrusy nose. And clearer notes of asparagus on the nose. Again very fine minerality. In the mouth this has the same lightly coarser style, perhaps not in a negative way. Fine concentration and this has more structure. More citrusy fruit and firmer acidity. Finer fruit. Asparagus and again fine minerality and depth. Longer finish. A good step up in quality. Very good.
Menetou-Salon blanc Morogues vignes de Ratier 2010
From a 5 hectare-parcel with 30 years old vines. Soil has more chalk. Vinification equal to the two previous wines. Aging is 80% in tank and 20% in 400 liter barrels on the lees for 8 months. Not filtered. Finer and more elegant wine on the nose. Nettles, flowers, leafs. Minerality. More elegant wine in the mouth. Good concentration with hints of lightly sweetish flowers in the fruit. Nettle, citrus. Fine acids. More lively and light on the feet. Yet good concentration and length. A slight step up in quality from the standard Morogues.
Menetou-Salon blanc Morogues Le Carroir 2010
Ok, there is a new cru coming out and it is named Le Carroir. The vines are 50 years old and the soil has clay with flint in it. This type of siliceous-soil is rare in Menetou-Salon AOC. The last couple of vintages it has been bottled separately. Obvious flint-minerality on the nose with the hints of gunsmoke. More complex wine. Aromatic hints of nettles. Fullbodied and not as elegant as the Ratier in the mouth. The fruit is very interesting. Lots of minerality and more complexity. Light aromatic hints of the grape. Great depth. Fine acids and length. Very interesting wine.
Menetou-Salon blanc Morogues Les Blanchais 2010
From a 2,7 hectare slope with massal selected 55 year old vines. The soil is kimmeridgian limestone with clay and some flint - but far less than in Le Carroir. Vinification and aging is equal to the Vignes de Ratier. On the nose this shows a most different and fine minerality. Hinst of citrus and chalk. Fullbodied and a more structured style in the mouth. Citrusy young fruit. Lots of minerality. There is a light touch of flint. Quite elegant wine with fine acids and good length. This is definitely built to take on some years of cellaring. Perhaps not better than the Le Carroir right now, but with a potensial for the future. Great wine.
Menetou-Salon blanc Morogues 2007
Three years of cellaring and this is a lot more open and giving. Fully mature now. Fine minerality and an aged complexity. Open and ready in the mouth. Fine fruit, lightly yellowish notes and a fine minerality. The acidity and length is fine. This drinks far better than the ’10 and is probably at its peak.
Menetou-Salon blanc Morogues Les Blanchais 2007
This is also entering a beautiful stage of drinking. Highly mineral and open on the nose. A lot more complexity. There is some richness to the quite ripe fruit. It is fuller in the mouth than the Morogues. It is tighter and more structured, yet it manages to remain elegant in the mouth. Very fine fruit. Fine minerality and depth. Good acidity and length. Great wine. Drink now and the next 3-4 years.
Menetou-Salon blanc Morogues Clos de Ratier 2006
The same wine as Vignes de Ratier – it changed name with the 2007-vintage. Not as giving on the nose as the two previous wines. Some minerality, but a bit simpler in style. Limey and citrusy fruit. More power in the mouth. Rounder and creamier style with more ripeness. But simpler fruit. Limey and some fine minerality. Some flowers. Fine acids and length. Ripe, but good freshness. Very good.
Menetou-Salon blanc Morogues Les Blanchais 2008
This is far less giving than the ’07. On the nose it is less ripe than the ’07 with more notes of leafs and asparagus. But also this shows a very pretty minerality. Lighter than the ’07 in the mouth, yet it is a quite fullbodied sauvignon blanc. Leaner style with a fine acidity. The minerality shows fine depth, but again it is not as giving. Needs another year to show more of its potensial. Great wine.
Menetou-Salon rouge Morogues 2010
So to a couple of red ones at the end. Domaine Henry Pelle makes five red wines. One red Sancerre and four from Menetou-Salon. Les Bornes is the entry-level. Morogues is the mid-level. It is sourced from vines in the commune of Morogues with an average age of 25 years. Soil is kimmeridgian limestone. The wine is fermented in large barrels. The colour is light red with violet hues. Flowery and bright fruit on the nose. Some red berries. Some darker berries. An odd note of caramel. Medium bodied and typical tight pinot noir in the mouth. Acidic style. Simple flowery and berryish fruit. Good concentration. Typically lightly rustic finish. Good Loire-pinot noir, but not up to the quality-level of the whites.
Menetou-Salon rouge Morogues Les Cris 2008
This is the top-level red from the vineyard that is right behind the cellar of the domaine. In certain years there is also a special cuvee made from a single parcel under the name Couer de Cris. The vines are 50-60 years old. Soil is kimmeridgian limestone. It is aged in barrels for 7-11 months. Parts of the barrels are new. The wine has a red colour. Less violet than the ’10 Morogues. On the nose spice, oak. Much oak. Some darker berries. Fuller in the mouth. Some fine dark fruits, but this has too much oak. It is better structured than the Morogues with a more tannic end. Give it another 3-4 years in the cellar and hope the oak comes around.
Menetou-Salon rouge Morogues Les Cris 2010
Barrel-samples. After tasting the Les Cris ’08 with Paul-Henry Pelle I mentioned the oak was too much. He agreed. From the ’10-vintage he has decided to make changes. There will be no more new oak. He has put 70 hl in large old barrels. Another 50 hl is in tank. These will be blended together for the final cuvee. Paull-Henry brings out a sample of both parts of the wine. The tank-part has a beautiful fragrance. Flowery and elegant. Brigh and pure fruits. A bit juicy style, but so pure and nice aromatics. The part in barrel shows more structure and tannins. Still it has fine aromatics and is far less influenced by the oak than the ’08. Now we are talking something really interesting. I am looking forward to retasting this again when it is finally bottled.
Arnt Egil Nordlien
Tasting note: Sep-11
The sign of domaine Henry Pelle, informing you that you have found your way.
The new generation of Domaine Henry Pelle. Paul-Henry Pelle is winemaker at the domaine today.
The house of Domaine Henry Pelle.
The cellars of Domaine Henry Pelle. In the background you see the vineyard Les Cris.
The box of Domaine Henry Pelle to gather grapes - guarded by ladybird beetles.
Hmmmm, strange those grapes in Menetou-Salon.