Category: News

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First harvest for our resistant vines !

First harvest for our resistant vines !

Planted on a small plot of 1732 square metres, alongside the Loire river, planted with peach and apple trees, and watched by our laying hens, these mildew resistant vines experience their first harvest.

Pierre-François Masson, 7th generation of winemakers at the Masson-Blondelet estate, started this experimental adventure in 2017.

This trial, authorised by France-Agrimer, is the first one in the whole Loire Valley region.

20 years after their return at the estate and following their parents – Michelle and Jean-Michel Masson, who never used any chemical fertiliser in their vines for almost 45 years – pionner path.

Pierre and Mélanie Masson, brother and sister – who stopped using herbicide and insecticide on all the estate’s vines since 2002 – were looking, with help from this new trial, for a way to stop the use of fongicides in this northern region prone to vine diseases.

Amateur apuculturist and sensitive to the environmental and climate challenges that our children will have to take up in the upcoming decades, Pierre-François Masson wished to share this first harvest – message of hope towards a more environment-friendly future – with his 6-year-old son Paul, so he can start to act, him also, in order to protect the planet.

This very first experimental harvest, of which NO BOTTLES will be commercialised, will give us a first idea – full scale- of the uncommon grapes, Sauvignon Kretos and Sauvignon Rytos, quality potential.

We would, therefore, know if we should presevere ou continue to look for new solutions for a more clean and environment-friendly viticulture.

#FirstonesinValdeLoire #Research #FindingSolutions #CleanWorld #Viticulture #ClimateChange #ResistantGrape #SauvignonKretos #SauvignonRytos #SauvignonBlanc #UltraBio #Mildew #Organic #ExperimentalVines #PouillyFumé #MassonBlondelet #Experiment #Winemaker #Pioneer

Photos credit : ED

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One Star in Guide Hachette des Vins 2021

We are very happy to announce that we received ONE STAR, at the famous Guide Hachette des Vins 2021, which was published despite restrictions due to the virus.

It is our cuvée Sancerre Blanc ‘Thauvenay’ 2018 that the tasters described as : “A nice iodic minerality serves as a central theme for this cuvée from siliceous and hardlime stones soils. The nose develops a nice vitality with hints of flowers, white
fruits and pineapple. The mouth, finely chopped, associates crispy and plumpy sensations, and develops a long and succulent finish with orange and lemon notes. »

We find the words to be fair and thank them for it.

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IWSC 2019 Awards

2019 Contest

 

Sancerre Blanc ‘Thauvenay’ 2018
89 Points : «Attractive nose comprising with white stone fruits and apples. Balanced palate, a leesy hint, good concentration and a lemony tang on the mineral finish.»

Pouilly Fumé 2018
87 Points : «The nose doesn’t give much away. Hints of struck match, citrus blossom and cooked apple. Good density in the mouth with some mineral textural nuances, fairly straight forward, medium finish. »

Pouilly Fumé ‘Villa Paulus’ 2018
86 Points : « Some flinty aromas, box hedge and snow peas. Unripe mango and apple flavours, the flintiness comes through as a low key mineral element, good zesty citrus notes. Ripe style, good length on finish.»

Pouilly Fumé ‘Clos du Château Paladi’ 2017
86 Points : «Yellow stone fruit aromas, roasted lemons, a little honeyed development also. Showing a level of nice compact fruit, clean acidity and fairly long, a modern style and very tasty.»

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Masson-Blondelet’s wines in Wine Enthusiast

12 January 2018.

Pouilly Fumé ‘Clos du Château Paladi’ 2015
93 Points, Editors’ Choice : « This wine comes from a small walled vineyard next to a townhouse with little towers, called locally in jest Château Paladi. Ripe with apple and lime fruits, the wine is crisply textured and balanced, with a flinty character. It is ready to drink. »
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/domaine-masson-blondelet-2015-clos-du-chateau-paladi-pouilly-fume

Pouilly Fumé ‘Les Angelots’ 2017
92 Points, Editors’ Choice : « Based in Pouilly-sur-Loire, this producer has crafted a full, rich wine. With its touch of toastiness and a smoky edge, the wine is full of ripe citrus fruit that is cut with zesty acidity. Drink from 2019. »
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/domaine-masson-blondelet-2017-les-angelots-pouilly-fume

Sancerre Blanc ‘Thauvenay’ 2017
90 Points : «A rounded wine, this offers a good balance between acidity and ripe white fruits. A nervy edge adds a youthful texture that gives shape to the wine. Drink now. »
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/domaine-masson-blondelet-2017-thauvenay-sancerre/

Pouilly Fumé ‘Villa Paulus’ 2017
89 Points : « Named after the Roman villa that once existed in Pouilly-sur-Loire (and which gave its name to Pouilly), this wine comes from old vines giving concentrated citrus and green-fruit flavors. Bright, crisp and tangy, the wine could do with some aging. Drink from 2019. »
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/domaine-masson-blondelet-2017-villa-paulus-pouilly-fume/

Sancerre Rosé ‘Thauvenay’ 2017
88 Points : « With just a touch of minerality, this crisp wine is also full of delicious red fruits. The acidity and brightness of the wine are well balanced, leaving great freshness at the end. Drink now. »
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/domaine-masson-blondelet-2017-thauvenay-rose-sancerre

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Last day of harvest with our 70 y/o vines

Last day of harvest for Masson-Blondelet, finishing with the 70 years old vines. A once in a year experience…

Here is Marie’s reaction, our intern for 6 months and extra help grape picker

“Harvesting is a special work. It can be very enjoyable if you have the chance, like I had, to work with nice and friendly people and if the weather also gives in, not too cold and especially not too hot. It’s a very physical task and we get warm easily even if we work early in the morning. Today, for the last day, 9 degrees under a bright sun it was just perfect.

But it’s true you have to be in good shape because your arms and legs never stop. And if you are fortunate enough to get a good partner, neither your mouth. Of course, meanwhile, you should be able to remain careful and fast.

We work outside, in the heart of a superb natural landscape, and we handle a product that I, personnally, find beautiful : grapes ! How satisfaying to see a beautiful bunch of Sauvignon Blanc with tight golden grapes that will become one day a great 2018 Pouilly-Fumé. As far as I’m concerned, it was just the perfect experience !”

You can click on the photos to get it full screen. You will see Mélanie Masson (in red) and some of our permanent employees, grape pickers for the time of the harvest : Thierry, Aymeric and Jean-François but also Jenny, Audrey and Marie (pink cardigan and long hair). This day, Pierre and Jean-Michel were working in the cellar and Michelle, like often, was cooking lunch for all her family…

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Did you try eating in a castle ?

Dinner in a Castle ? Yes, of course !

In the Casa Loma Castle, the Blueblood Steakhouse open its doors every evening for dinner.

You will dine in manor-like designed rooms, elegant and chic. Surely you will notice the presence of some anachronistic artwork, like Dali or Warhol, which make a very interesting contrast. Far from being repetitive, each of the rooms has a different ambience.

You will certainly find something to your taste in their extensive cocktail list as well as in their impressive wine collection in which figures our Masson-Blondelet Pouilly-Fumé Villa Paulus. As Nick Di Donato said, they took their time in order “to create one of the most spectacular wine lists in the city.”2

Such diversity permits to find the perfect pair to go with the menus, always presenting high quality ingredients. In their selection of meat, you will find classics and pieces from around the world, like their Wagyu beef from the United States, Australia or Japan. The menu also have its share of fish and seafood : beet-cured salmon, tuna tartare, oysters and king crab.

The atmosphere, the serving, the refined plates, everything is here to make you feel precious !

You can see here from left to right, the chef de grille Eddie Chung, the corporate executive chef & vice president operations Michael Ewing, and the chef de cuisine Meagan Andrews. The team also counts Natalie Pope, sommelier and wine director and Oliver Stern, bar manager and famous mixologist.

“When people come here they can appreciate the artwork, the history of Casa Loma and of course, the culinary experience”2 — Nick Di Donato

 

Sources (Text and photos) : 1 http://www.bluebloodsteakhouse.com/; 2 https://dolcemag.com/general-interest/restaurant/blueblood-toronto-classic-steakhouse/25725 ; https://torontolife.com/food/restaurants/whats-menu-blueblood-humongous-new-steakhouse-casa-loma/

Information :

BlueBlood Steakhouse : Casa Loma – 1 Austin Terrace, Toronto ON M5R 1X8

Sunday – Wednesday 5pm – 12midnight (kitchen closes at 11pm)
Thursday – Saturday 5pm – 1am (kitchen closes at 11pm) Telephone: +1.416.353.4647