Saumur Champigny “Les Vignoles” Rouge
WHY WE LOVE IT
- Les Vignoles is located on a plateau overlooking the Loire with deep caves once inhabited by humans. The vines grow on a plateau bordered by south-facing cliffs over the Loire River.
- The soil here reposes entirely on carbonate formations of Turonian limestone. It is mostly shallow, with soft limestone, resulting in a moderate, but fairly regular water supply, ideal for growing high quality Cabernet Franc.
- The average age of the vines are 55 years
Varietal Composition: 100% Cabernet Franc
Elaboration: After crushing and total destemming, the grapes are put into temperature-controlled stainless steel vats. Light and daily pumping over. Short maceration. “Les Vignoles” is aged for 6-10 months in a quiet, dark, underground gallery at a cool, constant temperature before bottling.
Tasting Notes: Deep ruby. Nose of candied black fruit (cherries) with toasty, spicy hints. Lots of depth on the palate, with flintiness and smooth tannins. Lovely fullness and a long aftertaste of violet and black fruit.
PRESS
n/a
PRODUCER BACKGROUND
In 1957, around forty winegrowers grouped together to confront the economic difficulties of the era, pooling far more than mere financial concerns. At the time, Robert, Marcel, Yvon, Geneviève and the others, hailing from the same terroir, hewn from the same rock and sharing the same time-honoured values, set up their cooperative at the top of the hill in Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg. “They chose to share their experience, their expertise, and their dreams.”