Loire Wines: Touraine - Saumur-Champigny - Sparkling
19 Jan 2023- Details
- Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy

(April 28, 2022) … Two thematic tastings under one roof with a look at Touraine and Saumur wines.
Some quick facts about Touraine
- 5000 hectares stretch out both sides of the Cher and Loire rivers
- Encompasses 139 towns
- 500 winemakers
- Making 28,000,000 bottles annually
- 59% white wines – 22% red wines – 8% rosé – 11% sparkling
- Top white varieties: Sauvignon Blanc 43%, followed by Chenin (7%) and Chardonnay (3%)
- Top red varieties: Gamay 21%, followed by Cabernet Franc (10%) and Cot (Malbec 8%)
- Only 20% of the wine is exported; and while 80% remains in France – 50% are direct sales to the consumer
- Top export markets are the UK (36%), USA (21%), Netherlands (16%), Belgium (7%) and Canada (5%)
- Touraine has 5 geographical denominations:
-Amboise / -Azay-le-Rideau / -Chenonceaux / -Mesland et -Oisly
And now, here are the wines from both tastings …
(because of the quantity of wines on offer during this tasting I used my Good / Good+ approach for scoring, I also where available, list the varieties that make up the wine – and a few of the really good(+) ones even got some notes)
Maison Laudacius Jardin Des Rois Fb Rosé ... Good
40% Cabernet Franc, 5% Grolleau, 40% Gamay, 15% Pinot Noir
Domaine Mérieau 2018 J'ose Les Fines Bulles - Blanc ... Good
60% Menu Pineau, 10% Chenin, 30% Chardonnay
Domaine De La Renaudie 2021 Touraine Sauvignon - Blanc ... Good
100% Sauvignon
Domaine Jacky Marteau 2021 Touraine Sauvignon – Blanc ... Good
100% Sauvignon
Domaine Chainier 2021 Château De La Roche - Blanc ... Good
100% Sauvignon
Domaine Des Echardières 2021 Touraine Sauvignon - Blanc ... Good
100% Sauvignon
Domaine Pascal Gibault 2021 Touraine Sauvignon - Blanc ... Good
100% Sauvignon
Château De Fontenay 2021 Le Sauvignon - Blanc
100% Sauvignon - Guava and grapefruit with a supple palate and long finish ... Good+
Vins Beaujardin 2021 Moulin Des Aigremonts - Blanc ... Good
100% Sauvignon
Clos Roussely 2020 Le Clos - Blanc
100% Sauvignon - Floral and yellow grapefruit cocktail ... Good+
Domaine Sauvète 2021 Méli Mélo - Rosé ... Good
50% Pineau D'aunis, 50% Cabernet Franc
Domaine Sauvète 2020 Les Gravouilles - Rouge ... Good
100% Gamay
Domaine De Fontenay 2019 La Réserve De Jean - Rouge ... Good
Cabernet Franc, Côt
White Saumur and Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame: Two Facets of Saumur Wines
Domaine Des Garennes 2020 Empreinte - Blanc ... Good
Chenin 100%
Domaine Du Moulin De L’horizon 2020 Mélodie - Blanc ... Good+
Chenin 100%
Château De Targé 2019 Les Fresnettes - Blanc ... Good
Chenin 100%
Domaine Arnaud Lambert 2018 Coulée De Saint Cyr - Blanc ... Good
Chenin 100%
Domaine Arnaud Lambert 2018 Clos De La Rue - Blanc ... Good
Chenin 100%
Domaine Du Vieux Pressoir 2019 Origine - Rouge
Cabernet Franc 100% - Structured and smoky, with earthy, black cherry, subtle woodsy notes, and mild flavour of coffee powder on the finish ... Good+
Domaine Saint Landor 2019 L'Obligé - Rouge
Cabernet Franc 100% - Fruit forward with lots of red berries: strawberry, raspberry, and hints of mocha - silky mouthfeel with an elegant finish ... Good+
Domaine Du Moulin De L’horizon 2019 Virtuose - Rouge ... Good
Cabernet Franc 100%
Mélaric 2018 Clos De La Cerisaie - Rouge ... Good
Cabernet Franc 100%
Manoir De Tête Rouge 2018 Enchentoir - Rouge ... Good
Cabernet Franc 100%
Domaine De L'enchantoir 2018 Pied À L'etrier - Rouge ... Good
Cabernet Franc 100%
Domaine De L'enchantoir 2017 Clos Du Petit Chavannes - Rouge ... Good
Cabernet Franc 100%
Immersion: Saumur-Champigny
Another walking tour … this time it’s a partial walk along the VVR Route (Vignes Vins Randos) as we check out some of the vineyards around Saumur and taste a number of wines at stops along the way. We find a wine producer who has built their prodcution area right in the rocks; and here is where I also taste one of the best Cabernet Franc’s I taste throughout the whole trip – hint: it has something to do with wolves.
Langlois-Chateau 2020 Domaine
Fruit driven due to the stainless steel, along with subtle herbal characteristics. (*** ½)
Château De Chaintres 2020 Vieilles Vignes
Gentle spice and black fruit; notes of vanilla, black cherry and black raspberry on the mid-palate - complex and tasty. (****)
Domaine De La Bessiere 2018 XL
Light, fresh, and easy drinking: big red fruit with a medium-light spiciness. (*** ½)
Alliance Loire - Robert & Marcel 2019 Les VignolesSmooth and silky; blackberry and cassis, along with subtle pepper and round tannins which prove to be non-aggressive on the finish. (*** ½+)
Domaine De La Perruche 2020 Terroir de CraieSteel tanks were used in the making of this wine - fresh dark fruit oriented, nice complexity. (*** ½+)
Domaine De Rocheville 2019 Le Prince
Herbal and red cherry; a nice expression. (*** ½)
Domaine De Nerleux 2018 Les Loups Noirs
Vines planted back in 1997, 70% of the wine spends 18 months in oak, 10% new, the other 30% remains in stainless steel and is then back-blended into the wine to create a fruitier character; the result is a wine of wonderful depth and character: dark berry fruit, nicely spiced with hints of vanilla. The dark fruit comes across as cassis and blackberry – this wine just sings in the mouth. (**** ½)
Gatien Deze 2020 Les 2 Vents
Light and airy with gentle herbaceousness, done all in stainless - pretty floral notes on both the nose and palate. (*** ½+)
Château De Targé 2020 Le Clos Saint Pere
Light and fresh - with a chill this would give rosé a run for its money: cherry and decent acidity; chill and enjoy. (*** ½+)
Domaine Ratron - Clos Des Cordeliers 2018 Cuvee Prestige
Mineral, blackberry and black cherry, pleasant across the palate. (*** ½+)
Château De Villeneuve 2020 Domaine
Light with red berry freshness, plus it had some black cherry and black raspberry backing it up on the finish. (*** ½+)
La Seigneurie 2018 Vielles Vignes a Pierrot
Vines were planted in 1963 at 110m ASL, highest level in the region, and less than 1 km from Castle Saumur: plenty of cassis and blackberry. (*** ½+)
Sparkling Wine Evening
A walk around tasting of sparkling wine; dinner was al fresco in the backyard of the winery / event space; and ended with a fireworks display: bubbles, “BBQ” and big bangs – what more could you ask for.
Here I used my Good / Good+ system to rate the wines; and in some instances the make up of the cuvee was provided (so I included that as well):
Orchidees Ackerman (Brut) ... Good
Orchidees Royal 2017 (Brut) ... Good+
Loire Propriete Dunmacus Vignerons (Brut Rose) ... Good
Loire Propriete Dunmacus Vignerons (Brut) ... Good
Grenelle 2013 3/7.7.4 (Brut Nature) ... Good
cuvee: Pinot Noir, Pineau D'aunis, Cabernet Franc
Alliance Loire De Chanceny Rose (Brut) ... Good
cuvee: Cabernet Franc
Alliance Loire 2015 De Chanceny Impetus (Brut) ... Good
cuvee: Chenin, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc Alliance Loire 2015 De Chanceny (Brut Nature) ... Good
cuvee: Chenin, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc
Langlois Langlois Blanc (Brut) ... Good
cuvee: Chenin, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc
Langlois Langlois Rose (Brut) ... Good+
cuvee: Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir
Langlois 2016 Quadrille (Extra Brut) ... Good
cuvee: Chenin, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc
Bouvet Ladubay 2018 Tresor (Brut) ... Good+
cuvee: Chenin, Chardonnay
Bouvet Ladubay Excellence Rose (Brut) ... Good
cuvee: Cabernet Franc
Lacheteau Lacheteau Tete De Cuvee (Brut) ... Good
cuvee: Cabernet Franc
Lacheteau Château De Montgueret ... Good
cuvee: Chenin, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay
Lacheteau Château De Chanteloup ... Good
cuvee: Chenin, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay
Lacheteau Château De Chanteloup Rosé ... Good
cuvee: Cabernet Franc
Gratien Meyer Flamme Rosé ... Good
Gratien Meyer Diadème Rosé ... Good