Grapes: Chenin
Region: Breze-Saumur, Loire, France
Vintage: 2018
Viticulture: Organic
Soils: Tuffeau limestone
Vinification: Whole cluster pressed for 4.5 hours into 6-7 year old French oak barrels
Aging: 10 months in 6-7 year old French oak barrels
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: Minimal
Notes from the Importer: While soft-spoken and humble, Arnaud Lambert is helping to drive a revolutionary movement in the appellations of Saumur and Saumur-Champigny. The goal is to re-discover each individual terroir and its potential through organic viticulture and less-is-more, precise winemaking. This is particularly important considering 70% of the surface area in Brézé and Saint Cyr belongs to the cooperatives, where branding and blending prevail, and mass-produced crémants dominate.
Brézé is a unique site due to its relatively high elevation and eminently nuanced geological profile. The significant presence of tuffeau, (a porous, chalky limestone also used in the construction of much of the Loire’s Renaissance architecture) results in finely mineral Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Clay and sand also lend themselves to the diversity of the terroirs, giving body to the reds and richness to the whites. Arnaud’s driving ambition is to truly understand and reveal the distinctions within this extraordinary appellation.
