Category: | White Wines |
Sub-Category: | White Wines |
Producer: | Clos Rougeard |
Label Name: | Saumur Champigny Blanc Breze |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Country: | France |
Region: | Saumur, Loire Valley |
Volume: | 1500ml |
ABV: | 13% |
Grape(s): | Chenin Blanc (100%) |
Acidity: | 4 |
Sweetness: | 1 |
Body: | 4 |
Length: | 5 |
Aroma Intensity: | 4 |
Best Temperature: | 10-12°C |
Awards/Ratings
Notable scores for the 2018 Brézé include: The Wine Doctor / Chris Kissack ~96; Decanter (Benjamin Lewin) 93; Vinous (Rebecca Gibb) 91. Multiple merchant listings also cite ratings in the low-to-mid 90s
Tasting Note
Rich, finely textured Chenin with white peach, almond and citrus notes, saline minerality and light honeyed nuance. Silky, concentrated palate with lively acidity and a long, saline, focused finish.
Food Pairing
Western: lobster or scallops with beurre blanc, roast chicken, pork belly, aged Comté or goat cheese. Asian: miso-glazed black cod, tempura prawns, sushi (fatty tuna), steamed fish with ginger and scallions, mildly spiced Thai curry.
Production Method
Hand-harvested, organic/minimal-intervention viticulture; native yeast fermentation; aged c.18–24 months in French oak (≈20% new); limited malo-lactic conversion; extended bottle ageing in tuffeau cellars.
Vineyard Info
Clos Rougeard (est. 1664) — cult Loire estate run by the Foucault family, sold to Bouygues in 2017; 15 ha of old vines, organic/biodynamic practices, tiny allocations and long cellar ageing.