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2016 Saumur-Champigny “Les Roches”
Thierry GermainThierry’s style of Cabernet Franc emphasizes soaring red fruit aromatics, plush and silky textures, and racy acidity. Sounds pretty good, right? It isn’t your grandmother’s rustic, furry, tannic, bretty Cab Franc, that’s for sure. Biodynamic agriculture, no trimming of the vine shoots, early picking, and aging in large barrels are a few of his keys to success. Les Roches is Thierry’s entry-level Cab Franc for barbecues and general everyday gladness.
—Dixon Brooke
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2016 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Saumur-Champigny |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Thierry Germain |
Winemaker: | Thierry Germain |
Vineyard: | 25 years, 6 ha |
Soil: | Chalk, Sand, Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | Aged in stainless steel and wood tanks, on fine lees, without sulfur, for 3 to 4 months |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
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2018 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
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This chiseled Chenin Blanc comes from 70-year-old vines planted on an ancient limestone slope. Burgundian-like in character from its time spent in barrel, the laser-like acidity will become even more enticing with some age.
2021 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
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This sparkling wine has decadently rich, honeyed fruit and a nice dollop of buttery brioche.
2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
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Germain’s reds are grand examples of the heights biodynamic wines can achieve.
2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
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This downright Burgundian wine shows off the savory spine and weightless concentration imparted by this particular site.
2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
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This blanc is chiseled and electric and boasts notes of citrus, herbs, and stones that would beautifully complement pan-fried sea bass or shrimp tacos.
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Les Mémoires”
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Sourced from 110+ year-old vines, this is hands-down one of the best Cab Francs being made in the Loire Valley today.
2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
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2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
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Thierry’s Saumur Blancs are bone-dry, high-acid, mineral Chenin Blancs that drink like Chablis young and take on weight slowly over time.
2018 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
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Thierry Germain’s meticulous process coaxes out the delicate and aromatic side of Chenin Blanc—think jasmine, honeysuckle, and peach.
About The Producer
Thierry Germain
Thierry relocated to the Loire from Bordeaux in the early 1990s, and soon fell under the influence of his spiritual father, Charly Foucault of Clos Rougeard. Thierry would ultimately convert his entire domaine to biodynamic viticulture, which was the equivalent of his wine epiphany. Listening and observing his plants, allowing them to guide him, revolutionized his way of thinking. Thierry harvests on the relatively early side to preserve fresh, vibrant fruit. His goal is to produce Cabernet with purity, finesse, and drinkability, while avoiding rusticity, vegetal character, and hard tannins. When it comes to his Chenin, he makes bone dry, high acid, mineral wines that drink like Chablis young and take on weight slowly over time. Aging takes place in large oval foudres (for the whites) and round foudres and demi-muids (for the reds) in Thierry’s frigid tuffeau cellars below his winery in Varrains. His incredibly diverse terroirs are translated with utter clarity and precision.
About The Region
Loire
The defining feature of the Loire Valley, not surprisingly, is the Loire River. As the longest river in France, spanning more than 600 miles, this river connects seemingly disparate wine regions. Why else would Sancerre, with its Kimmeridgian limestone terroir be connected to Muscadet, an appellation that is 250 miles away?
Secondary in relevance to the historical, climatic, environmental, and cultural importance of the river are the wines and châteaux of the Jardin de la France. The kings and nobility of France built many hundreds of châteaux in the Loire but wine preceded the arrival of the noblesse and has since out-lived them as well.
Diversity abounds in the Loire. The aforementioned Kimmderidgian limestone of Sancerre is also found in Chablis. Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur boast the presence of tuffeau, a type of limestone unique to the Loire that has a yellowish tinge and a chalky texture. Savennières has schist, while Muscadet has volcanic, granite, and serpentinite based soils. In addition to geologic diversity, many, grape varieties are grown there too: Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne are most prevalent, but (to name a few) Pinot Gris, Grolleau, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, and Folle Blanche are also planted. These myriad of viticultural influences leads to the high quality production of every type of wine: red, white, rosé, sparkling, and dessert.
Like the Rhône and Provence, some of Kermit’s first imports came from the Loire, most notably the wines of Charles Joguet and Château d’Epiré—two producers who are featured in Kermit’s book Adventures on the Wine Route and with whom we still work today.
More from Loire or France
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
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2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
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2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
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2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
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2022 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2022 Sancerre
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2022 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Jasnières “Cuvée Sainte Narcisse”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2020 Chinon “Cuvée Terroir”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2022 Sancerre
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2022 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Jasnières “Cuvée Sainte Narcisse”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Great winemakers, great terroirs, there is never any hurry. And I no longer buy into this idea of “peak” maturity. Great winemakers, great terroirs, their wines offer different pleasures at different ages.
Inspiring Thirst, page 312