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2018 Saumur-Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
Thierry Germain
Since he moved to Saumur from Saint-Émilion in the 1990s at the age of twenty-three, Thierry Germain has been on a fanatical mission to bring the LoireValley its deserved acclaim alongside Burgundy and his native land as one of the great wine regions of the world. Early in his career, Thierry studied under the legendary Foucault brothers of Clos Rougeard, who made a bottling from the lieu-dit Les Poyeux. Clos Rougeard was recently sold to a French billionaire, but Thierry continues to capture the essence of Les Poyeux’s terroir in his own Terres Chaudes bottling. He farms the Cabernet Franc grapes biodynamically, de-stems them, ferments them in cement, and ages them on their lees in large foudres for one year. The result? Thierry’s reds, in general, might be the most elegant of our Loire Valley reds, and this one is no exception. Deceptively plush red and black fruit give way to grippy tannins, suggesting a long life ahead. It is perfect alongside heartier fare as well as a thrill to drink and decipher on its own.
—Tom Wolf
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Saumur-Champigny |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Thierry Germain |
Winemaker: | Thierry Germain |
Vineyard: | 45 years, 4 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Tuffeau Limestone |
Aging: | Aged on fine lees in 6000L or 1200L foudre for 12 months |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
France | Loire
Germain’s reds are grand examples of the heights biodynamic wines can achieve.

2021 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
France | Loire
Thierry has perfected the art of coaxing this Cabernet Franc’s soulfulness and elusive finesse into bottle.

2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
France | Loire
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 “L’Échelier”
France | Loire
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.

2023 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
France | Loire
This sparkling wine has decadently rich, honeyed fruit and a nice dollop of buttery brioche.

2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
France | Loire
Fine, with bright acid, sleek silkiness, and great length, it is the most elegant of all of Thierry’s red wines.

2021 Saumur-Champigny “Les Mémoires”
France | Loire
Sourced from 110+ year-old vines, this is hands-down one of the best Cab Francs being made in the Loire Valley today.

2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
France | Loire
Outre Terre is a tiny production of Cabernet Franc fermented in amphora and aged in barrel.

2018 Saumur Blanc “Le Clos du Moulin”
France | Loire
Thierry Germain’s meticulous process coaxes out the delicate and aromatic side of Chenin Blanc—think jasmine, honeysuckle, and peach.

2023 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
France | Loire
Made from nearly hundred-year-old vines, this a great initiation into the world of Thierry’s white wines.
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
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2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
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2021 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
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2018 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
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2022 Chinon “Beaux Monts”
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2024 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
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2021 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
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2015 Vouvray “La Moelleuse”
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2021 Vin de France Blanche
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2019 Vouvray “Bois Guyon”
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2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
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2021 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
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2022 Chinon Blanc
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2022 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
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2022 Jasnières “Dyane”
Christine de Mianville France | Loire
2018 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
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2022 Chinon “Beaux Monts”
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2024 Bourgueil Rosé “La Ritournelle”
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2021 Chinon “Les Petites Roches”
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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