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2019 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
Thierry GermainA thoroughbred of a Cabernet, the Échelier—named after a walled-in clos of terraces that is “ladder”-like—is Burgundian in style. Fine, with bright acid, sleek silkiness, and great length, it is the most elegant of all of Thierry’s red wines. Drink it and age it as you would a fine Pinot Noir from La Bourgogne.
—Dixon Brooke
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2019 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Cabernet Franc |
Appellation: | Saumur-Champigny |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Thierry Germain |
Winemaker: | Thierry Germain |
Vineyard: | 40 years, 2.5 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Turonien Supérieur Limestone |
Aging: | Aged in 1200L foudre and 600L demi-muid for 12 months |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
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Germain’s reds are grand examples of the heights biodynamic wines can achieve.
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 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.
2022 Saumur Champigny “La Foulée”
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Made in a fruit-forward, supple, easy-drinking style with very little added sulfur.
2020 Saumur Champigny “Outre Terre”
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Outre Terre is a tiny production of Cabernet Franc fermented in amphora and aged in barrel.
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-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.
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
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This Saumur Champigny is electric and alive, from the first scent of roses on the nose to the juxtaposition of textured tannic grip and sheer weightlessness on the palate.
2021 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
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Thierry has perfected the art of coaxing this Cabernet Franc’s soulfulness and elusive finesse into bottle.
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.
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.
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2021 Vin de France Blanc “Centenaire”
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2019 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
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2022 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
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2022 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie
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2023 Reuilly “Les Pierres Plates”
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2022 Savennières
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2021 Sancerre Rouge
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2022 Savennières “Cuvée Spéciale”
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2021 Vin de France Blanche
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2022 Cheverny Rosé
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2021 Vin de France Blanc “Centenaire”
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2019 Bourgueil “Clos Sénéchal”
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2022 Bourgueil Clairet “Avis de Vin Fort”
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2022 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
Let the brett nerds retire into protective bubbles, and whenever they thirst for wine it can be passed in to them through a sterile filter. Those of us on the outside can continue to enjoy complex, natural, living wines.
Inspiring Thirst, page 236