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2020 Saumur Blanc “Clos Romans”
Thierry GermainThierry’s Saumur Blancs are bone-dry, high-acid, mineral Chenin Blancs that drink like Chablis young and take on weight slowly over time. From newer plantings in an ancient, walled vineyard that dates back to the 9th century.
—Dustin Soiseth
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2020 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Chenin Blanc |
Appellation: | Saumur |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Thierry Germain |
Winemaker: | Thierry Germain |
Vineyard: | 8 years, .3 ha |
Soil: | Sand, Clay, Senonien Limestone |
Aging: | Aged on fine lees in 400L barrel for 9 months |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
More from this Producer or Region
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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 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.
2022 Saumur Champigny “Cuvée Domaine”
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This cuvée delivers trademark elegance and notes of blackberries, forest, and graphite.
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.
2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
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Fine, with bright acid, sleek silkiness, and great length, it is the most elegant of all of Thierry’s red wines.
2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
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Germain’s reds are grand examples of the heights biodynamic wines can achieve.
2021 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.
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Redolent of almonds, honey, and a wide range of citrus, this kaleidoscopic Chenin finishes with a faint tannin, making it ideal alongside sushi, roast chicken, or a hard and flavorful cheese like Comté.
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This dry Chenin Blanc is etched from the white limestone beneath—crystalline, pure, and chiseled.
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.
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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2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
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2018 Chinon Blanc “Clos de la Plante Martin”
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2022 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
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2021 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
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2022 Savennières
Château d'Epiré France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Franc de Pied”
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2023 Vouvray
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2022 Menetou-Salon Blanc “Cuvée des Bénédictins”
Prieuré de Saint Céols France | Loire
2023 Sancerre
Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2019 Vin de France Rouge Grolleau/Cabernet Franc “Clandestine”
Grange Saint-Sauveur France | Loire
2019 Sancerre Rouge “Champs d’Alligny”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2018 Chinon Blanc “Clos de la Plante Martin”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Reuilly Pinot Gris Rosé
Domaine de Reuilly France | Loire
2021 Vouvray “Pierres Rousses”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Savennières
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Vintage Chart Mentality
Vintage Chart Mentality
Trust the great winemakers, trust the great vineyards. Your wine merchant might even be trustworthy. In the long run, that vintage strip may be the least important guide to quality on your bottle of wine.—Kermit Lynch