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2021 Saumur Mousseux “Bulles de Roche”
Thierry Germain![- Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant](https://s3.amazonaws.com/efcheckout/kermitlynch/products/Kermit-Lynch-Wine-Merchant-2021-Saumur-emMousseuxem-Bulles-de-Roche-product-image-6499-medium.jpg)
From the Chenin of Saumur, Thierry crafts this gorgeous sparkling wine with a distinctly rich and golden style, all natural, as it contains no added dosage. Contrary to the rash of bone-dry, high-acid brut zeros out there (which I also enjoy), this wine has decadently rich, honeyed fruit and a nice dollop of buttery brioche. It is good to have both options.
—Dixon Brooke
Wine Type: | sparkling |
Vintage: | NV |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 90% Chenin Blanc, 5% Cabernet Franc, 5% Chardonnay |
Appellation: | Saumur |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Thierry Germain |
Winemaker: | Thierry Germain |
Vineyard: | 60 years, 1.2 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | Aged for 3 months in 228L barrels, then bottle aged, sur latte, for 9 months |
Farming: | Biodynamic (certified) |
Alcohol: | 12.5% |
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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
2022 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Coteaux du Loir Rouge “Cuvée du Rosier”
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2023 Sancerre
Domaine Roger Neveu France | Loire
2023 Sancerre HALF BOTTLE
Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2020 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
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2022 Sancerre Blanc “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2021 Val de Loire Blanc “Cirrus”
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
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2022 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
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2022 Coteaux du Loir Rouge “Cuvée du Rosier”
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2023 Sancerre
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2023 Sancerre HALF BOTTLE
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2020 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Saumur-Champigny “Franc de Pied”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2018 Muscadet Sèvre et Maine “Gorges”
Domaine Michel Brégeon France | Loire
2022 Sancerre Blanc “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
Daniel Chotard France | Loire
2021 Val de Loire Blanc “Cirrus”
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2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
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2021 Saumur Champigny “Terres Chaudes”
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Vintage Chart Mentality
![Vintage Chart](http://s3.amazonaws.com/efcheckout/kermitlynch/content/Kermit-Lynch-Wine-Merchant-Vintage-Chart-Mentality-image_img_1-13435-medium.jpeg)
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