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Treasures from Saumur
Thierry Germain 6-Bottle Library Offer
Experience the magic of Thierry's more mature bottles with an exclusive sampler of these Saumur treasures.
I often have difficulty writing about great wines. They’re so much more than a shopping list of aromas and flavors, but nonetheless leave a visceral and lasting impression. After Kermit once shared some marvelous old white Burgundies from his cellar with us I wrote him and said that the better the wine, the shorter my tasting notes seem to get, and I felt a bit sheepish about that. After all, we’ve all read the florid peans to the world’s great wines. Whole books even. What’s wrong with me that I can only scratch out “wow!” or “unbelievable!”? Kermit wrote back and said that I shouldn’t sweat it. One of his favorite influences, Lucien Peyraud of Domaine Tempier, never had lengthy tasting notes. His highest praise was “Ça, c'est du vrai vin.” That’s real wine.
Well, Thierry Germain’s wines from Domaine des Roches Neuves are the real deal. His Cabernet Francs from Saumur-Champigny are models of purity, finesse, and drinkability, while avoiding rusticity, vegetal character, and hard tannins. Think of a cross between old-school Bordeaux and fine red Burgundy. When it comes to Chenin Blanc, Thierry’s Saumurs are bone-dry, high-acid, mineral whites that drink like Chablis young and take on weight slowly over time. From white and red, young or old, these wines are as pure and as profound as any I’ve ever had. In other words, wow.
Having only begun working with Thierry in 2016, we sourced this tranche of older vintages from the domaine’s previous west coast importer and assembled an exclusive offering of these treasures so that you can experience the magic of Thierry's more mature bottles. We are confident that the late, great Lucien Peyraud would consider them vrai vin. We certainly do.
—Dustin Soiseth
This item is not eligible for discounts |
Wine Type: | sampler |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Appellation: | Saumur-Champigny, Saumur |
Country: | France |
Normally $300.00 SPECIAL SAMPLER PRICE $175.00 (a 42% discount) |
2011 Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny “La Marginale” $55.00
2012 Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny “L'echelier” $60.00
2013 Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny “Memoires” $65.00
2013 Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny “Terres Chaudes” $40.00
2012 Roches Neuves Saumur Blanc “L'insolite” $40.00
2013 Roches Neuves Saumur Blanc “L'insolite” $40.00
Limited quantities available
More from this Producer or Region
2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
France | Loire
This dry Chenin Blanc is etched from the white limestone beneath—crystalline, pure, and chiseled.
2022 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
France | Loire
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 “Terres”
France | Loire
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.
2020 Saumur Champigny “La Marginale”
France | Loire
Germain’s reds are grand examples of the heights biodynamic wines can achieve.
2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
France | Loire
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 “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.
2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
France | Loire
This downright Burgundian wine shows off the savory spine and weightless concentration imparted by this particular site.
2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
France | Loire
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 “Franc de Pied”
France | Loire
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.
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.
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 Vin de France Rouge Cabernet Franc “Huguette”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil “Irène”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2019 Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
Champalou France | Loire
2020 Vin de France Rouge Cabernet Franc “Huguette”
Grange Saint Sauveur France | Loire
2020 Saumur Blanc “L’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2020 Saumur Champigny “Clos de l’Échelier”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2023 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Bourgueil “Trinch!”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Muscadet “Le Clos de la Butte”
Eric Chevalier France | Loire
2022 Vin de France Brut Nature “Elle est pas bulle, la vie?”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
2021 Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil “Irène”
Domaine de la Chanteleuserie France | Loire
2019 Chinon “Clos de la Dioterie”
Charles Joguet France | Loire
2022 Val de Loire Sauvignon Blanc “Unique”
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Vouvray “Les Fondraux”
Champalou France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
When buying red Burgundy, I think we should remember:
1. Big wines do not age better than light wine.
2. A so-called great vintage at the outset does not guarantee a great vintage for the duration.
3. A so-called off vintage at the outset does not mean the wines do not have a brilliant future ahead of them.
4. Red Burgundy should not taste like Guigal Côte-Rôtie, even if most wine writers wish it would.
5. Don’t follow leaders; watch yer parking meters.
Inspiring Thirst, page 174