France | Loire | Chateau Yvonne | Saumur Champigny Rouge

Saumur Champigny Rouge

Varietal
Cabernet Franc

Notes
VINEYARD: A combination of the domaine's four most impressive parcels. Each of the parcels is located in Parnay. The four parcels lie in the vineyards of Le Beaumeray, Les Pierres Blanches, Le Bourreau, and Château Gaillard. Average age of vines is around 55 years old and they are planted on a combination of soil types: sand, and clay-limestone over tuffeau stone.

VINIFICATION: The vines are hand harvested in small bins and farmed biodynamically. Yield is approximately 30hl/ha. All of Yvonne's Cabernet Franc parcels are farmed using biodynamic principles and guyot pruning. Vines are planted very densely at approximately 8000 vines per hectare. The cold temperature in their caves delays fermentation and gives a natural pre-fermentation maceration. Native yeast fermentation. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally during aging. Aged 22 months in a combination of new and used oak barriques, foudres, and Stockingers. Bottled unfined and unfiltered.

TASTING NOTES: Yvonne Rouge is the original red wine produced at the domaine from the exceptional terroir around Parnay. It’s one of the finest Cabernet Francs from the Loire, and has the seemingly indefinite ageing potential of all truly great wines. Certainly enjoyable on release, it will greatly benefit from 3-5 years in the cellar, and continue to improve for many more.