Arnaud Lambert - Saint Syr En Bourg Terres Rouges, Saumur-Champigny, Loire, France (2021)

TASTING NOTES

Fragrant dark earth notes with wet forest moss, grass and brambly fruit. Clean, slightly crunchy and stemmy as with all good, cool climate Cab Franc!  

The vineyards that make up this charming and utterly delicious wine come from Saumur-Champigny’s most southern hill, Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg. Les Terres Rouges is composed of numerous small plots blended into one larger south-facing vineyard area, just across from the now famous hill, Brézé. The southern aspect gives the wine plenty of needed sunshine in a region that has a long, drawn out growing season that can bring several rain storms in early fall, just about the time they are getting ready to harvest. 

While Saint-Cyr is somewhat geologically homogenous (heavy clay sits atop almost all its vineyards, making for red wines with more weight, power and tannin), Saint Syr En Bourg has light brown clay with alluvial sands resting on a bed of stark white limestone.  The cool harvest conditions, clay and limestone soils & stainless steel aging provides a clean and refreshing finish. Indeed, the sand plays its part as well bringing the fruits and flowers in the bouquet to the ethereal realm.