Chateau Villeneuve - Samur-Champigny, Loire, France (2021)

TASTING NOTES

Red berries, capsicum, tomato leaf and earth. The palate is energetic with a stony minerality to compliment the complex mix of fruit, medium-fine grain tannins and refreshing acidity. A lovely wine!

Organically certified Château de Villeneuve is based in Souzay-Champigny by the Loire river in the northern part of the Saumur-Champigny appellation. The Cabernet Franc for this ‘domaine’ wine is between 40-50 years old and planted on clay-limestone. The grapes are handpicked. After fermentation, 60% is matured in 40-hectolitre wooden vats and the rest in concrete and stainless steel.

The estate has been making wine since 1577 and is now run by Jean-Pierre Chevallier, a 4th generation winemaker who used to teach oenology at Bordeaux University before returning to his family’s stunning property.

The Château has 25 hectares of chalky soils all surrounding the Château overlooking the Loire. There are 5 hectares of Chenin. The rest is Cabernet Franc.