2019 Domaine du Collier Saumur Rouge 'La Ripaille'

Region: Loire Valley, France

Grape: Cabernet Franc

Culinary Suggestions: Beef Stew, Rich Pasta, BBQ Meats

Vineyard Practice: Sustainable

About

Another parcel of superb and rare wine from Antoine Foucault, who is now the lone ranger Foucault in Saumur...These are without doubt some of the finest wines we have available and are already to impossible to find in France. 2019 was a superb vintage quality wise but the harvest was again quite small - it is also just the second release of a Saumur-Champigny - the appellation that his father Charly made so famous at Clos Rougeard. 

There has been turmoil over the past few years among the Foucault clan with the passing of Antoine's father Charly Foucault, the long time winemaker at Clos Rougeard. He passed away after illness in September 2015. Antoine made not only his own wines in 2015 but also those of Clos Rougeard and did it again in 2016 with his uncle Nady Foucault.

Sadly, Antoine, despite his and his mothers best efforts, had his offers to purchase Clos Rougeard rejected by his uncle Nady, who instead decided to sell to the estate to telecom magnate Martin Bouygues.

Since the sale he has moved his cellar from the underneath the family home in the place du Collier (hence the name of his Estate) to his new home in Saumoussay and has a fresh start with Caroline and their two children. He also has some land to plant in Saumur-Champigny and his cellar, wrought in the middle ages, is - wait for it - 2 hectares in size.

Antoine, with his wife Caroline, established Domaine du Collier in 1999 with land bequeathed to him by his grandfather from the Clos Rougeard holdings. Some say this created great tension between Charly and Nady Foucault...Today they farm nearly 7 hectares of vines but produce a mere 1,250 cases of wine (so a similar quantity/size to the legendary Thierry Allemand of Cornas)

Over the past 19 years Antoine and Caroline have quietly been making some of the most exciting wines in the Loire Valley, their wines have gently nestled themselves qualitatively, and more recently by reputation, next to those of the regions legends.

Almost immediately, the wines gained a cult following in France for their level of depth and sophistication. Word quickly spread and Collier has become intensely allocated and hard to find and now that he is the lone ranger they are becoming very hard to find.

While the reputation of Clos Rougeard was built primarily on age-worthy Cabernet Francs from Saumur-Champigny, the identity of Domaine du Collier is rooted in the grand whites of Chenin Blanc from the limestone-rich hillsides of Brézé in neighboring Saumur.

Two-thirds of the estate is planted to Chenin, most of which are old vines and some approaching 100 years of age. The remaining third is planted to Cabernet Franc in the important lieu-dits of 'La Ripaille' and 'La Charpentrie'.  

Antoine practices Bio dynamics and the harvest is manual with strict sorting carried out in the vineyards. In his deep cellar, Antoine is very observant but lets nature take it's course, he uses a very modest dose of sulfur before the bottling.
The wines are aged in a combination of seasoned barrels and foudre for anywhere between 24 and 36 months before release. The cellar is very cold and this protects the wines in élevage and I think goes some way to explaining the glacial development of the wines in bottle.

These are regal, powerful wines brilliantly composed and taught with  precision - Antoine, now in his early forties is currently producing the best wines of his life so far. Domaine du Collier is one of the great producers we proudly represent. - Importer Note

Tasting Notes