2020 Domaine des Closiers Saumur-Champigny Rouge 'Les Closiers'
Region: Loire Valley, France
Grape: Cabernet Franc
Culinary Suggestions: Beef Stew, Rich Pasta, BBQ Meats
Practice: Organic
About
The word “closiers” comes from the name given to the winegrowers who worked in the vineyards and who lived in the troglodyte dwellings at the foot of the hillside.
In 2019, Anatole de la Brosse, a Champagne native and business consultant in Paris purchased this domaine from a retiring vigneron because he believed the terroirs to be great. Grapes had always previously been sold to negociants and the vigneron worked the entire 15 hectare vineyard alone without any employees.
This is a very ambitious new domaine located in Parnay, in the heart of the Saumur Champigny appellation. With Nady Foucault (former owner of renowned Clos Rougeard) as consultant, this well financed estate is definitely one to keep an eye on.
Vineyards sit on well drained clay-limestone hillsides facing the Loire and are now organic with a HEV3 (High Environmental Value) certification, earned for the estate’s recent work in biodiversity. About 95% is planted to Cabernet Franc, with a few plots of Chenin Blanc and a tiny 30 ares (3000 square metres) of Chardonnay. Harvesting is all by hand and the vines average 35 years of age. No chemicals are added during the whole winemaking process except for small quantities of sulphur dioxide.
Tasting Notes
It’s a pitch perfect version in a medium weight expression. Lots of grip and pucker in the palate, dark plum, light choc-mint, a touch of almond cream to taste. It’s lengthy and kind of luxurious in a way, has a swish of briny acidity under it all and an extension of flavour of all the kinds of brown spice. The perfume is a mix of blueberry and brambly, undergrowth notes. Ticks a few boxes, me thinks! Nice one.
93 Points - Mike Bennie, The Wine Front March 2023
Drink: 2023 - 2030
The 2020 Saumur Champigny Les Closiers comes from Cabernet Franc plots cultivated on the limestone hillsides of Parnay. Vinified and matured in stainless steel vats, the Closiers reveals an intense but pure and refreshing bouquet of perfectly ripe red and dark fruits such as elderberries, blackcurrant, blueberries and blackberries as well as mulberries. Generous and gentle on the palate, this is a fruit-intense, very charming and juicy, wonderfully floral and delicate red with perfect ripeness but the lightness and finesse of a Saumur Champigny. The finish is pure and fleshy and reveals fine and stimulating tannins. It's impossible not to love this 2020 that was macerated for a month and then aged in vats for approximately 10 months. Nothing added here apart from small quantities of sulfur dioxide.
92 points - Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate March 2022
Drink: 2022 - 2034