Saumur & Saumur-Champigny

These western Loire appellations are home to the most famous, high-quality, pure Cabernet Franc wines in the world. Jim Budd looks at the terroir, tradition and trends

SAUMUR IS AT the western end of the Loire’s major red-wine region that includes Chinon, Bourgueil and St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil in western Touraine. Although outside France the Loire is often considered a white wine region, 45% of the region’s wines are red or rosé.

Cabernet Franc is very much the dominant variety here; combined, these appellations are the world’s most important source of high-quality pure Cabernet Franc.

The base rock throughout the Saumur region is limestone with varying depth of soil (down to none at all) that is very sandy in places, such as at the top of the famous Les Poyeux vineyard. There are also clay and flint soils and a few vines on gravel near the River Thouet.

Drilling down