Domaine des Sables Verts Les Roueres Saumur Blanc 2024

Domaine des Sables Verts Les Roueres Saumur Blanc

Region: Loire, France

Vintage: 2024

Bottle size: 75cl

Grape: Chenin Blanc

ABV: 12.5%

On the nose, this wine shows concentrated aromas of ripe pear and pomelo with notes of gunflint. The palate displays a delicate oily texture with a well-integrated acidity ending on a long and smoky finish.

Domaine des Sables Verts has over 33 different sites, which have an average age of 40 years. These range from the oldest `Poyeux` and `Bonneveaux` which were planted in the 1950s to the most recent plots including the `Clos Forènes`, planted in 2017. The grapes for this Saumur Blanc come from the `Rouères` section of the Saumur vineyards and the soil is composed of deep limestone and clay.

The grapes for Les Rouères were hand harvested between September and October. Once at the winery, fermentation and ageing of the wine took place in new 1200-Litre Vicard wooden vats. The wine spent several months on its lees, in 400-Litre Atelier Centre France barrels. There was little manipulation in order to capture the varietal characteristics in their purest form. Sulphur was added before light filtration took place prior to bottling.

Caroline Meurée and Hervé Malinge are a young winemaking couple who met while studying in Bordeaux. Despite neither being from the Loire Valley, in 2019, they bought Domaine des Sables Verts in the heart of Saumur-Champigny and embarked on their first vintage. Domaine des Sables Verts comprises 16 hectares of organically farmed vineyards, spread across Varrains, Chacé, Saumur, Souzay-Champigny and Parnay. 15 hectares are planted with Cabernet Franc and just one with Chenin Blanc. These vineyards sit on deep, clay-limestone soils, rich in tuffeau and a green sand known as ‘sables verts’. It was this soil type that inspired the domaine’s name.