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Château de Villeneuve

It was the summer of 1993 and I was wandering around Saumur town centre, with no particular direction in mind. Strolling along I encountered, by chance (or perhaps fate?) rather than by design, unless perhaps directed by my subconscious mind, the Maison du Vin de Saumur. It was certainly not an opportunity I could pass up, and I entered the establishment to see what was on offer. My memories of this day are now very sketchy, but I recall tasting a small handful of wines from names that even then were familiar to me, certainly Filliatreau and one or two others but, keen to try out new producers, I also recall plumping for some unfamiliar names. One wine that particularly impressed was a Saumur-Champigny from Château de Villeneuve, and although I have long forgotten the vintage I can still remember the flavours. Vibrant, lively, fresh, and in possession of a pure raspberry essence, this was one of a number of wines I purchased on the day. They were all drunk many years ago now, but like all good wines the memory of the bottles lives on. They were an excellent introduction to the domaine in question, which today is home to the Chevallier family.

Château de Villeneuve: A History

Before the current owners arrived on the scene the estate, which dates back to the 16th century, was home to the de Villeneuve family. It was they that were responsible for the construction of a significant property named Bel Air, using the traditional limestone of the region, intended as a residence for the family's eldest son in the 18th century. Following his death at the Siege of Yorktown in 1781 under the command of the Marquis de Lafayette, however, it was his younger brother Jean-Marie Berthelot de Villeneuve who acquired the property. By 1867 the land was in the ownership of the de Foucault and de Bossoreil families, who made some significant alterations to the residence. It was then a little over a century later that the Chevallier family, originally from Dampierre-sur-Loire, acquired the estate. Since 1969 they have undertaken a major restoration of the buildings and have also revitalised the vineyards, pushing Château de Villeneuve into the top tier of Saumur estates. Much of this success is directly attributable to Jean-Pierre Chevallier (pictured right) who returned to the familial domaine in 1982, having completed his studies of oenology in Bordeaux. And it is Jean-Pierre who remains in charge here today.

The Vines and Wines of Château de Villeneuve

The château itself is located in Souzay-Champigny, a little way upriver of the town of Saumur. Sitting just behind the D947 which runs alongside the river before turning south towards Fontevraud-l'Abbaye, the resting place of Henry II, Eleanor d'Aquitaine and Richard the Lionheart, the estate is in fact accessed via what feels more like a back entrance, off the rue Jean Brevet. Once through the gate you are immediately surrounded by vines, the château a little distance down the driveway; simply ring the bell which dangles there at the roadside to alert all to your presence!

There are 28 hectares of vineyards in all, including these that lead up to the château and associated buildings. They are all classed as either Saumur (for the whites) or Saumur-Champigny (for the red varieties) appellations, and they have long been converted by Chevallier to the system of lutte raisonnée. When Jean-Pierre took control of the domaine in the early 1980s viticulture followed fairly standard methods, with broad use of fertilisers and chemical treatments. Despite the focus of his studies being vinification Chevallier soon realised it was what happened in the vineyard that really interested him; he began by putting an end to manure fertilisation in 1984, and switched to grassing over the soil between the rows. He started off with festuca and poa, two commonly planted grasses, but soon found that their vigour was too much for the vines, and he now favours the indigenous and perhaps less vital plants that naturally colonise the vineyard. As for the chemicals, their use was reined in to what Chevallier considered the minimum required.

The yields are moderated with a severe winter pruning, bud-removal in spring and perhaps green-harvesting plus bunch-thinning in summer if this is deemed necessary. As the harvest draws near there is leaf-thinning too, on the side of the vines that receive the morning sun, in order to encourage ripening and reduce the likelihood of rot. The eventual picking is entirely by hand with destemming. In the cellars Jean-Pierre favours a cold maceration for the Cabernet Francs of up to six days before a cool fermentation. Only indigenous yeasts are utilised, and there is a strict policy against chaptalisation. The subsequent élevage is in wood, a mix of new and older, for between 9-14 months, depending on the cuvée. Sulphur use is restricted to harvest time and when bottling.

Looking at each cuvée in a little more detail, the estate produces five regular cuvées, three reds under the Saumur-Champigny appellation and two white Saumurs, although there may also appear a Coteau de Saumur when the vintage conditions permit, and the appearance of the top red and white cuvées is also dependent on vintage quality. The domaine red is produced from vines between 20 and 30 years of age, two-thirds situated around the château and the other one-third at the Chevallier vineyards in Dampierre. Although the handling naturally varies with the vintage typically the fruit would see a four-day cold maceration before fermentation at a temperature controlled to 25ºC. A portion of the wine, about 20%, usually sees an élevage in 40 hectolitre vats. There is then a Vieilles Vignes cuvée, from vines aged 40-50 years again from around the château and at Dampierre, harvested at 35-40 hl/ha and then matured in two and three-year-old 400- and 500-litre barrels. And finally for the reds comes Le Grand Clos, without doubt the estate's grand vin. From the vineyard which surrounds the château, the fruit is harvested at about 30-35 hl/ha, 100% destemmed and then fermented in 40 hectolitre barrels. It then goes in to oak for perhaps 16 months, with 40-60% of the barrels new, the remainder one-year-old. My experience with this cuvée tells me quality is high; it is a wine of substance, and one that can perform very well in the cellar.

The white wines also have an increasingly good reputation here. The domaine Saumur, again from clay limestone soils, is picked by hand and then fermented in wooden vats, and a portion sees some maturation in wood also. Although 'entry-level', I have found it to be delicious. Meanwhile there is Les Cormiers, produced from Chenin Blanc from the vineyard of the same name which lies near the Clos des Murs, where Père Cristal developed his system of training vines through walls. The fruit is hand-harvested in several tries then fermented 50% in new oak barriques and 50% in one-year-old barrels. Malolactic fermentation is blocked, and the wine rests in oak for up to eleven months before bottling. Lastly comes that sixth cuvée, the aforementioned Coteau de Saumur, which is only produced in vintages which are sufficiently favourable. The great vintage of 1921 (also famous for its Vouvrays) was one such year, but more recently this means 2003, and with an increasingly warm climate we can expect more vintages I think. The fruit is picked in several tries, as you would expect, pressed using a pneumatic machine and then fermented in oak barriques, of which 70% were new and 30% one-year-old. Again there is some oak maturation, perhaps as much as 9-14 months.

Villeneuve Opinion

So, near enough two decades on from that first encounter with the wines of Château de Villeneuve, what do I think of the wines now? Today, I would position Jean-Pierre Chevallier as a leader within the context of the appellation; this is a domaine turning out superlative wines, both in red and white. The name still has less caché than Clos Rougeard for example, but it has many advantages too; the wines are far more accessible, more widely available, and while they are appropriately priced for their quality they are nevertheless much more affordable than your average bottle of Le Bourg from Les Frères Foucault. Le Grand Clos may not quite have the silky polish of Le Bourg, but we do not damn every St Emilion simply because they are not Cheval Blanc or Ausone. Le Grand Clos is a superlative wine produced only when the fruit demands it; appealingly aromatic, substantial, with a solid rather than ethereal style, it is a wine that has now garnered a reputation for cellaring extremely well. As has Les Cormiers, surely one of the greatest examples of white Saumur in existence, a grand vin destined for the cellar and which with time can stand up very comfortably against its counterparts from Chablis, the Côte d'Or or the hill of Hermitage. (27/1/09, updated 25/11/10)

Contact details:
Address: 49400 Souzay-Champigny
Telephone: +33 (0) 2 41 51 14 04
Fax: +33 (0) 2 41 50 58 24
Internet: www.chateau-de-villeneuve.com

Château de Villeneuve - Tasting Notes

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Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc 2009: A brut de cuve sample, so unfinished and unblended, but the fermentation has completed. Residual sugar 5 g/l. A very dry and papery nose, typical young Chenin Blanc, very clean, just a suggestion of mineral here and there. The palate has a nice substance, is very direct, with a clean and powerful structure and mineral-tinged stone fruits. From my 2010 update. 16-17+/20 (February 2010)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny 2009: A brut de cuve sample, so unfinished and unblended. A glossy appearance, with a blue rim. A great smoky nose with intense fruit, fabulous, expressive and rich. The palate follows suit; a hugely impressive style here, fine texture and weight, backed up by a firm and tannic structure. Great acidity too. This is simply beautiful and yet it is only the entry-level cuvée. Yet more evidence that 2009 is a great vintage for the Loire. From my 2010 update. 17-18+/20 (February 2010)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc 2008: Having tasted a brut de cuve last year, this is now the finished wine from bottle. Fermented in oak. Very clean on the nose though, with lovely stone fruit character dusted with minerals. The texture on the palate is fine, much softer than the 2009 sample, rounded, polished, although with a great mineral character. A lovely style here, and one that would go well with food. From my 2010 update. 16+/20 (February 2010)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny 2008: This entry-level wine has just been bottled one month ago. A really fine character on the nose with good fruit complexity and a gamey tinge. The palate is finely textured with a touch of cream and a good tannic structure. Ripe, concentrated, this is high quality for the "basic" cuvée. From my 2010 update. 16.5+/20 (February 2010)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc 2008: Another pop at this vintage. This pale-looking wine has an autumnal nose full of soft-fleshed fruits, apples and pears. Quite soft on the palate, with a very slight suggestion of papery Chenin, but also lots of plump, juicy autumnal stone fruits. Very expressive of the variety, in a very primary fashion, fruit-dominated, but nicely textured and appealing. A very good style. From my 2010 update. 16/20 (July 2010)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny 2008: Another wine which I have met before as a brut de cuve but am now meeting in bottle for the first time. Remarkably crisp and crunchy on the nose, more so than my previous encounter. More stony than creamy on the palate, crunchy and direct, with rather restrained flesh. Seems a little disjointed on the palate, awkward and unflattering. Good bright acidity though, with a firm, charcoaly tannic grip. It needs to be left alone for a year or two I think. From my 2010 update. 15.5+/20 (July 2010)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny Vieilles Vignes 2008: Clearly a step up from the entry-level cuvée here, full of bright perfume and style on the nose. On the palate though also showing, rather like the preceding wine, a rather awkward and lean character. Plenty of fruit and a good tannic core, but comes across as quite disparate and in need of cellar time for it all to integrate. From my 2010 update. 16+/20 (July 2010)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc 2008: This sample is brut de cuve - an unfinished, unblended sample - so needs to be viewed in that light. From limestone and clay-limestone terroirs, fermented in a mix of stainless steel and 3, 4 and 5-year-old barrels. Still cloudy. A brilliant nose, so lively and full of fresh of fresh pear and stone fruit, although no doubt these most primary of aromas will change. The palate is elegant and rich in fresh fruit, primary like the nose, pretty and very juicy. If these characteristics can be preserved this could be very good indeed. An update from the 2009 Salon. 15.5-16.5+/20 (February 2009)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny 2008: This sample is brut de cuve - an unfinished, unblended sample - so needs to be viewed in that light. The nose shows some fresh fruit, with a delightful cranberry and blackcurrant character, and a pure and creamy definition. The palate is soft, creamy, with a light touch of grip. There is a nice core of acid, and a chewy tannic grip. This has a very appealing composition and purity for this level of cuvée. An update from the 2009 Salon. 15.5-16.5+/20 (February 2009)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc 2007: Very, very stony and minerally on the nose - this is one of those wines that leads to the suggestion that terroir can be directly transplanted into the wine. It is pungent and certainly appealing. The palate is beautiful, elegant, but with lovely depth; it is gentle, pure and well defined. There is substance and balance here, in this wine which gives bags of pleasure and which is a superb success for the vintage. I wonder if this wine benefitted from fruit usually destined for Les Cormiers? An update from the 2009 Salon. 17+/20 (February 2009)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc Les Cormiers 2007: This is fermented in a mix of old and new wood, where it rests for nearly a year before bottling. Yield in this vintage 30 hl/ha. The nose seems less expressive at first, although it certainly has a good seam of minerals. The palate though is beautiful, a gentle creamy substance, grippy and well composed, with great structure running through to the finish. There is real depth and substance here; a wine with excellent potential. Still all wrapped up in oak though; it needs time. From my 2010 update. 17.5+/20 (February 2010)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc Les Cormiers 2007: A rich lemon-gold hue and similarly rich fruit characteristics on the nose, especially sweet pear, golden and yet crunchy too. Having said that, there is still a corset of tight oak around it at the moment. Broad, bold and very impressive on the palate, showing great depth of fruit, still intertwined with golden oak as the nose suggested, but there is a fine, acid-bound freshness to it as well. Really rather taut in the finish, and very long. Needs to be left well alone for a year or two, at the very least. From my 2010 update. 17.5+/20 (July 2010)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny 2007: This was a difficult vintage, and this is reflected in Chevallier's decision to forego the Vieilles Vignes and Grand Clos cuvées and to blend them all into the generic Saumur-Champigny cuvée. The nose has some pleasant fruit, which is certainly fresh, but not as explosive as some of the other wines. The fruit is pure, dark, and actually fairly dense on the palate, with a good, rounded, mouth-filling texture with some good grip underneath. Slightly hard tannins, and yet a little unfocused and soft too. Still a very good effort for this vintage though. An update from the 2009 Salon. 16/20 (February 2009)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc 2006: A very pale, lemony hue. The nose offers lots of character here, with a nice sequence of aromas; first comes the paper and straw of young Chenin, then followed by some fruit elements, most notably lemon and stone fruits. Behind this is a firm, pungent, sherbetty minerality, which becomes increasingly apparent and more forceful with air. The palate is full, firmly acidic but with good body, and with plenty of grip and substance. Fresh, solid, with those sherbet and stone flavours grabbing the cheeks and pulling them inwards towards the finish. Lively but full of substance. A good wine. 16.5/20 (January 2009)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc Les Cormiers 2006: This has a very fine nose of minerals and honeycomb, certainly full of character. A lightly honeyed style on entry, quite softly structured at first, with a very creamy feel. Through the midpalate there is more acid and even some grip here, a substance suggestion of tannin perhaps from the oak, giving the wine a delightful backbone. What a fine structure; this is a wine that will continue to do well in the cellar for the moment. From my 2010 update. 17+/20 (February 2010)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur Blanc les Cormiers 2006: Limestone soils, harvested at 40 hl/ha, fermented in wood, 50% new and 50% 1-year-old. This has a beautiful mineral quality, but also a generous and rounded character. This is really fine. The palate is elegant, reveals very little trace of oak, and has a pure, defined and very minerally character. There is lots of good acidity, a broad and grippy structure, and lots of style. Great minerally finish too. Super wine. An update from the 2009 Salon. 17.5+/20 (February 2009)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny 2006: This is interesting on the nose, quite well developed, with a rather wild and savage character. Good maturity, really attractive style. The palate is lovely, starting off fruit-rich and pure before little notes of iron-tinged maturity come in. It has a very hard composition beneath though, with lots of grip and tannin. In fact it is very grippy on the palate. This will need food, but it should be very good with it. An update from the 2009 Salon. 16.5/20 (February 2009)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny Vieilles Vignes 2006: This wine is not so expressive on the nose, and indeed there is even a little cloudiness to it in the glass. Slightly high-toned fruit here, still showing a stony character, revealing more gamey character with time in the glass. A good and polished texture, coming along nicely, some early complexities typical of maturing Cabernet Franc here, but still with a very good tannic backbone and classic composition. Very good. From my 2010 update. 16.5+/20 (February 2010)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny Vieilles Vignes 2006: This wine has a less mature hue than the straight Saumur-Champigny in this vintage, and it is not so expressive on the nose. The palate has a lovely texture though, rich and showing good extract and substance, backed up by firm tannins and good acidity. This is an impressive wine, substantial in character, but one that also at the moment needs food to show its best. An update from the 2009 Salon. 16.5+/20 (February 2009)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny Le Grand Clos 2006: Compared with the vieilles vignes cuvée this is a touch more evocative in style, although again it is showing a few little touches of early maturity. Elegantly textured, fine and precisely composed, nicely polished, and yet backed up by an admirably firm and tannic backbone. Balanced acidity, real finesse here. This has wonderful potential but don't be afraid to tuck in now if you have a few bottles. From my 2010 update. 17.5+/20 (February 2010)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny Le Grand Clos 2006: A rather appealing meaty edge to the fruit here, and a dense and stylish character. Delightful, pure and rich, yet well defined on the palate. Lots of grip and tannin, lots of structure, with good firm acids but the fruit and texture to cope. A really good, savoury finish too. This is very good wine, just brimming with potential. An update from the 2009 Salon. 17+/20 (February 2009)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur Les Cormiers 2005: This wine has a crystal-clear appearance, tinged with a pale lemon-gold hue. Despite this understated beginning the nose has plenty of exuberant character, showing rich and ripe fruit, with classic elements of dried honey and baked lemons, with a stony-sherbetty minerality, and interesting savoury complexities, such as notes of sea salt. The palate is broad and ripe, full, rich but well poised rather than fat or flabby. Lots of grip and structure underneath it all here, power and potential. Overall, a delicious savoury style which has bags of potential for the future. Château de Villeneuve, and Saumur as a whole, is clearly not just an appellation for red wines. 17.5+/20 (January 2009)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny 2005: This wine, from the immensely talented Jean-Pierre Chevallier, has an intense, dark, red-black hue in the glass. This is followed by a simply beautiful nose, full of black cherry, with that delightful plum skin and cherry-stone character that typifies the best of these wines in their youth. It is slightly high-toned, slightly volatile but is certainly very aromatic, with notes of cinnamon, clove, oranges and charred fruit alongside the plum and cherry. It all promises plenty of appeal and potential. The palate is finely delineated, fresh and stony, ripe and mouth-puckering at the same time with beautifully defined fruit flavours. This is a vibrant and delicious wine, and although perfect for drinking now I am sure this would do well in the cellar for ten years or maybe even more. From a tasting of Saumur wines. 17+/20 (January 2010)

Château de Villeneuve Saumur-Champigny Le Grand Clos 2005: This is Chevallier's flagship red cuvée, and in this ripe vintage it comes with 14% alcohol. It has a fine, dark core and a bright, raspberry red hue at the rim. The nose carries youthful delights, the essence of young Loire Cabernet Franc. This is what a good example of this variety from the Loire is all about; sweet, ripe but slightly crunchy black fruits, with a stony definition behind it, lifting the fruit aromas from the glass. There is a little mint and peppercorn at the edge, but nothing that could be interpreted as unripe herbaceousness. The palate has well polished edges, a little plump sweetness to the fruit, although it is tightly wound in, the substance of the wine kept in check very nicely by a fresh acid backbone and more than a touch of grip. The tannins show nicely on the finish, ripe and savoury. This is a world away from that delightful wine I drank back in the early 1990s; this has more structure and depth, and yet it is still very much a wine of the Loire. It needs time, five years at least (and I think this is probably a very conservative estimate). 18+/20 (January 2009)