Château du Hureau: Vineyards
Château du Hureau enjoys a prominent position overlooking the Loire, upstream of the town of Saumur, with the vines of the première côte just behind it. Philippe and Agathe Vatan have at their disposal 20 hectares in total, of which 18 hectares is currently planted. Of these 16.5 hectares are dedicated to red, and 1.5 hectares to white. There are 3.5 hectares situated on the plateau directly above the château, the 62-year old vines (pictured) here planted on sand and clay over the classic tuffeau of Saumur, the fruit destined for the cuvée Les Eygats. Having walked up to this point with Philippe many of his other parcels are visible from here, all except perhaps for Les Fevettes, which is beyond some hills in the distance.
The red vines are as you would expect almost all Cabernet Franc, although Philippe also has a few 25-year old Merlot vines planted behind the château. The fruit isn’t eligible for the Saumur-Champigny appellation and Philippe tends to leave it on the vines for which, he says, the local badger population are very grateful. The white varieties are, of course, all Chenin Blanc.
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