Saumur-Champigny 2007 Tasting Notes

Saumur-Champigny 2005

Our Option wine this year is from the remarkable 2005 vintage which achieved not only the top accolade of Gold Medal at the International Wine Challenge last year but also was the first ever Loire red to win a Trophy in the entire history of the Challenge!

2005 was a superb year for producing wine in many areas of France, and the Loire was no exception. The summer was a perfect balance of hot sunny weather and lower than average rainfall, leading to a harvest period in early October when the grapes were supremely ripe. Jean-Luc and Jean-Albert took advantage of the excellent conditions to produce an exceptional Saumur-Champigny, made from the Cabernet Franc grapes grown on the chalky soils of the plateau.

The International Wine Challenge judges described the wine as “Wonderfully ripe. Raspberry coulis with ripe, vibrant and complex flavours. So young, yet so attractive”. The typically deep ruby colour wine has a superb full fruity nose of raspberry and red fruits, and the lovely rich taste fills the mouth with similar complexities.

Try it on its own served just below room temperature, or slightly chilled in the summer, when it is the perfect partner to cold meats and summer salads. Its soft tannins also make it a wonderful accompaniment to roasts, especially lamb and beef. Like all good Loire reds made from the Cabernet Franc grape, this wine will also keep well and develop more complexity in bottle if carefully cellared. If you can resist not drinking it all now it will keep up to 2015 – with its optimum drinking time from now until 2013.