Saumur Champigny La Marginale Domaine des Roches Neuves 2017

Saumur Champigny La Marginale Domaine des Roches Neuves, biodynamic, full bodied Loire red, a cross between Burgundy and Claret, rich yet elegant, Loire at its best, only made in suitable fine vintages. Cuvée Marginale is a selection of the best grapes (tiny yields of 25hl/ha) put into barriques neuves, a felicitous amalgam of Bordeaux and Loire styles, The vines for the Marginale are situated on the superb clayey-limestone soil of Fosse de Chaintrés. This cuvée is only made in the best years when the grapes achieve a minimum of 13 degrees alcohol. Yields for the Marginale are a miniscule 25hl/ha; the grapes are macerated for 30-35 days, then the wine is placed in new oak to undergo malolactic fermentation. It will mature for 18-24 months depending on the vintage

Serious wines are produced at this estate run by the charismatic Thierry Germain.

His approach is closer to a Burgundy wine-maker than a typical Loire producer. This 50-acre domaine, situated in a superb viticultural location in the appellation of Saumur-Champigny, has been a winery since 1850. Germain, from a long line of Bordeaux winemakers, arrived here in 1991, attracted by the region’s perfect balance of grape varietal, climate and 'terroir', which he considers one of the finest in France. The vineyard is worked in a natural way with the goal of keeping the vine and the soil at its healthiest and Thierry has become a fully-fledged advocate of biodynamics. The harvest is manual, selecting grapes at their very ripest level. Vinification is handled in small batches with bottling un-fined and unfiltered. All of his wines are superb, but not easy to obtain because the demand for them is so great.