Coteaux de Saumur
Styles
Principal grape varieties
Terroir
Natural factors
- Zone covering 17 communes (Maine-et-Loire), 2 (Deux-Sèvres), and 9 (Vienne), bounded to the north by the Loire.
- Soils derived from Turonian formations (tuffeau): rendzinas and calcareous brown soils, good heat retention, moderate water-holding capacity.
- A foehn effect from the Mauges (to the west) reduces annual rainfall to 600 mm, compared with over 800 mm on the surrounding hills.
- The Loire and its tributaries encourage morning mists at harvest time, conducive to the development of noble rot.
Human factors
- Chenin B, the appellation's sole permitted variety, has been trained short for wines destined for export by sea since the 16th century, through trade with Dutch merchants.
- Late-harvest overripeness achieved through successive tries is documented as early as 1816, with multiple passes through the vineyard recorded by Jullien.
Product characteristics
- Good ageing potential: up to 15 years in bottle.
Terroir / wine link
- Well-ventilated calcareous and chalky hillside slopes combined with Loire mists promote concentration on the vine and the development of Botrytis cinerea.
Facts drawn from the cahier's terroir-link section (Lien au terroir) by automatic interpretation — see the source.
Sources
- Product specification (BO Agri, PDF), JORF 20 décembre 2025
- Official INAO text (show_texte)
- INAO product entry
- Official trade body site — InterLoire