Saumur

Styles

Principal grape varieties

Accessory grape varieties

Terroir

• The geographical area lies at the extreme south-west of the Paris Basin, where the Mesozoic and Cenozoic substratum overlies the Precambrian and Palaeozoic basement of the Armorican Massif.
• The presence of tuffeau chalk locally characterises the "Anjou blanc", as opposed to the "Anjou noir" situated to the west, marked by schists, notably slate-bearing ones.
• The geographical area of the Saumur appellation is bounded to the north by the Loire and crossed from south to north by the valley of the Thouet and its tributary the Dive, with hillside slopes ranging in altitude from 40 to 110 metres.
• The soils develop on Turonian formations, with rendzinas and calcareous brown soils of varying depth, locally overlain at the top of the slopes by sands and clays of the Senonian or Eocene.
• The oceanic climate of the Saumur area is tempered by a foehn effect linked to the Mauges massifs, with annual rainfall of 550 to 600 millimetres, markedly lower than the more than 800 millimetres recorded on the hills of the Mauges.

• In the 16th century, Dutch brokers who valued the wines' suitability for transport by sea helped establish the Chenin grape variety's reputation beyond the region.
• The Cabernet franc grape variety, locally called "Breton", appeared with the first red and rosé wines of Saumur, its spread having been encouraged by the winegrower Antoine Cristal in the 19th century.
• From the 15th century onward, wine bottled in winter and undergoing a second fermentation when the warmth returned would turn lightly sparkling while retaining its aromatic finesse, giving rise to the wines known as "pétillants".
• At the start of the 19th century, Jean Ackerman promoted the development of sparkling wines through mastery of second fermentation in bottle and the existence of cellars dug into the tuffeau chalk, allowing storage at a low and constant temperature.

• The white wines are dry, often pale yellow in colour with greenish highlights, with aromas of fruit and white flowers and a sensation of freshness on the palate.
• The red wines show a ruby colour sometimes tinged with garnet highlights, fruity aromas wrapped in spicy, animal or slightly smoky notes, and tannins that are generally silky and supple, capable of ageing for a few years.

• The shallow soils, which warm up more quickly, ensure excellent phenolic ripeness in the grapes, making it possible to obtain aromatic wines.
• The underground cellars dug into the tuffeau chalk offer constant conditions of light, humidity and temperature that bring out the organoleptic qualities of the wines and, for reds, favour a supple and silky tannic expression.

Facts drawn from the specification's terroir-link section by automatic interpretation — see the source.

Dénominations géographiques complémentaires

• Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame AOC (PDO)

All appellations in France

Sources

• Product specification (BO Agri, PDF) — approved 12 janvier 2024, JORF 22 janvier 2024
• Official INAO text (show_texte)
• INAO product entry
• Official trade body site — InterLoire