Louis de Grenelle

Deep under the streets of the Loire Valley town of Saumur, miles and miles of chalk caves meander. Carved centuries ago, many were dug with prison labor under the direction of the king of France. There are so many “streets” underground that they actually outnumber the streets above ground in this beautiful French city. Two and a half kilometers of underground caves belong to the Cave of Louis de Grenelle, the last remaining family-owned property of the major Saumur sparkling producers. All of the bottles produced by the cave are stocked here, under this bustling market city, and left to age quietly for several years. Louis de Grenelle has been producing wines in this location since 1859.

Saumur Brut Rosé “Corail” NV

This is not sparkling wine made by “leftover” juice as is unfortunately the case in many Loire sparkling houses. The fruit for these bottlings is harvested by hand and yields are quite low. This produces rich, textured bottlings of sparkling wine that are indicative of the varietal, not a sugar-packed and innocuous wine produced for the export market. 100% Cabernet Franc from vineyards just outside of Saumur. Fermented and aged in tank, this is produced using the Méthode Champenoise. Very low dosage to protect the aromas and flavor of the varietal. Bright, crisp, and delicious sparkling rosé.

About Samur

Situated on the left bank of the Loire, between Angers and Tours, Saumur is a historic city dominated by one of the most famous castles in France. The castle, like many of the great Châteaux of the Loire Valley, is built with the same tuffeau limestone that underlies the great vineyards of the region. Tuffeau is easy to carve, making it the stone of choice for medieval castles and cathedrals. Sparkling Saumur is usually made from Chenin Blanc or Cabernet Franc (for the rosés). White Saumur is primarily Chenin Blanc, and in some cases, is only this varietal. Red Saumur is mainly made from Cabernet Franc. Saumur Champigny, a separate appellation makes rich red wines from one of the most famous terroirs for Cabernet Franc in the world. The chalk here is quite deep and the hillsides are such that the vines see wonderful exposition. Cabernet Franc may be blended with Cabernet Sauvignon or Pineau d'Aunis, a grape unique to the Loire Valley.