Clos Rougeard, 2009 Les Poyeux, Saumur-Champigny, Loire Valley, France | Cab Franc Chronicles

Описание: Cab Franc Chronicles - Your source for all things Cabernet Franc!

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Analysis and commentary of the Clos Rougeard, 2009 Les Poyeux, Saumur-Champigny, Loire Valley, France

Thank you for selecting this video! This video was recorded LIVE through Instagram, and thus is not scripted (and is slightly lower quality). I followed a plan, but also answered viewer questions throughout. There are time stamps below that may help you if there are specific topics you are interested in.

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For many wine professionals and enthusiasts, Clos Rougeard is as iconic a domaine as it gets. Coveted and cherished alongside greats like Raveneau, Selosse, Dagueneau, Chave, and others, these wines represent the upper echelon of Cabernet Franc. I've often referred to this domaine as being a "North Star" example of Cabernet Franc for many.

The earliest account of Clos Rougeard existing dates to 1664. But it was under the direction of Charly and Nady Foucault, the 8th generation to run the estate, that the domaine quietly rose to cult status in the early 2000s. The irony of their rise to fame is that the brothers had not changed a thing about their approach to viticulture or winemaking. They kept doing what they always had done - organic viticulture (though never certified), low intervention winemaking, long élevage, etc. - and eventually people started to notice, and slowly word of mouth spread.

Following the death of Charly Foucault in 2015, his brother Nady, with no heirs, was left with a difficult choice. The domaine was eventually put up for sale and purchased in 2017 by the owner of Château Montrose in Bordeaux.

The domaine is comprised of 11 hectares of vines, and there are three Cabernet Francs in the range. The 'Le Clos' which is a blend across several parcels in Chacé, Les Poyeux and Le Bourg, both of which are single lieu-dits wines. They also make one Chenin Blanc from parcels in Brézé (Saumur Blanc).

In the video, I provide a detailed overview of Les Poyeux, a lieu-dit located in Chacé. This is a ‘grand terroir’ if there ever was one in Saumur-Champigny, but it is not a monopole for Clos Rougeard. In fact, this vineyards is around 30ha (~74 acres), and there are a number of vignerons that have parcels here as well, including Thierry Germain (Dm des Roches Neuves), Antoine Sanzay, Dominique Joseph (Le Petit Saint Vincent), and others. What is also important to note about this vineyard, is because of its large size, the soils/exposures across the lieu-dit vary quite a bit, so there is no singular expression of Les Poyeux and the quality of the examples coming from this site can vary considerably. I often refer to this vineyard as being like the “Clos de Vougeot Grand Cru” of Saumur-Champigny (one of the largest Grand Cru climats in Burgundy).

Since the recording of this video, I’ve learned a lot more about Les Poyeux, and have two more up-to-date posts on my Instagram that provide a lot more detail on this vineyard (available in English and French).

  / crhw1unl5yp   (English)
  / cr9cmmsrc1v   (French)

This was a very special bottle, that was a thrill to open and share. Hopefully the chapters noted below make it a bit easier for folks to find the topics that are most interesting to them. If you come across a bottle of Clos Rougeard in the wild, while not cheap (today the estimated retail is $250-$350 depending on the cuvée), these are very special examples of Cabernet Franc. I have not had a chance to taste any of the new vintages (since Charly’s passing), so I cannot speak to if there has been a change in style or approach since the domaine was sold in 2017. Only time will tell if the legacy of the Foucault brothers and their ancestors will hold true. Regardless, the influence that Charly and Nady had on the world of Cabernet Franc is unmatched, and we have a lot more delicious Cabernet Franc out there because of their contribution.


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0:00 Preamble/introduction
1:52 History of Clos Rougeard
7:33 Influence & disciples
8:21 Charly's death and domaine sale
10:57 Les Poyeux
15:28 Tuffeau talk!
17:44 Rise of CR in 2000s/cult status
21:19 Story of this bottle
24:14 Winemaking
26:31 Clos Rougeard wine range
31:55 2009 vintage
34:08 Tasting (The Nose)
37:42 Tasting (The Palate)
41:28 Tasting (The Personification)
43:57 Favourite pairings
46:06 Conclusion

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Website coming later in 2023 with a full write up and tons more content.
Posted to Instagram June 26, 2021.

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Key wine facts below:

Producer: Clos Rougeard
Appellation: Saumur-Champigny
Commune: Chacé
Lieu-Dit: Les Poyeux
Soils: Shallow sandy topsoil on the Middle Turonian white tuffeau chalk bedrock
Alcohol: 12.5%

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