Domaine Fouet Saumur Blanc 2009
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Parker
Robert
Product Details
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Winemaker Notes
Our Saumur Blanc goes perfectly with first courses, shellfish and fish. The ideal serving temperature between 52 and 56°
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Julien Fouet's 2009 Saumur behaves rather like a blend of Sauvignon and Chenin, smelling mouth-wateringly of ripe honeydew melon, apple, lime, mint, and brown spices Like a luscious melon and lime sorbet (except, of course, dry) it coats and refreshes the palate, with salt, iodine, and apple pip bitterness offering counterpoint. This finishes with a persistently mouth-watering interplay of fruit and mineral as well as a delightful overall sense of levity. It may be that, just as many Sauvignons from outlying areas of Touraine benefited especially from the ripeness of 2009 when compared with wines from better-known appellations that sometimes took on too much weight or alcohol and lacked brightness, so this delightful Saumur exhibits ravishingly ripe appeal yet also lift, brightness, and transparency to mineral nuance that are generally missing from 2009 vintage Chenin Blancs of more celebrated appellations. In view of the short plastic stopper used to seal the bottle, I would plan to savor this versatile, outstanding value over the coming 6-9 months.
With concern for respect of the environment, the vines of the Domaine are not chemically weeded but treated to encourage the grass between the vines. In addition to the ecological aspect, this technique offers qualitative advantages in the wines: reduction of output, increased natural alcohol level, and reduction of rot.
From the pruning of the vines (low output), to bottling (without filtering), everything is put in place to obtain the best possible quality of wine, a reflection of the SAUMUR CHAMPIGNY soil and of our experience. All these qualitative measures enable us to obtain many awards in various competitions (Guide Hachette of wine for exemple).
Unquestionably one of the most diverse grape varieties, Chenin Blanc can do it all. It shines in every style from bone dry to unctuously sweet, oaked or unoaked, still or sparkling and even as the base for fortified wines and spirits. Perhaps Chenin Blanc’s greatest asset is its ever-present acidity, maintained even under warm growing conditions. Somm Secret—Landing in South Africa in the mid 1800s, today the country has double the acreage of Chenin Blanc planted compared to France. There is also a new wave of dedicated producers committed to restoring old Chenin vines.
Praised for its stately Renaissance-era chateaux, the picturesque Loire valley produces pleasant wines of just about every style. Just south of Paris, the appellation lies along the river of the same name and stretches from the Atlantic coast to the center of France.
The Loire can be divided into three main growing areas, from west to east: the Lower Loire, Middle Loire, and Upper/Central Loire. The Pay Nantais region of the Lower Loire—farthest west and closest to the Atlantic—has a maritime climate and focuses on the Melon de Bourgogne variety, which makes refreshing, crisp, aromatic whites.
The Middle Loire contains Anjou, Saumur and Touraine. In Anjou, Chenin Blanc produces some of, if not the most, outstanding dry and sweet wines with a sleek, mineral edge and characteristics of crisp apple, pear and honeysuckle. Cabernet Franc dominates red and rosé production here, supported often by Grolleau and Cabernet Sauvignon. Sparkling Crémant de Loire is a specialty of Saumur. Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc are common in Touraine as well, along with Sauvignon Blanc, Gamay and Malbec (known locally as Côt).
The Upper Loire, with a warm, continental climate, is Sauvignon Blanc country, home to the world-renowned appellations of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé. Pinot Noir and Gamay produce bright, easy-drinking red wines here.