Winemaker Notes
A thoroughbred of a Cabernet, l'Échelier—named after a walled-in clos of terraces that is "ladder"-like—is Burgundian in style. Fine, with bright acid, sleek silkiness, and great length, it is the most elegant of all of Thierry's red wines.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Crafted from vines, planted in white clay with a mere depth of 10 centimeters over limestone within the commune of Dampierre-sur-Loire, the 2021 Saumur Champigny Clos de l'Échelier offers up aromas of blueberries, flowers and dark wild berries. Medium-bodied, concentrated and rich, it’s lively and pure with a crystalline texture and a chiseled, saline and calcareous finish.
Cabernet Franc, a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon, is the subtler and more delicate of the Cabernets. Today Cabernet Franc produces outstanding single varietal wines across the wine-producing world. Somm Secret—One of California's best-kept secrets is the Happy Canyon appellation of Santa Barbara. Here Cabernet Franc shines as a single varietal wine or in blends, expressing sumptuous fruit, savory aromas and polished tannins.
Marked by great châteaux built with the same tuffeau limestone that is also responsible for the excavation of so many of the famed Loire caves, Saumur is famous for its Chenin blanc based sparkling wines. Inside the Saumur region, Saumur-Champigny creates some of the Loire’s greatest Cabernet Francs.