Clos Rougeard : Le Clos 2017

Tasting Notes and Advice for Le Clos 2017 from Clos Rougeard

Tasting

Color

The color shows a ruby-red hue.

Nose

The nose reveals aromas of small red berries, notably strawberry and raspberry, alongside notes of ripe pepper and subtle smoky touches. A lovely minerality emerges with hints of gunflint, suggesting a cool-climate expression.

Palate

On the palate, the wine is still reserved in its youth, with a purity of fruit that needs time to fully unfold. The structure is perfectly balanced, with a silky, supple texture. The same fruity notes found on the nose carry through on the palate, supported by fine tension and a very long finish. The tannins are fine and refined, with no astringency whatsoever.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with roast lamb, game such as venison or wild boar, as well as grilled beef. It also goes beautifully with dishes featuring wild mushrooms or herb-roasted root vegetables.

Serving and cellaring

Le Clos 2017 can be enjoyed now with careful aeration, but it will continue to evolve and gain in complexity through around 2046-2050.

An outstanding Saumur-Champigny from a legendary Loire terroir

The estate

Founded in 1664 in Chacé, in the heart of the Loire, Clos Rougeard stands as one of the valley’s most iconic estates. For eight generations, the Foucault family guided this 15-hectare estate with an unwavering philosophy, practicing biodynamic viticulture long before it became fashionable. In 2017, the estate was acquired by brothers Martin and Olivier Bouygues, who also own Château Montrose in Saint-Estèphe. Under the direction of Cyril Chirouze and with guidance from Nady Foucault, the estate continues its commitment to ancestral practices and uncompromising quality, producing some of the world’s most sought-after cabernet franc wines.

The vineyard

The Clos Rougeard vineyard spans 15 hectares divided into 25 distinct plots within the Saumur-Champigny appellation. The Le Clos cuvée comes from fifteen plots on clay-limestone soils in the villages of Chacé, Varrains, and Dampierre. The vines, fifty to seventy years old, are planted on famed tuffeau, the porous limestone rock typical of Touraine that gives the wines their remarkable minerality. The vineyard is farmed according to biodynamic principles, with no chemical inputs, regular plowing between the rows, and yields deliberately limited to around 25 hectoliters per hectare.

The vintage

The 2017 vintage in the Loire is marked by remarkable balance. The year saw neither excessive heat nor overly cool conditions, allowing cabernet franc to reach optimal physiological ripeness while preserving the freshness and acidity that characterize the region’s finest wines.

Winemaking and aging

The grapes for Le Clos 2017 are harvested by hand and then fully destemmed. Fermentation takes place in open cement vats for four to six weeks, with daily punch-downs and pump-overs to optimize extraction. Malolactic fermentation is carried out in barrels. The wine is then aged for eighteen to twenty-four months in oak barrels. True to the estate’s philosophy, the press wine is excluded from the final blend in order to preserve the finesse of the tannins. The wine is bottled without filtration or fining, then rests for another year before release.

Grape variety

100% cabernet franc