Thierry Germain - Domaine des Roches Neuves : Franc de Pied 2021

Tasting characteristics and advice for the Franc de Pied 2021 from Thierry Germain - Domaine des Roches Neuves

Tasting

Color
A beautiful ruby-red hue, clear and bright, with highlights alternating between violet-blue and cherry tones.

Nose
The nose reveals lovely floral notes and small red berries. The bouquet deepens with aromas of fennel, mugwort, black olives and violets, bringing an aromatic complexity that goes beyond simple fruit expression.

Palate
The attack is crisp and direct, revealing a crunchy, juicy texture with delicate character oriented toward small red berries. The palate shows a bright acidity that adds volume and notable depth, creating an elegant tension. The refined, well-integrated tannins remain supple. The finish expresses a mineral purity with notes of strawberry, raspberry, wild blackberry, tobacco, crushed pepper, grilled herbs and a hint of chocolate. A slight salinity defines this vintage of great purity.

Food and wine pairing

This red wine from the Loire Valley pairs ideally with red meats, beef tartare and game. Its freshness and delicate structure also allow it to match preparations with fresh herbs, grilled vegetables and simply prepared white meats.

Serving and cellaring

The Franc de Pied 2021 can be enjoyed now to appreciate its freshness and vibrant fruit.

An elegant, pure Saumur-Champigny from biodynamically farmed ungrafted vines

The estate

Founded in 1850 by the Duveau family in the village of Varrains, the Domaine des Roches Neuves was acquired in 1992 by Thierry Germain and his wife Marie. Thierry Germain, from a Bordeaux family of winegrowers, transformed this 12-hectare property into a benchmark 28-hectare estate spread over 61 parcels in the Loire Valley. Converted to organic farming in the late 1990s, then to biodynamics in the early 2000s, the estate obtained Biodyvin certification in 2005. Today, Thierry Germain is recognized as a pioneer of biodynamic viticulture in Saumur-Champigny, producing wines of exceptional purity and mineral precision.

The vineyard

This Franc de Pied comes from a specific plot planted with ungrafted vines on sandy soils, at an exceptionally high density of 8,000 to 10,000 vines per hectare. This historic density creates natural competition between the vines, limiting yields and concentrating aromatic expression. The sandy soils naturally protect these ungrafted vines from phylloxera, allowing them to be grown without American rootstock. The vineyard is located in the Saumur-Champigny appellation, in Varrains, benefiting from the moderating influence of the Loire and a terroir composed of porous limestone tuffeau, sandy soils and clay-limestone soils. The plot is worked with horses due to the planting density, in accordance with biodynamic principles.

The vintage

The 2021 vintage proved particularly challenging in the Loire Valley. Spring frosts reduced yields, followed by strong pressure from fungal diseases and hail episodes in June. The cool, wet summer prolonged the growing cycle, requiring late harvesting to reach optimal ripeness. Despite these challenges, the low yields encouraged aromatic concentration, and the cool temperatures preserved the hallmark freshness of Loire wines, with moderate alcohol levels and pronounced acidity.

Winemaking and aging

The Franc de Pied 2021 is fully destemmed before fermentation. Vinification takes place in an oval vat with indigenous yeasts, at controlled temperatures between 16°C and 22°C, finishing at around 24°C. Maceration lasts eight to ten days. Aging takes place over twelve months in large oval foudres, allowing for gradual development without dominant oak influence. The wine is then refined for at least six months in bottle before release.

Grape variety

Cabernet franc (100%).