Thierry Germain - Domaine des Roches Neuves : L'Echelier 2024

Characteristics and tasting notes of "L'Echelier" 2024 by Thierry Germain - Domaine des Roches Neuves

Tasting

Appearance
The wine reveals a clear and luminous pale straw-yellow hue, with an almost crystalline clarity.

Nose
Generous and powerful, the nose unveils a beautiful aromatic concentration blending notes of citrus and flowers, underpinned by a mineral backbone.

Palate
The attack is straightforward, powerful and fruity. The palate unfolds aromas of white fruits, pineapple and passion fruit, accompanied by floral touches. The whole offers a lovely balance between richness and tension, stretching towards a rich and pure finish, marked by an assertive minerality and delicate bitter notes.

Food and wine pairings

This white wine pairs wonderfully with seafood such as grilled sea bream, oysters, sole with beurre blanc or marinated scallops. It also goes very well with fish in cream sauce, a warm goat cheese salad or a fruity dessert such as a raspberry framboisier.

The mineral expression of a white wine from Saumur

The estate

Founded in 1850 by the Duveau family, the estate was taken over in 1991 by Thierry and Marie Germain. Located in Varrains, at the heart of the Loire Valley in France, the property now spans 28 hectares divided into numerous micro-plots. A pioneer of viticulture that respects living ecosystems, Thierry Germain - Domaine des Roches Neuves has been certified in biodynamic agriculture since the early 2000s. Since 2020, the next generation has taken over with their son Louis and his partner Agathe, who carry on this philosophy centred on listening to the terroir.

The vineyard

The "L'Echelier" cuvée is a Saumur wine from a specific plot acquired in 2012, located on the left bank of the Loire and enclosed by three-hundred-year-old walls. The vines, from a massale selection and planted at a density of 6,500 vines per hectare, thrive on a clay-limestone terroir. A thin thirty-centimetre layer of sand covers the bedrock of Upper Turonian limestone, known as tuffeau. This porous soil naturally regulates the plant's water needs. The vineyard is maintained through comprehensive soil work and natural grass cover.

Winemaking and aging

The harvest of the "L'Echelier" 2024 cuvée is carried out by hand. In the underground cellar, pneumatic pressing is performed gently over four hours. Alcoholic fermentation takes place slowly, over a period of three months, in 600-litre oval barrels with thick walls, all at low temperature to preserve aromatic freshness. The wine is then aged on fine lees for nine months.

Grape variety

100% Chenin.