Country of Origin: France
Location: Saumur-Champigny, Loire
People: Thierry Germain, Owner & Winemaker
You learn a lot about a man by his compost pile. One of the few producers in the appellation of Saumur-Champigny to farm naturally, Thierry Germain is extremely proud of his, reaching into the heart of his compost to show off the smoking debris to visitors. While others are pumping as much synthetic fertilizer into their vineyard as possible to reach the highest potential yields, Thierry Germain is going the other direction, using his compost only when necessary, and asking the vines to suffer to produce much, much less fruit. The end results are stunning!Originally trained in Bordeaux, Thierry brings his sensibility to the noble Cabernet Franc grape to what is arguably some of the most suitable terroir for it in the world, the Saumur-Champigny appellation in the central Loire Valley. The special combination of clay, limestone, flint and alluvial soils helps to produce wines with power and elegance at the same time. When cropped at low levels, these vines produce Cabernet Franc with wonderful purity, length and precision, which can age for decades.
Domaine des Roches Neuves has become a benchmark producer from Saumur-Champigny, harvesting completely by hand in over 30 parcels, all of which are vinified separately. While yields of most properties average upwards of 60 hectoliters per hectare, Roches Neuves averages just shy of 30, with some bottlings as low as 15. The difference in flavor, color, ageability and complexity is enormous. By farming biodynamically and using only limited amounts of natural fertilizers, Thierry is able to manage what are, in essence, "wild" vines which produce miniscule amounts of fruit. Most of the vineyards are now worked by horse and plow and no commercial yeasts are used during fermentation. Thierry has established a "conservatory" of Cabernet Franc clippings from old vineyards from which he aims to select the top 50 or so for new plantings.
Media Links
Wine Naturally Blog: Thierry Germain is taking his wine to new heights
Social Media
Domaine des Roches Neuves Facebook
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