Bordeaux on a Burgundian frame

[salilb]

2007 Clos Rougeard (Foucault) Saumur-Champigny Le Bourg
Unfortunately getting more and more expensive each year (this year's release is around $120, right up there with many fine clarets). Yet I think this remains one of the world's truly great wines. My friend comments "Since when did they make Cheval Blanc in the Loire?" This is remarkably Bordeaux-like in its flavour profile with a core of pure dark fruited and cassis flavours framed by forestal greenness, cedar, dried tobacco and minerally notes, but conveying its flavours with a textural finesse and a lightness of touch that's closer to a great Burgundy. Incredible wine, obviously very youthful but already so complex and layered with remarkable presence and persistence. Wow!

[AlexR]

$ 120 for a Saumur Champigny?!
I think I've seen everything now!!!!

OK, I like to root for the underdog, but even having lived in Saumur for a year and a half, and knowing (and liking) those wines pretty well, why to I find it so hard to believe that this wine could possibly be worth that much money?

Best regards,
Alex R.

[salilb]

Rougeard is not a typical Saumur or Loire CF, and their Le Bourg bottling is something particularly distinctive that I wouldn't group alongside anything else in the region. If you have a chance, try one of them.

But yes, the prices are getting sickening - as much as I like Rougeard, most of my Loire Cab Franc dollars are still going to the much more humbly priced Baudry or Breton wines.

[Ramon_NYC]

Would the 2007 be the latest release from Clos Rougeard? Aren't these wines supposedly quite unforgiving when drunk young?

I was advised to bide my time about drinking both 2005 and 1995 Clos Rougeard Les Poyeux that I have.

[salilb]

Yup, 07 is the latest release.

I've found Poyeux more challenging to drink in its youth - Poyeux is more tannic and gritty, Bourg in contrast is much more polished and silken. The regular 'Clos' drinks quite nicely young. But all of them do need some air for their aromatics and depth to really emerge. We decanted the Bourg, sat down with it over a few hours and after about 3 hours it was really spectacular.

I reckon the 95s should be drinking pretty nicely now. 05s are another matter entirely - that's a very weird vintage in the Loire, with a lot more fruit, concentration, tannin and alcohol, and the few 05s I've had recently (all Baudry Chinons) have been massive, powerfully structured wines that really need time. I would not touch any 05 Rougeards for several years, though have no problem drinking some of my 07s now (it's a much more open-knit and friendly vintage to explore young).

[Comte Flaneur]

Thanks for the fascinating note Salil.

Like Alex I was quite shocked when I looked up some UK prices, but if it is as good as Cheval Blanc - and I assume it is roughly the same grape mix - then it is a bargain! I notice that one or two other savvy connoisseurs on both sides of the pond have cottoned on to this.

What other producers would you recommend?

Ian

[robertgoulet]

Oh my, jealous setting in....dying to taste this wine....luv me some cab franc

I saw this was a futures item on zachys for the '07 at $136. I would not think this was ready.

I read that jouget says there are two suns, one that shines on the people and the other on the foucault cellar. Something like that...I need to find it Awesome quote though

[Ramon_NYC]

I would not touch any 05 Rougeards for several years, though have no problem drinking some of my 07s now ...

OK. I'll keep my 2005s stored away. I would have no problem drinking your 07s now, too.

[robertgoulet]

Found the quote:

Charles Joguet, the great winemaker of Chinon, once said: "there are two suns. One shines outside for everybody. The second shines in the Foucaults' cellar."