Château Yvonne Saumur Blanc 2021

Location: France, Loire, Saumur Champigny

Winemaker: Matthieu Vallée

Grapes: Chenin Blanc

Soil: Clay-limestone soils over tuffeau stones

Winemaking: Native yeast fermentation in barrel at cool temperatures for 4 months. Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally during aging in oak (30% new barrels for 12 months). Unfined and unfiltered. 

From the Importer Paris Wine Company: The Yvonne Blanc was one of the 2 original cuvées produced at the domaine. Mathieu continued the same high quality work in the vineyard and cellar, but drastically reduced the amount of new oak used for elevage. While most fans of Saumur Blanc know about Brézé, Yvonne Blanc will likely be the first introduction to the whites of La Côte, the exceptional tuffeau terroir along the Loire river in Parnay.

Located in Parnay, Château Yvonne has been surrounded by vineyards since the Middle Ages, when the monks at the Abbaye de Fontevraud brought their influence to the region. The château dates to the 16th century, but not much became known of it until 1813, when a local winemaker moved in and began producing wine on site. In 1997, Yvonne and Jean-François Lamunière decided to recreate the abandoned vineyard with the help of Françoise Foucault. In 2007, Mathieu Vallée took over and decided to keep the name Château Yvonne, in homage of the incredible work done by the previous owners. Today, the domaine is one of the best producers in Saumur. The estate is composed of 3 hectares of Chenin Blanc and 8 hectares of Cabernet Franc, all of which have been farmed organically since 1997.

Today, Matthieu Vallée has taken his place as one of the leading producers in Saumur. The vineyards are spread out amongst over 30 different small parcels, with many of the best vineyards located in "La Côte", or the plateau next to the church of Parnay overlooking the Loire River. While much attention has been given to the limestone outcrop of Brézé further south, historically the vineyards of La Côte have been just as highly regarded. In addition to the two cuvées Yvonne Blanc and Yvonne Rouge that were historically produced at the property, Matthieu has added several other wines. La Folie is produced from over 10 parcels on colder limestone terroir of Champigny. Ile Quatre Sous comes from sandy soils and produces a soft red that's easy to drink right away. There are also two elusive single vineyard cuvées - Le Gory (Chenin Blanc) and Le Beaumeray (Cabernet Franc), which come from sites that are poised to become future premier crus of Saumur.