Saumur-Champigny
Discover the Saumur-Champigny appellation
The Saumur-Champigny appellation is part of the greater Loire Valley vineyard. Like its Saumur counterpart (they're actually neighbors), the Saumur-Champigny vineyard was also planted around the 5th century AD. Both vineyards grew, thanks to the Catholic Church: a lot of monks who settled in the region all had their own vineyards and made their own wine.
In 1066, the Saint-Florent monks began to clear the land, chopping down trees and planting the first vine stocks. Other religious orders followed, among which the Cordeliers. They were in charge of what would later become the Saumur-Champigny vineyard. During the Middle Ages, there was a huge uptick in winegrowing, due to the local bourgeoisie and the many wine merchants. Sadly, many crises were also brewing: the French Revolution, the Vendée Wars, the phylloxera invasion… Although the vineyard was severely hit, it always managed to come back.
The Saumur-Champigny appellation was recognized by decree in 1957, and then officially became an AOC in 1999. The appellation is a red wine, produced by a 1,500 hectares vineyard, next to Saumur. The soils (a blend of gravels, sand, cray and limestone) are home to two main grape varieties: the Cabernet Franc and the Chenin. The vineyard has an output of 83,000 hectoliters of wine each year. Many efforts are being made to find a balance between the vineyard and the surrounding biodiversity, in order to guarantee more respectful winemaking methods.
Browse our selection of Saumur-Champigny wines.
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