Fabien Duveau Bas Poyeux Saumur-Champigny Rouge 2022

Tasting Notes

From one of Saumur-Champigny’s most esteemed sites, Bas Poyeux, this Cabernet Franc captures the finesse and mineral tension of the region’s limestone soils. The vineyard, planted in the early 1960s, sits on a thin layer of sandy clay over pure limestone - conditions that lend both perfume and precision to the fruit.

Fabien Duveau farms organically and biodynamically, working with old vines and minimal intervention to highlight terroir above all else. The grapes are destemmed, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and aged in a mix of concrete and seasoned oak, with only the lightest touch of sulphur at bottling.

The resulting wine is elegant and refined, with lifted aromas of red and black fruits, graphite and subtle spice. On the palate it shows a silken texture and fine tannins, balancing ripeness with freshness and stony energy. A beautiful example of Saumur-Champigny’s ability to deliver Cabernet Franc that is at once pure, savoury, and deeply expressive of place. - Chris L