Self Isolation : Day # 39

2014 Château Yvonne Saumur Champigny Rouge

Since taking over the quaint Château Yvonne in 2007, Matthieu Vallée has been responsible for the continued success of this 16th century estate’s wines. The modest limestone home sits on a hillside, just a stone’s throw from the banks of the lazy Loire River in the hamlet of Parnay, a quick drive upstream from Saumur. ‘Estate’ is a bit misleading here, as none of the vineyards owned by Vallée are actually at the château. Rather, the three hectares of Chenin Blanc and eight hectares of Cabernet Franc are spread out over twenty-eight individual parcels in three villages. As a result, Vallée’s wines reflect a pure expression of the varied tuffeau-laced terroirs of Saumur. When I visited the Loire Valley in the summer of 2017 I was lucky enough to taste with Vallée at Château Yvonne, which he also calls home. This bottle was purchased that sunny afternoon from Vallée himself and is still just as good today as it was three years ago.

This pure expression of Cabernet Franc is a lovely vibrant, blue-tinged purple in the glass with aromas of soil-covered raspberries, rhubarb, and tobacco that fill the room. The red fruit, spice, and earth notes on the palate are carried by a backbone of prickly acidity and supported by mellow, fine-grained tannins. It’s no wonder that the Cabernet Francs of the Loire Valley have been the mainstay at Paris bistros for more than a century.

That afternoon sipping barrel samples while discussing wine and limestone will always be one of my favorite. I’m impatiently awaiting the day I can return for another visit…

The ‘tasting room’ at Château Yvonne. Mattiue Vallée pictured far right. Parnay, Saumur, France. June, 2017

Elegant and homey, the atrium-like entry to the cellars at Yvonne is a treat to taste in. I’m not sure it could get more French than this… Note the confluence of natural and quarried limestone above the entrance.