Thierry Germain - Domaine des Roches Neuves - La Marginale 2022
Loire
Red
Sold individually
To keep
94/100
RVF
-
92+/100
Robert Parker
"All the potential of a great terroir, the archetypal Saumur Champigny, complete and harmonious".
"As usual, La Marginale reveals itself with a sunnier feel. Ample and enveloping, it retains its invigorating energy. It will evolve with panache over the next thirty years." (La RVF 2025). A must-have from Domaine des Roches Neuves.
Features
Estate
Thierry Germain - Roches Neuves
Cuvée
La Marginale
Vintage
2022
Designation
Saumur-Champigny
Region
Loire
Grape varieties
Cabernet Franc
Terroirs
Clay-limestone soils with Turonian predominance
Viticulture
Certified organic and biodynamic
Harvest
Manual
Winemaking
Fermentation with indigenous yeasts in wooden vats, very light pumping over just to wet the cap, 22 to 24-day maceration, malolactic fermentation in 25 hl round wooden vats (Stoeckinger).
Breeding
12 months in 228-litre barrels
Alcohol content
13.5%
Organic
Yes
Tasting & pairing
Eye
Intense ruby red
Nose
Attractive nuances of menthol, fruit liqueur, red berries and star anise, aromas of red fruits (blackcurrant, blackberry, cherry, blueberry, raspberry), flowers (peony, violet, rose) and spices (cinnamon, vanilla, Sichuan pepper).
Mouth
Straight, powerful attack, intense fruitiness, good acidity, well-coated, structuring alcohol, clean, rich finish.
Serve
Decant at 16°C
Open
1h before
Drink from
2025
Drink before
2031
Food and wine pairing
Enjoy with black pudding with apples, thick-cut pork chops, herb-crusted rack of lamb, spoon-fed oxtail ...
Thierry Germain - Roches Neuves
Saumur-Champigny
Expert opinion
Bettane & Desseauve
Domaine rated (guide 2024) 5*Stars (Exceptional producers, those who represent the absolute pinnacle of quality in France and the world)
About the domain :
Thierry Germain has made his estate a benchmark for biodynamic viticulture and great wines. He has passed on his passion to his daughter Jeanne Germain and son Louis, who have joined him on the estate. The wines are dense, with a stimulating energy, and highlight the magnificent limestone terroirs of both Clos Romans and Clos de L'Echelier. Low yields give good concentration to the long, silky reds. The difficult 2021 vintage has been perfectly mastered here.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Rated (guide 2024) 92+/100 (Wonderful wine)
About the wine:
From vines planted on clay-limestone soils, Saumur Champigny La Marginale 2022, aged for a year in 25 hectoliter foudres, reveals a deep, delicate bouquet of menthol, rose, peony and leaves. Medium-bodied, layered and textured, it offers a vertical feel with good depth and powdery tannins, finishing with a long, ethereal finish. More austere than the 2021, it needs time to digest its ageing.
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Wine rated (guide 2025) 94/100
Domaine rated (guide 2025) 3*Stars (They represent the excellence of the French vineyard. The best terroirs cultivated by the greatest winemakers. Tasting their wines is always a magical experience)
About the wine:
As usual, La Marginale reveals itself with a sunnier feel. Ample and enveloping, it retains its invigorating energy. It will evolve with panache into its thirties.
About the domain :
The charismatic Thierry Germain has defined a contemporary stylistic approach to Saumur-Champigny, articulating the right ripeness of the Cabernets and their ageing in wood through different containers, while ensuring the longevity of a wine that is at once fruity, infused, floral and crisp. The extensive work undertaken in the vines (biodynamic, some ploughed with horse power) is evident from the estate's very first cuvée. The latest white vintages reveal a remarkable saline brilliance, getting to the heart of the chalky expression of chenin on tuffeau. They thrill the taste buds and the body! The reds' quest for a unique, chiselled, crisp balance is undeniable. Their florality can be ravishing. But we're convinced they could reveal a more velvety, graceful balance of Loire Cabernet Franc. Thierry Germain is gradually preparing the estate's future, passing on his knowledge and sensibility to his son Louis, who supports him solidly. The vertical analysis carried out in April 2024 of La Marginale, since 1989, and Clos Romans, since 2012, confirms the undeniable ageing potential of the reds and whites. Remarkable!
Customer reviews
Customer rating
3/5
out of 1 review
Note and review by M. DANIEL S. Published on 30/10/2024
See all reviews from this customer
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