Thierry Germain - Domaine des Roches Neuves - Les Mémoires 2022 (vignes de 118 ans!)

Bettane & Desseauve

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

About the wine:

From a parcel of vines planted in 1904 facing the Loire on flinty soils with a limestone subsoil, Saumur Champigny Les Mémoires 2022 evokes aromas of wild black fruits, cassis, flowers and spices. Medium-bodied, deep and concentrated, it is elegantly fleshy and satiny, with a long, mineral, resonant finish. Fermented in open concrete tanks.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

Les Mémoires combines dark, smoky, sanguine aromas with superior density. It's still very young, and its depth will enable it to make its mark in the world of great Cabernet Franc for laying down.

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!