The most iconic estate in the Loire and one of France’s most celebrated estates, Clos Rougeard has a cult following for their incredibly rare, age-worthy wines. 

Founded in the 17th century, the Foucault family have painstakingly farmed some of the best vineyard plots in Saumur-Champigny and Saumur. Since the 1960s brothers Charly and Nady Foucault ran the domaine taking it to new heights. The incredible quality of the wines starts in the vineyards which are farmed with exacting standards using traditional methods - organic and biodynamic practices, ploughing to control weeds, massale selection to propagate vines, and pruning to keep yields low.  

In the cellar they are just as demanding. The grapes are destemmed and fermented with native yeasts. The wines undergo a long, gentle fermentation with foot treading or pumping over as needed. Then, after 18-24 months in barrel in the incredibly cool tuffeau cellars, they are bottled unfined and unfiltered, and aged in bottle before release. 

In 2017, following the passing of Charly in December 2015, the Foucault family decided to sell the estate to the Bouygues family, owners of Chateau Montrose which they've taken to new heights. 

The wines of Clos Rougeard are brilliant, beautifully elegant, and beguiling wines that somehow manage to be concentrated yet delicate. 

https://www.clos-rougeard.com