Winery
Domaine Arnaud Lambert
Arnaud Lambert is helping to discover the expression and diversity of soils and individual sites (terroirs) in the appellations of Saumur and Saumur-Champigny. The goal is to give expression to each individual terroirs and realise each vineyard sites potential through organic viticulture (transitioning to biodynamic). Even though he works a total of 40 ha of vineyards in these 2 villages, the local cooperatives control nearly 70% of the surface area in Brézé and Saint Cyr and mass-produced crémants still dominate the region.
Arnaud strives for consistent methods in the cellar so that each individual terroir is what shines through. Only the traditional Champagne methods for the crémants, which are grown on the estate’s chalkiest soils can hold their own against some of the great, classic Champagnes. The Saumur Blanc and Rouge are vinified and aged exclusively in stainless steel to maintain fruit and freshness. As one moves up in the range and the wines gain in power and density, each of the five Clos wines sees an increasing percentage of new oak and longer élévage.
Historically, Saumur or more precisely Brézé, has been a reference point for fine French wine as royalty exchanged these wines annually for Château d’Yquem Sauternes. Such has been the renown for the magnificent hill of Brézé over the centuries, and once again attention is turning to this great hill as a source of incomparable whites that are often compared with Montrachet the greatest of white Burgundies.
Brézé is a unique site due to its relatively high elevation and eminently nuanced geological profile with its limestone subsoil proving to be perfectly suited to Chenin blanc for much of the site. The significant presence of tuffeau, (a porous, chalky limestone also used in the construction of much of the Loire’s Renaissance architecture) results in finely mineral Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc. Clay and sand also lend themselves to the diversity of the terroirs, giving body to the reds and richness to the whites. Arnaud’s driving ambition is to truly understand and reveal the distinctions within this extraordinary appellation.
2017 marked an exciting transition for Arnaud’s estate when he united his cuvées from both Brézé (20ha) and Saint Cyr en Bourg (20ha) under one label: Domaine Arnaud Lambert. The Saint Cyr wines come from Domaine Saint-Just, which was founded by Arnaud’s father Yves in 1996 when Arnaud was still getting his viticulture and oenology degree. Arnaud studied wine-making in Dijon and has bought that Burgundian approach to his wine-making and to expressing each vineyard site. The father/son team began working together in 2005, and in 2009, they also became managers of the viticultural estate of the Château de Brézé, a UNESCO World Heritage site, signing a long-term lease which included land in 8 of the Clos of Brézé, very old vineyards, each with different soil compositions and site expositions. The same year they began to work the Château vines, Yves and Arnaud also began converting all of their vineyards to organic, and were officially certified organic in 2012. In 2018 Arnaud has begun converting all vineyards to bio-dynamic viticulture after working in this way for some years.
Most significantly Arnaud feels that in the last few vintages he has really found the right balance and expression for the varieties planted in each site after working with these vineyards for 10+ years. The whites, in particular, have found their right expression and impressed us with the clarity and precision demonstrated in each wine from each site. There is most certainly a lightness of touch with no hand of the winemaker apparent in the style of the wines, rather a clarity and purity for all the wines that one finds only rarely amongst the very best winegrowers.
Saint Cyr en Bourg is the neighbouring village just north of Brézé which lies mid-way between the village of Chacé where Clos Rougeard has their famed Le Bourg vineyard. Typically Saint Cyr en Bourg has slightly richer red clay soils in some parts still with a limestone base. These soils are often better suited to Cabernet Franc with some exceptions which have more prominent limestone making those parcels more suitable to Chenin Blanc. The reds wines from Saint Cyr can be labelled Saumur-Champigny as this village lies within that appellation, however, the hill of Breze is just outside of that appellation and so the wines carry the shorter Saumur name as do the whites of Saint Cyr en Bourg as the Saumur-Champagny appellation is just for red wines not white.
In 2019 Arnaud has also started work on a number of vineyards in Montsoreau near the Chateau of Montsoreau located high above the Loire river on a rocky outcrop in the far east of the appellation close to the border with Chinon. Arnaud is clearly dedicated to showcasing the great terroirs of Saumur and that journey is still very young. This is a journey well worth following – and getting on board now not only gives you a cheap ticket but access to some of the Loire’s most exciting Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc terroirs.
2017 marked an exciting transition for Arnaud’s estate when he united his cuvées from both Brézé (20ha) and Saint Cyr en Bourg (20ha) under one label: Domaine Arnaud Lambert. The Saint Cyr wines come from Domaine Saint-Just, which was founded by Arnaud’s father Yves in 1996 when Arnaud was still getting his viticulture and oenology degree. Arnaud studied wine-making in Dijon and has bought that Burgundian approach to his wine-making and to expressing each vineyard site. The father/son team began working together in 2005, and in 2009, they also became managers of the viticultural estate of the Château de Brézé signing a long-term lease which included land in 8 of the Clos of Brézé, very old vineyards, each with different soil compositions and site expositions. (The château is not only a UNESCO World Heritage site, but also a historically important reference in French fine wine: royals used to exchange these wines annually for Château d’Yquem Sauternes.) The same year they began to work the Château vines, Yves and Arnaud also began converting all of their vineyards to organic, and were officially certified organic in 2012. In 2018 Arnaud has begun converting all vineyards to biodynamic viticulture after working in this way for some years.
Most significantly Arnaud feels that in the last few vintages he has really found the right balance and expression for the varieties planted in each site after working with these vineyards for 10+ years. The whites, in particular, have found their right expression and impressed us with the clarity and precision demonstrated in each wine from each site. There is most certainly a lightness of touch with no hand of the winemaker apparent in the style of the wines, rather a clarity and purity for all the wines that one finds only rarely amongst the very best winegrowers.
Saint Cyr en Bourg is the neighbouring village just north of Brézé which lies mid-way between the village of Chacé where Clos Rougeard has their famed Le Bourg vineyard. Typically Saint Cyr en Bourg has slightly richer red clay soils in some parts still with a limestone base. These soils are often better suited to Cabernet Franc with some exceptions which have more prominent limestone making those parcels more suitable to Chenin Blanc. The reds wines from Saint Cyr can be labelled Saumur-Champigny as this village lies within that appellation, however, the hill of Breze is just outside of that appellation and so the wines carry the shorter Saumur name as do the whites of Saint Cyr en Bourg as the Saumur-Champagny appellation is just for red wines not white.
In 2019 Arnaud has also started work on a number of vineyards in Montsoreau near the Chateau of Montsoreau located high above the Loire river on a rocky outcrop in the far east of the appellation close to the border with Chinon. Arnaud is clearly dedicated to showcasing the great terroirs of Saumur and that journey is still very young. This is a journey well worth following – and getting on board now not only gives you a cheap ticket but access to some of the Loire’s most exciting Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc terroirs.
