Why it matters
The producer
Château de Villeneuve is a family estate in Souzay-Champigny, within the Saumur-Champigny appellation of the Loire Valley. Cabernet Franc is the principal red grape, while Chenin Blanc supplies the white wine. The estate farms 25 hectares in total, with 20 hectares planted to Cabernet Franc and 5 hectares to Chenin Blanc.
The red and white wines come from the same property but follow different grape traditions. Saumur-Champigny places Cabernet Franc at the centre of the red range, while Saumur-Blanc gives Chenin Blanc its own label and style.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Saumur-Champigny is a Loire appellation built around Cabernet Franc. In the glass, the grape brings red fruit, aromatic detail, spice, and tannin, while the appellation gives the red wine its defined regional address.
Château de Villeneuve is based in Souzay-Champigny. The estate also farms Chenin Blanc for Saumur-Blanc, extending the range from the appellation's emblematic red grape to a separate white wine.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
About 85% of the Cabernet Franc vines grow on Middle Turonian tuffeau chalk, also called craie verte. Tuffeau is a soft limestone formed from marine sediments during the Turonian period. Limestone soils can give white wines chalky mineral notes, while Cabernet Franc grown on this ground develops the tannin and savoury detail associated with the red wines.
The estate farms organically, with shoot and bud thinning in spring and careful leaf pulling. No weedkillers, pesticides, or chemical fertilisers are used in the vineyards. Château de Villeneuve's Saumur-Champigny and Saumur-Blanc are matured in 400 to 500 litre barrels called tonnes.
Wines to know
The range in view
The range is divided between Saumur-Champigny and Saumur-Blanc. Saumur-Champigny is the entry level red, based on Cabernet Franc. Its parcels are aged in both stainless steel tanks and oak barrels, with stainless steel preserving fruitiness and oak adding texture and complexity.
Saumur-Blanc is the white Chenin Blanc wine. Together, the two labels show the estate through a red appellation wine and a separate white expression, with the grape variety setting the main difference between the bottles.