Château de Parnay, 2018 Saumur-Champigny "Le Blanson de Parnay"
Cab Franc du Jour #20
The Château de Parnay dates back to the Middle Ages, but the estate’s viticultural story took a particularly meaningful turn when it was purchased by Antoine Cristal in 1887. In a short period of time, Père Cristal became an important figure in the viticultural history of Saumur and the surrounding region. Shortly after his purchase, phylloxera struck and devastated much of the estate’s vineyards. Père Cristal was among the first in the region to import American rootstocks and master the grafting technique needed to restore his vines, and he went further still by opening a school to teach other vignerons in the area how to do the same. Following his death in 1931, the château passed through the hands of extended family members over many decades and fell into a degree of disrepair. In 2006 it was purchased by current owners Régis Vincenot and Mathias Levron, who set out to restore both the château and the viticultural legacy that Antoine Cristal had built.
The estate today has 35 hectares of vineyards across the communes of Parnay and Souzay-Champigny. Today’s wine is the estate’s entry-level expression, sourced from 8 hectares of vines in both communes situated very close to the Loire River, where the river’s moderating influence creates a gentler overall growing environment compared to vineyards set further back. The vines are farmed organically, averaging around 20 to 25 years of age, with the Upper Turonian yellow tuffeau chalk as the bedrock and a sandy-clay topsoil. The wine is vinified entirely in stainless steel.
Wine Details
Producer: Château de Parnay
Appellation: Saumur-Champigny
Communes: Parnay, Souzay-Champigny
Lieu-Dit: various
Soils: Turonian tuffeau chalk bedrock, sandy-clay topsoil
Alcohol: 14.5%