Domaine de la Paleine, 2020 Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame
Cab Franc du Jour #153
Domaine de la Paleine’s roots in Le Puy-Notre-Dame stretch back to the 18th century, when the estate was known as Moulins de la Palenne, a name referencing the two windmills that once stood on the property. The modern story begins in the 1990s with then-owners Laurence and Marc Vincent, who were instrumental in shifting the estate’s focus toward quality and a more holistic approach to viticulture. Since 2023 the domaine has been under the guidance of Jean-Louis Bernet, farming about 34 hectares of vines, of which approximately 15 hectares are planted with Cabernet Franc: 6.3 hectares in Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame, one hectare in Saumur-Champigny, and the remainder under the broader Saumur AOP. The estate has been farmed organically since 2010 and biodynamically since 2017.
The Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame AOP
Established in 2008, the Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame appellation is a relatively recent addition to the Loire Valley’s viticultural map, though the area’s winemaking history dates back to the 12th century, when the House of Plantagenets ruled the region. The appellation takes its name from the village of Le Puy-Notre-Dame, which sits at the highest point in the broader Saumur region, and extends across 17 communes in the Maine-et-Loire and Vienne departments, with production concentrated in the neighbouring communes of Le Puy-Notre-Dame, Vaudelnay, and Brossay.
At the heart of the appellation, we are about 20km south of the village of Saumur and the Loire River, and around 40km east of the Massif des Mauges, the southeastern extremity of the Massif Armoricain. Elevation defines this appellation more than almost any other in the Loire Valley, ranging from 50 to 105m above sea level with an average of around 80m. That altitude shapes the growing environment in important ways: conditions during the growing season tend to be cooler and drier than in other parts of the Saumur AOP, but because the higher elevation protects vineyards from spring frost, budbreak can actually arrive earlier, extending the overall growing season. This longer season allows for greater phenolic development and maturity, which can contribute to more pronounced, firmer tannins in the finished wines.
Elevation also determines the soils. At these altitudes there are no alluvial terroirs; instead the appellation is defined by two main soil groups. In the commune of Le Puy-Notre-Dame, Turonian tuffeau chalk dominates, and all three types are present: the Lower Turonian white tuffeau, the Middle Turonian craie verte, and the Upper Turonian yellow tuffeau. Moving north into Vaudelnay and Brossay, Jurassic limestones and silex take over. Topsoils vary from lieu-dit to lieu-dit but are generally shallow with a slightly higher silt content and around 15 to 25% clay.
Beyond its terroir, Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame is distinguished from the broader Saumur Rouge AOP by several regulatory requirements that reflect its ambitions as an appellation. It is a red wine-only designation requiring a minimum of 85% Cabernet Franc, with Cabernet Sauvignon as the only permitted accessory variety. Yields are capped at 50 hl/ha, a minimum potential alcohol of 12% is required, and chaptalization is not permitted. The appellation also imposes longer aging requirements, with wines unable to be released before June 1 of the year following harvest, compared to January 15 for Saumur Rouge.
The Vineyard
This cuvée is from a selection of the domaine’s parcels in Le Puy-Notre-Dame and the neighbouring commune of Vaudelnay. The cuvée is intended to be emblematic of the appellation, with parcels chosen for their higher elevation and their representation of the two key soil types: Turonian tuffeau chalk and Jurassic limestone. For the 2020 vintage, the wine comes from approximately 1.5 hectares of vines averaging 25 years of age.
The parcel in Le Puy-Notre-Dame, La Pignoterie, is located very close to the cellar at around 70m above sea level with a slight western exposure. The soils here are a shallow sand-silt-clay topsoil over the Middle Turonian craie verte. The two parcels from Vaudelnay for this vintage are both on the plateau of the butte de Brossay in the northern part of the commune, at elevations of around 85 to 88m above sea level, with a shallow sand-silt-clay topsoil over hard Jurassic limestone with some flint.
In the Cellar
Yields are kept on the lower side, generally around 30 to 40 hl/ha. The fruit is hand-harvested and hand-sorted before being fully destemmed. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel with indigenous yeast at around 25C, with a combination of pigeage and remontage used to aid extraction over a total skin contact of approximately 25 days. Aging is done exclusively in stainless steel for about nine months before bottling, after which the wine is aged at the domaine for upwards of two years prior to release.
In the Glass
Fragrant, pure, and beautifully balanced on the nose, with a lovely clarity to the fruit profile. Red and dark fruits (sweet cherry, raspberry, wild black raspberry, a foresty berry quality) intermingle with a very classic herbal (thyme, savoury, tarragon) signature. Peony florals add elegance, and a distinctive, layered liquorice-anise undertone is distinct and memorable - almost like tarragon meets star anise meets Scandinavian salted liquorice.
The palate continues with a touch of wild blueberry joining the red and dark fruits, and mineral/terroir layers emerge, like a touch of graphite and cigar box, alongside clove and cardamom spice. Plenty of aromatic complexity and depth to the nose and palate. The acidity is bright and invigorating, building in a slow crescendo through the palate rather than presenting itself upfront. Tannins are velvety and tightly woven, with presence and a moderate firmness though the middle and a chalky grip at the finish, and the tannins are beautifully enveloped by a lovely fleshiness that keeps the mid-palate pliable and approachable. Medium-bodied, upright, and poised. Structured and distinctive, yet restrained and elegant, and notably, with no oak influence whatsoever, it is a compelling, characterful and serious expression of Cabernet Franc that will continue to improve with time in the bottle.
Wine Details
Producer: Domaine de la Paleine
Appellation: Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame
Commune: Le Puy-Notre-Dame, Vaudelnay
Lieux-Dits: La Pignoterie (Le Puy-Notre-Dame), La Cave de la Roche & Le Haut du Champ Raisi (Vaudelnay)
Soils: shallow sand-silt-clay over craie verte (La Pignoterie) and sand-silty-clay over Jurassic limestone with flint (La Cave de la Roche & Le Haut du Champ Raisi)
Alcohol: 14.0%