Domaine Saint-Just, L'Ardoisier Méthode Traditionnelle Rouge
Cab Franc du Jour #154
Domaine Saint-Just was the Lambert family domaine started by Yves Lambert, Arnaud’s father, in 1996. Today the domaine’s parcels have been amalgamated with those of Château de Brézé to form Domaine Arnaud Lambert. L’Ardoisier was one of the original cuvées that Yves created, born from his passion for a historical style of sparkling wine deeply representative of the Saumur region, and Arnaud continues to produce it today as a tribute to his late father’s legacy. The name L’Ardoisier is believed to reference the dark colour of Cabernet Franc and the mousseux rouge itself, evoking the imagery of the dark slate roofs that are a defining visual characteristic of the region’s architecture.
Saumur Mousseux Rouge
This wine may initially seem like a curiosity, but sparkling red Cabernet Franc has a long and genuine history in the Saumur region and is still produced extensively today. From conversations with producers across the region, the style appears to have first emerged in the mid-1800s, coinciding with the boom in sparkling wine houses established throughout Saumur during that period. Precise statistics on the style are difficult to come by, however, as there is currently no official appellation of origin for Saumur Mousseux Rouge, but my research suggests these wines are almost always made with Cabernet Franc as the primary variety, occasionally with small additions of Grolleau and Gamay. They are produced using the traditional method, with the second fermentation taking place in the bottle, and nearly all are made in a demi-sec style with a dosage of 32 to 50g/l residual sugar. According to the association of producers of Saumur Fines Bulles, at least 30 domaines, including all of the major sparkling wine houses, regularly produce a mousseux rouge in this style, and an application has been submitted to the INAO to expand the Saumur Mousseux appellation to formally include mousseux rouge.
The Vineyard and Winemaking
It is worth noting that Arnaud does not produce this wine every year. When he does, he generally selects the same parcels, typically toward the base of the slope in St-Cyr-en-Bourg, where the lightest-textured soils yield the most delicate possible tannin profile. Vineyard work follows the same standards as Arnaud’s red wines, with the parcels farmed organically. The choice of vintage is also shaped by yield considerations: because this style requires less concentration than a still red, a more generous yield is actually desirable. For this bottling, drawn from the 2018 vintage, yields were around 60 hl/ha.
The fruit is machine harvested, and the base wine is fermented in stainless steel with indigenous yeast. The goal is a very short maceration to capture colour and flavour without extracting tannin, so the fermentation temperature is kept around 22C with only five days of total skin contact. The base wine is comprised exclusively of free-run juice, which is then aged for eight months before being bottled with a liqueur de tirage to initiate the second fermentation in the bottle. The wine then spends an impressive three to four years on lees before disgorgement, at which point a dosage of 36g/l is added, at the lower end of the demi-sec range. The dosage is not intended to add overt sweetness, but rather to bring balance to the tannins and acidity while adding breadth and length to the palate. Total production for this vintage was around 6,000 bottles.
In the Glass
Exquisite on the nose that is bright, fresh, and perfumed, with a fruit-forward profile very much in keeping with the warm 2018 vintage. Red and dark fruits lead (cherry, raspberry, black raspberry, cassis pâté de fruit), and are complemented by mint and tarragon notes that bring classic varietal herbal freshness, while violet and rose add an elegant floral lift. Varietally expressive, pretty, and immediately captivating.
The palate delivers those same fresh, ripe fruits with cherry and cassis shining through, joined by a pronounced mint note and a lovely Turkish delight rosewater note. Extended lees aging of three to four years contributes a delicate digestive biscuit-like autolytic character alongside cocoa nib and dark chocolate notes that add intrigue and depth. The mousse is exceptionally creamy, delicate, and beautifully uniform. Acidity is bright and refreshing, and at 36g/L residual sugar, the balance is genuinely is really remarkable. The sweetness reads as flesh and roundness rather than sweetness per se, with the acidity keeping everything focused, lively, and utterly moreish. Elegant, restrained, and effervescent - literally and figuratively! - this Cabernet Franc is pure joy. Wholly unexpected but delightfully seductive with freshness, balance and refinement that will surprise even the most committed still wine devotee.
Wine Details
Producer: Domaine Saint-Just (Arnaud Lambert)
Appellation: Vin Mousseux de Qualité Demi-Sec
Region: Saumur
Commune: Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg
Soils: lightly textured, sandy soils
Alcohol: 12.5%
Dosage: 36g/L