Langlois-Chateau, NV Crémant de Loire Rosé
Cab Franc du Jour #12
Today we are exploring Cabernet Franc’s versatility with a little bit of bubbles!
Crémant de Loire is a traditional method sparkling wine appellation established in 1975, with quality standards modelled closely after Champagne, requiring exclusively hand-harvested fruit, lower press yields, and extended lees aging in the bottle. The two main grapes for Crémant de Loire are Chenin Blanc for the whites and Cabernet Franc for the rosés.
Langlois-Chateau was established by Édouard Langlois and Jeanne Chateau in 1885 in the Saumur appellation, and in 1973 Maison Bollinger of Champagne took a controlling interest in the domaine. This was significant, as it shaped the direction of the estate in both viticulture and winemaking going forward. Today the vineyards are all farmed organically, and in the cellar there is a greater focus on vinifying individual grape varieties and specific vineyards separately before completing a final assemblage.
For this rosé, the fruit comes from two specific communes in the southern part of the Saumur appellation: Montreuil-Bellay and Le Puy-Notre-Dame. The soils here have a higher concentration of chalky tuffeau limestone combined with some clay, and as we know from Champagne and other great sparkling wine regions, that combination of limestone and clay is critical for producing fruit of the quality needed for traditional method sparkling wine. The wine is 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Pinot Noir and has spent 24 months on lees.
The nose is delicate but beautifully expressive, with a lovely fruit basket quality: wild strawberry, raspberry, and a hint of blood orange zest. The Cabernet Franc character comes through with a lovely underlying rhubarb note, dried lavender, and even a touch of rose petal. It is very pretty, lifted, and nuanced. On the palate the fruit is confirmed and supported by crisp, refreshing acidity and a beautifully fine, creamy mousse that rounds out the whole experience. It is a harmonious and delicious wine, and I keep thinking it would be spectacular at brunch alongside a gravlax platter with all the trimmings.
Wine Details
Producer: Langlois-Chateau
Appellation: Crémant de Loire Rosé
Region: Saumur
Communes: Montreuil-Bellay, Puy-Notre-Dame
Assemblage: 70% Cabernet Franc, 30% Pinot Noir
Soils: Clay-limestone
Alcohol: 12.5%