Saumur is no longer only famous for its sparkling wines : discover the increasingly stunning red and white wines!
The particularity of the land which hosts the wines of Saumur is the tufa stone, a limestone rock of a bright white-yellow color, which allowed the construction of many dwellings and emblematic castles of the region (such as Montsoreau or Montreuil-Bellay). The first written testimonies attesting to the existence of Saumur vineyards date from the 6th century. Due to its location and its favorable climatic conditions for the cultivation of vines, Saumur became an important place for wine trading from the 12th century. The conditions are particularly ideal for the production of sparkling wines: well exposed hillsides, aging cellars dug directly into the tufa and… the Loire below for the transport of the wines. The river thus benefited the wine trade of the region until the end of the 18th century.
Saumur : The appellation
- 1936
- 2300
- hectares
- Maine-et-Loire
Located south of the banks of the Loire, the Saumur vineyard extends from Gennes-Val-de-Loire to Montsoreau and from Saumur to Puy-Notre-Dame, forming a square area of around 25 kilometers on each side. The Saumur vineyard thus constitutes the western section of the Anjou vineyard. The area of the vineyard is estimated at around 2,300 hectares (excluding Saumur Champigny) extending over around 70 villages in Maine-et-Loire (but also a few villages in Deux-Sèvres and Vienne departments).
The AOC Saumur is subdivided into 7 distinct appellations. The main appellations are red Saumur (550 hectares), white Saumur (390 hectares) and sparkling Saumur or “fines bulles” (1,190 hectares). To which must of course be added the AOC Saumur Champigny (see the dedicated page). This panorama would not be complete without mentioning the more confidential Coteaux de Saumur appellation (sweet wines) and the recent AOC Saumur-Puy-Notre-Dame (red wines). The AOC Saumur is surrounded by other renowned appellations: Anjou to the west, but also the famous vineyards of Chinon (to the east) and Bourgueil, to the northeast, located on the other side of the Loire.
Villages of the Saumur appellation
- Ambillou-Château, Antoigné, Aubigné-sur-Layon, Brézé, Brigné, Brossay, Cernusson, Chacé, Chemellier, Chênehutte-Trèves-Cunault, Cizay-la-Madeleine, Cléré-sur-Layon, Concourson-sur-Layon, Courchamps, Dénezé-sous-Doué, Distré, Doué-la-Fontaine, Épieds, Fontevraud-l'Abbaye, Forges, Gennes, Grézillé, La Fosse-de-Tigné, Le Coudray-Macouard, Le Puy-Notre-Dame, Le Thoureil, Les Cerqueux-sous-Passavant, Les Ulmes, Les Verchers-sur-Layon, Martigné Briand, Meigné, Montfort, Montilliers, Montreuil-Bellay, Montsoreau, Nueil-sur-Layon, Parnay, Passavant-sur-Layon, Rou-Marson, Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg, Saint-Georges-des-Sept-Voies, Saint-Georges-sur-Layon, Saint-Just-sur-Dive, Saint-Macaire-du-Bois, Saumur, Souzay-Champigny, Tancoigné, Tigné, Trémont, Turquant, Varrains, Vaudelnay, Verrie, Vihiers
Saumur : The wines
Saumur wines come in a wide range of colors and types, served by as many beautiful grape varieties. Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc of course, which remain the main grape varieties for Saumur reds and whites. In the glass, we find red wines with aromas of fresh red fruits with earthy notes, generally supple, expressive and with fine tannins. For still whites, the wines come with aromas of white fruits and flowers… with, for certain terroirs, an assertive minerality. The particularity of Saumur rosé lies in its softness (slightly sweet rosé wine) and roundness, with aromas of fresh fruit and citrus notes. Saumur also produces very fine sparkling wines similar to what can be found in Vouvray, its Touraine neighbour. These also make up the largest share of Saumur’s production in terms of volume. For these “fine bubbles” wines, additional grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay can be used. To complete this picture, don’t forget that the Saumur vineyards also produce a small share of sweet wines through the Coteaux de Saumur appellation, which includes less than twenty wine producers.
Grape varieties used for Saumur wines
Saumur : The wineries
The different Saumur wine appellations comprise approximately 450 winegrowers and wine estates. After your tasting at the “domaine”, the town of Saumur remains an unmissable tourist destination. Fontevraud Abbey, the villages of Montsoreau and Montreuil-Bellay are also worth a visit.
Loire Valley wines
Invite Saumur to your cellar!
Our selection of Loire Valley wines: flagship wineries but also great wines to be discovered from a new generation of passionate winemakers.
