Appellation: Saumur-Champigny.
Cuvée: Hanami.
Colour: Red.
Grapes: Cabernet Franc.
About: named after the Japanese cherry blossom festival which usually takes place in early Spring, this wine reflects the new energy, freshness and beauty of Spring.

Vines

Location: in Saumur.
Size ha: 4.
Age: 35 years old.
Soils: limestone and clay.
Exposition: gentle slope.
Altitude m: 95.
Training: guyot.
Farming: organic, biodynamic, ploughing. Certified AB.
Average yield hl/ha: 35.
Climate: temperate with some ocean influence.

Winemaking

The harvest is picked by hand into 20kg boxes and subject to a sorting in the vineyard. It’s only partially de-stemmed with around 35% left whole bunch, and put into concrete tank un-crushed so that a portion will be subject to carbonic maceration and there’s no mechanical extraction. It ferments by natural yeasts at temperatures controlled to 22ºC, on the skins for 20 days. It’s pressed mid alcoholic fermentation and returned to tank to complete fermentation. 2g per HL sulfites are added after the alcoholic fermentation. It’s bottled after natural clarification, without filtration.

Vintage notes 2018
A lovely year with a great balance due to nature’s delivery of the right amount at the right time of both rain and sunshine. The risk of mildew was minimised. The resultant wines pack a lovely vegetal juiciness with pure aromas.
Yield hl/ha: 50
Harvested:
Bottles produced:
Date bottled: 2019-04
Alcohol: 14.29%
SO2 Total: 27

Vintage notes 2019
A generally excellent year spoiled by a frost in spring which reduced the crop by 40%. After, there was plenty of sunshine, a good floraison, some heatwave which didn’t hurt.
Yield hl/ha: 50
Harvested:
Bottles produced: 15,000
Date bottled: 2020-04.
Alcohol: 12.95%.
SO2 Total: 27
Tasting: reduced first nose, then tons of fruit and lovely tight, lively texture, a bit grainy, some fruit sweetness, very Cab fr, peppery, forest fruits, grain quality of tannin, relaxed, gentle acidity.

Vintage notes 2020
A very good year, with plenty of time to take care of the vineyard. Plenty of sunshine, some beneficial rain and an early harvest with easy fermentations. Wine style is very pure.
Yield hl/ha: 50
Harvested: mid sept
Bottles produced: 15,000
Date bottled: 2021-02
Alcohol %:
SO2 Total:
Tasting: 2021-01-12 from tank gorgeous pure fresh red berry fruit, pure, cool.