arnaud lambert current releases

Cremant de Loire Blanc NV

Done in traditional champagne method and grown on the estate’s chalkiest soils.
Blend: 75% Chenin Blanc, 25% Chardonnay
Vine Age: Planted in 1990
Terroir: From the Clos du Château, soils of silty sand and clay with a depth of 60cm, on top of a softer Turonian limestone bedrock.
Viticulture: Organic methods since 2009
Vinification: Indigenous yeast fermentations, 24 months aging on lattes.
Dosage: 8 g/l
Malos: 0%
 

Cremant de Loire Rose NV

Done in traditional champagne method and grown on the estate’s chalkiest soils.
Blend: 100% Cabernet Franc
Vine Age: Planted in 1981
Terroir: Sourced from vines in the lower part of the Clos du Midi. Sand and silt topsoil covers 1 meter of soft Turonian limestone
Viticulture: Organic methods since 2009
Vinification: Indigenous yeast fermentations, 24 months aging on lattes
Dosage: 6 g/l
Malos: 0%
 

Saumur Blanc Clos du Midi

Variety: 100% Chenin Blanc
Vine Age: Planted in 1985
Size: 3.5 hectares (8.65 acres)
Terroir: South-eastern exposure. 70cm of sand, silt and clay topsoil covers the soft Turonian limestone bedrock. 
This is one of the colder sites on the Brézé hill. The upper section, on the mid-slope of the hill, is primarily made of sand and at the bottom it is more rich in clay. Both of these features combined with Brézé's mother rock, tuffeau limestone, create the wine's balance between tension and generosity.
Viticulture: Organic methods since 2009. 
Vinification: Grapes are hand-harvested and sorted in the vineyards. Indigenous yeast fermentation is 50% in stainless steel tanks and 50% in older (5 to 6 wines’ old) 228-liter barrels to maintain freshness.
Elevage: Lasts 12 months. Malolactic fermentation is blocked naturally due to very low pH (generally around 3.10).
 

Saumur Blanc Clos David

Variety: 100% Chenin Blanc
Surface Area: 1.3 hectares (3.21 acres)
Vine Age: Planted in 1965
Terroir: North-eastern exposure. 70cm of lightly silty sand topsoil covers the soft Turonian limestone bedrock.
This is one of the coldest sites on the hill of Breze, so cold that it never has a chance to develop botrytis, even in the perfect botrytis years.
Viticulture: Organic methods since 2009.
Vinification: Grapes are hand-harvested and sorted in the vineyards. Indigenous yeast fermentation is 50% in older foudres (large oak vats) and 50% in smaller 228- liter oak barrels (15% new and the rest one, two or three years old).
Elevage: 12 months in barrel, followed by 6 months in tank. Malolactic fermentation is blocked naturally due to very low pH (generally around 3.05).
 

Saumur Blanc Clos de la Rue

Variety: 100% Chenin Blanc
Surface Area: 2 hectares (4.94 acres)
Vine Age: 1 hectare planted in 1965, 1 hectare planted in 1990
Terroir: Southern exposure. This parcel has a distinct and very complex soil structure: the top layer is 35cm of sand, then 10cm of clay, with the Turonian limestone bedrock underneath.
Clos de la Rue is the warmest vineyard on the hill of Breze and is reasonably insulated from the heavy gusts of wind that circle it. If you were to look at a thermal graph of average temperatures you would see a perfectly long rectangle that would show the most warm color from the key. The soil is sandy limestone on top, 25cm down you find clay and then another 10cm further, tuffeau limestone. The clay and warmth make this wine’s dimensions powerful. It's closest comparison is Guiberteau’s Clos de Carmes.
Viticulture: Organic methods since 2009.
Vinification: Grapes are hand-harvested and sorted in the vineyards. Indigenous yeast fermentation in oak barrels (35% new and the rest one to two wines’ old).
Elevage: 12 months in barrel, followed by 6 months in tank.
Malolactic fermentation is blocked naturally due to very low pH (generally around 3.0).

Coulee de St-Cyr Saumur Blanc

Variety: Chenin Blanc
Vine Age: 70 years old
Terroir: Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg – terroir on Turonian Superior bedrock, resulting in precise and firm wines

0-20 cm: silt, clay, and sand topsoil
20-50 cm: layer of silt and sand
50cm and below: soft Turonian Superior limestone bedrock

Viticulture: Organic (certified)

Vinification: Grapes are hand-harvested, and whole bunches are directly pressed, with free-run and pressed juice separated. Indigenous yeast fermentation, with 50% in barrel (of which 15% new oak) and 50% in foudre (30 hl, 3 years old). No added sulfur, and temperature maintained between 16 and 21°C.

Elevage: Lasts 12 months on fine lees in barrel/foudre, with one racking after alcoholic fermentation (which, combined with the low pH, naturally inhibits malolactic fermentation). The wine is then racked to tank for a further 8 months and bottled during summer. Low total sulfur doses – the whites finish with around 60 mg/l total SO2.

 

Saumur Rouge Clos Mazurique

Variety: 100% Cabernet Franc
Vine Age: Planted in 1990
Surface Area: 3.7 hectares (9.12 acres)
Terroir: Western exposure. 50cm of silty sand topsoil covers the Turonian limestone bedrock. The title “Clos Mazurique” appears on the label as of the 2012 vintage.
Viticulture: Organic methods since 2009. 
Vinification: Grapes are hand-harvested and sorted in the vineyards and cellar. Bunches are 100% de-stemmed before indigenous yeast fermentation in concrete tanks to maintain freshness and vibrancy. Maceration by infusion, with no pump-overs.
Elevage: Aged for 5 months in concrete tank before bottling.
 

Saumur Rouge Clos du Tue-Loup

Variety: 100% Cabernet Franc
Surface Area: 2 hectares (4.94 acres)
Vine Age: Planted in 1995
Terroir: Sand and limestone
Vinification: Grapes are hand-harvested and sorted in the vineyards and cellar. Bunches are 100% de-stemmed before indigenous yeast fermentation in tank (concrete or stainless steel) to maintain freshness and vibrancy. Maceration by infusion, with no pump-overs.
Elevage: Malolactic fermentation in tank, then 50% of the cuvée is transferred down to recent (2 to 4 wines old) barrels in the cellar. After one year, the wine is racked and blended together in tank for 6 months before bottling. No fining or filtering. One year of aging in bottle before release.

SAUMUR ROUGE CLOS DE L`ETOILE

Variety: 100% Cabernet Franc
Surface Area: 1.80 hectares (4.45 acres)
Vine Age: Planted in 1990
Terroir: Sand and limestone
Vinification: Grapes are hand-harvested and sorted in the vineyards and cellar. Bunches are 100% de-stemmed before indigenous yeast fermentation in tank (concrete or stainless steel) to maintain freshness and vibrancy. Maceration by infusion, with no pump-overs.
Elevage: Malolactic fermentation in tank, then the cuvée is transferred down to barrel (recent and 50% new) in the cellar. After two years, the wine is racked and blended together in tank for a few months before bottling. No fining or filtering. One year of aging in bottle before release.

Saumur Champigny Montée des Roches

Variety: Cabernet Franc
Vine Age: 35 years old

Terroir: Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg – terroir on Turonian Superior bedrock, resulting in precise and firm wines. Eastern exposure.

0-20 cm: mostly clay, with silt and sand topsoil
20-50 cm: layer of silt and sand
50cm and below: soft Turonian Superior limestone bedrock

Viticulture: Organic (certified)

Vinification: 100% de-stemming (gentle to maintain whole berries). Indigenous yeast fermentation in stainless steel or concrete tank. Maceration by ‘infusion’, lasting 15 to 21 days with no extraction. The wine is then pressed, with free-run and pressed juice separated.

Elevage: In barrel (225-liter, 3 years old) for 7 to 12 months. The wine is then racked to stainless steel tank for 6 months and bottled during summer. No added sulfur other than a small dose at bottling – the reds finish around 35 mg/l total SO2.