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A multi-faceted terroir

It is the very nature of the soil that will constitute the imprint and the typicality of a vineyard, and in fact, will guide the winegrower throughout the vegetative cycle of the vine. It is therefore necessary to understand its structure well before letting the best of the harvest express itself.

Nature in the foreground

The Saumurois vineyard is mainly characterized by white tufa soils. These are sedimentary terrains from the Cretaceous (Cenomanian and Turonian) of the southwestern border of the Paris basin.
Bordered to the north by the Loire, the Saumur region is crossed by the Thouet and its tributary the Dive. These rivers carve a succession of reliefs resulting from the geological structure of the region. Four “terroirs” then stand out distinctly in relation to the topography.

the slope

To the north, a very marked relief defines the geographical area of the “Coteaux de Saumur” on which is superimposed that of the Saumur-Champigny. This “turonian cuesta”, traditionally wine-growing, has localities, even “clos”, with centuries-old notoriety (Clos des Cordeliers, Roasting, Poyeux ...). It connects to a wine and forest plateau, depending on the substrate, limited to the north by the Cretaceous cliff which borders the Loire.

Loopholes

In its southwestern part, the Saumurois is characterized by a system of faults which extend those of the Layon region. This tectonics is at the origin of the elevation of the Jurassic formations and the flint clay plateau of Brossay, Vaudelnay, Montreuil-Bellay occupied mainly by vines and woods.
In its northern part, this plateau is covered by Cenomanian clayey formations, even by Quaternary sands and gravels. Left to the forest and the meadows, the vine is cultivated there only on the Cenomanian mounds of Couchamps, Cizay-la-Madelaine or Coudray-Macouard.

The Cretaceous

South-west of the major fault, the Cretaceous, largely eroded, presents witness mounds which bear the vineyards of Puy-Notre-Dame, Vaudelnay but also Argentay and Tourtenay (Deux-Sèvres).
The lower parts are left to cereals but the slight undulations where the Lower Turonian outcrops retain a wine-growing tradition (Clos de Messemé, Château d'Oiré).

The Turonian Hills

South-east of Saumur, the Turonian hillsides bordering the Dive encroach on the department of Vienne. Eight municipalities perpetuate the wine-growing tradition there. If there are only a few vines around Curçay-sur Dive, Ranton or Glenouze, the slopes of Pouançay, Berrie, St Léger de Montbrillais, Les Trois Moutiers or Ternay still reveal beautiful vineyards.

The vine will thrive on rather poor soils (sandy, gravel, etc.) since it has roots allowing it to draw water and minerals from a depth of 7 meters.