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Controlled Designation of Origin Saumur-Champigny

AOC: Saumur-Champigny

Recognized as AOC since 1957, Saumur-Champigny is produced in 9 towns in the Saumur region.

Towns

The municipalities of Chacé, Dampierre-sur-Loire, Montsoreau, Parnay, Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg, Saumur, Souzay-Champigny, Turquant, Varrains are concerned.

Grape

Cabernet franc either as a single varietal or as a blend (minimum 85%) with Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d'Aunis.

soils

On dark schist soils, Anjou Rouge, Anjou-Villages and Anjou Gamay are produced.

Tasting

Classified in the category of still red wines, Saumur-Champigny is very pleasant when young but will reveal all its personality over the years, gaining in complexity.

With a bright dress Garnet red, there is corpulent and light at the same time. It exudes a certain freshness on the finish, very pleasant in summer. It is characterized by aromas of red fruits (blackcurrants, raspberries, etc.), sometimes floral, even spicy.

Perfect in association with poultry or fish when it is young, dishes in sauce or even game, it is also suitable for most cheeses when it is a little old.

It is best served between 15 and 18°C.

Saumur-Champigny: biodiversity is back in the vineyards!

Since 2004, the Saumur-Champigny appellation has launched a major campaign to plant hedges and groves to allow the return of biodiversity to the heart of the vines. Landscapes are changing, and with them the perception of viticulture, which now favors interactions with the natural environment to fight against insect pests.

Reverse the trend: the choice of Saumur-Champigny producers

"It's a light, fruity, fleshy, easy-drinking wine: complex and uninhibited...", explains Patrice Retif, President of the Saumur-Champigny Producers' Union. Proud of his product, the winegrower is also attached to these landscapes on the banks of the Loire where vines, woods and other crops have lived side by side for centuries. Concerned about their image and their living environment, the winegrowers are approaching Maarten Van Helden, professor at Bordeaux Science Agro (formerly Enita) and Guillaume Pain, from ESA in Angers, who are working on the role of biodiversity and landscapes to naturally regulate pest populations (1). It appears that hedges, groves, embankments and other vegetated low walls provide shelter for wildlife, especially for the predators of these insect pests. On a voluntary basis, some winegrowers began planting hedges and trees here and there in 2005.

Almond trees in the vineyards

By replanting hedges, some winegrowers have also revived the tradition of planting almond trees in the middle of the vines. This tree of Mediterranean origin, which one would not imagine in such a northern region, appreciates the limestone soils and the mild climate linked to the proximity of the Loire. Initially, studies are carried out to identify the different pests in the plots and observe their distribution in the vineyard. We thus notice that the Eudemis species - a butterfly whose worm attacks the bunch of grapes - is less present when the landscape is more diversified (2).

20 kilometers of ecological reservoir zones developed since 2004

In 2008, the process was formalized with the adoption of an appellation development plan. In some areas, the large expanses of vines are then fragmented, creating corridors of biodiversity (3). Planting of hedges, groves, revegetation of old walls… in all, 20 kilometers of ecological reservoir zones were developed between 2004 and 2012, in addition to the 14 kilometers already existing. The bushy species used (viburnum, dogwood, spindle, buckthorn, etc.) are rural species already present in the surrounding natural areas. They are thus more rustic and better adapted to accommodate the local fauna.
It has been proven that planting these hedges promotes the presence of beneficial insects and increases biodiversity around the vines, but does this mean that fewer pesticides are used? "It is still too early to quantify the effects of these new landscaping", recognizes Marie-Anne Simonneau, facilitator for the Saumur-Champigny producers' union and in charge of the project. “By making grassing between rows compulsory, we have already greatly reduced the use of herbicides, and since 2009 we have also started to reduce the use of insecticides,” she explains. At the same time, the Saumur-Champigny appellation regularly provides winegrowers with information bulletins detailing the level of pressure exerted by pests and diseases in the production area. These decision-making tools support the reduction in the use of phytosanitary products and in the first place that of insecticides.
Beyond the planting of hedges, it is therefore a global approach in favor of sustainable agriculture that is being implemented in this vineyard. Initiatives that owe a lot to dialogue and mutual aid between winegrowers, as Patrice Rétif points out: “The good understanding that reigns in the appellation is a strength. We get to move and do things together. In a collective approach like ours, that changes everything.”

The role of Ecological Reservoir Zones (ZER)

The Ecological Reservoir Zones are semi-natural spaces located near the vines. They are composed of shrubs, trees or creeping plants. The country hedge is one of the many ZERs that can be planted in the vineyard (more information on the country hedges of Saumur-Champigny). The interest of the ZER is to provide year-round shelter, food or breeding grounds for insects, spiders, birds or animals. The proximity to the plot favors exchanges and the dispersal of cultivation auxiliaries between the ZER and the vines. The grass around the edges of the plot (headlands) and the presence of plant cover between the rows can accentuate these exchanges.

Insect pests/grape worms: Eudemis and Cochylis
The caterpillars of these two Lepidoptera attack flowering clusters and grape berries, which can lead to crop loss and impaired quality of the harvested grapes. To know the level of the populations, the producers installed traps in their vines. The traps diffuse a pheromone, a chemical substance produced by females to attract males, and capture adult males on a sticky plate. A caterpillar count completes the device. Depending on the level of the populations, the winegrowers can accept the damage or decide to intervene. Observation is the basis of the reasoning of practices.

The green leafhopper
The green leafhopper attacks the foliage. The larva feeds on the sap by pricking the leaf veins. At the place of the bite, the leaf dies and dries up. In the event of heavy attack, the vine loses a lot of leaf surface and photosynthesis no longer feeds the grapes. Maturity is more difficult.

Biodiversity in the Saumur-Champigny vineyard
In 2009 and 2010, with the support of scientific partners, the Syndicate carried out an inventory of biodiversity in the vines. This inventory showed a significant diversity of plants that make up the plant cover of the plots. Thus, more than 120 species have been identified, common species but also species dependent on the vine such as Muscari neglectum or orchids. All these plants host many insects. Spiders, rose chafer, praying mantis, ladybugs, bees or gastroeruption, here are some examples of arthropods found in the appellation. In total, more than 700 Morpho-species* were counted over 2 years of monitoring.
*The morpho-species come from an original method of classifying arthropods. The RBA method (Rapid Biodiversity Assessment) classifies individuals according to their morphology. A morpho-species can group together several taxonomic species but conversely a taxonomic species can constitute two morpho-species for example that the male and the female are not alike.