Domaine du Collier

Loire Valley / France

At A Glance

Winemaker(s)

Antoine Foucault

Appellation

Saumur

Varieties

Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc

Farming

Organic

Their Story

Domaine du Collier is just under seven hectares of vines planted on the hillsides of the Brézé commune in Saumur. Antoine Foucault, the son of Clos Rougeard’s Charly Foucault, works his vineyards organically and supports the natural progress of each vine growing deep into the appellation’s famed tuffeau bedrock. The domaine is planted to two-thirds Chenin and one-third Cabernet Franc, and total production is small; around 1,200 cases a year.

Mid Post Image

Antoine’s career began in 1995 working alongside his father and uncle at Clos Rougeard. After four years of working under his father’s guidance, Antoine along with his companion, Caroline Boireau, created Domaine du Collier in 1999.  The domaine is now home to multiple parcels of old vines including the famed ‘La Charpentrie’ vineyard planted to 100 year old Chenin and Cabernet Franc.

Antoine does not believe in the use of chemical fertilizers in the vineyards and biodynamic principles are employed. All vineyard work and harvesting is done by hand, only native yeasts are used in the cellars, and all fermentation is controlled naturally by the underground cellar conditions. Antoine uses two cellars. The high humidity cellar built in the 10-12th century is used for his Chenin and the low humidity, colder cellar built in the 17th century is used for his Cabernet Franc. A combination of new and old barrels are used including Stockinger foudres. Élevage is slow and long lasting at least 24-36 months without racking.

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