Domaine des Sables Verts - Les Poyeux 2023
The Domaine des Sables Verts, located in Varrains in the heart of Saumur-Champigny, has been managed by Caroline Meurée and Hervé Malinge since they took over the estate in 2019. Their vineyard of about 16.5 hectares stretches over a mosaic of plots, with a majority of Cabernet Franc and a small area dedicated to Chenin. The Les Poyeux 2023 cuvée comes from one of the most renowned terroirs of Saumur-Champigny, made famous by its ability to produce deep, fine Cabernet Francs suited for aging. The old vines, from a massal selection planted in 1950, root in deep silico-calcareous soils, mixing green sands and tuffeau. This combination brings the wine freshness, tannic finesse, and real depth of matter. Les Poyeux thus represents a major single-vineyard cuvée in the estate's range, more structured and ambitious than the entry-level cuvées.
In the cellar, the approach remains sober and minimally interventionist, to preserve the identity of the place and the purity of the Cabernet Franc. The wine is un-fined, lightly filtered on earth before bottling, with a very measured use of sulfur. The nose is complex, supported by well-ripened red and black fruits, notably blackcurrant, blueberry, and black cherry. Notes of sweet spices, violet, graphite, and fine earth reinforce the serious and refined dimension of the cuvée. On the palate, the attack is ample, velvety, and fresh, with a deeper matter than the estate's classic Saumur Rouge. The tannins are present but elegant, outlining a fine and persistent structure. The finish, long and slightly spicy, confirms the great aging potential of this 2023 vintage.
Served around 15 to 16°C, Les Poyeux 2023 will perfectly accompany a veal chop, duck breast, roasted poultry, herb lamb, sautéed mushrooms, or refined terroir cuisine. Its natural freshness also allows pairing with finer dishes, provided to avoid sauces that are too sweet or too strong. Already charming with its ripe fruit and velvety texture, it will benefit from a few years of aging so that its structure fully integrates. Its aging potential is real, with an expected evolution towards notes of black fruits, spices, undergrowth, graphite, and damp tuffeau. This Saumur-Champigny Les Poyeux 2023 perfectly illustrates the ambition of Domaine des Sables Verts: to offer a precise, deep, and sincere Cabernet Franc of place. It is a characterful cuvée, ideal for lovers of elegant, fresh, and age-worthy Loire reds.
Grape variety: 100% Cabernet Franc
