Classified as a Historic Monument, the famous Clos Cristal, with its 10 hectares of vines, was created in Souzay-Champigny around 1900 by the famous "Père" Cristal, a non-conformist and visionary winegrower, and then bequeathed to the Hospices de Saumur in 1929. Both unusual and a true emblem of the Saumur region, this estate in the Saumur-Champigny appellation was managed with the utmost care by Éric Dubois from 1995 to 2015... before passing into the fold of the local cooperative cellar.
The unique feature of the Clos Cristal is that it has rows of parallel walls (3 km) along which and through which the vines grow: feet to the north, therefore cool, and head to the south, the sun facilitating the ripening of the Cabernet Franc bunches. Faithful to the spirit of the vineyard's creator, Éric Dubois has worked like a true artist for 20 years (1995-2015) on this historic biodynamic vineyard, producing in particular the Boutifolle cuvée - named after the locality, with old Cabernet Franc vines on limestone soil - a dense red, with straight and precise tannins, a wine for laying down.
Rouge |
Cabernet franc |
1,5 L |
Saumur-Champigny |
Loire
From a vineyard (2 ha) of old Cabernet Franc (50 to 80 years old), small yields and manual harvesting, vinification without sulphur and maturing for two years in demi-muids.