2015 Clos Rougeard, Saumur-Champigny, Les Poyeux - Magnum

Few estates in the Loire command the reverence of Clos Rougeard. For decades the Foucault brothers quietly produced some of the most compelling expressions of Saumur-Champigny, showing how profound Cabernet Franc can be when grown on the region’s limestone soils. Farming was meticulous, yields were low, and the wines spent extended time aging in old barrels before release.

Les Poyeux comes from one of the appellation’s most celebrated sites: a gentle slope of sandy soils over tuffeau limestone, which lends the wine its signature finesse. Compared with Rougeard’s more powerful Le Bourg, Poyeux is typically the most poised and classical cuvée—structured, but refined.

The 2015 vintage was warm and generous, producing wines of depth without sacrificing freshness. Here, dark cherry and cassis unfold alongside graphite, violet, and subtle earth. The texture is seamless, with fine tannins and a long, mineral finish.