2017 Domaine du Collier, Saumur Blanc, La Charpentrie

Antoine Foucault manages this six-hectare estate in Brézé with a commitment to long-cycle élevage, aging his wines in deep, cold tuffeau caves for up to thirty-six months without racking. This flagship blanc is sourced from centenarian Chenin Blanc vines rooted in the hard, porous limestone and clay-silica soils of the La Charpentrie lieu-dit. The 2017 vintage, characterized by a warm ripening season following yield-reducing spring frosts, produced small, concentrated berries that contribute significant mid-palate density and a powerful structural frame. Foucault’s technical decisions—including whole-cluster pressing and indigenous yeast fermentation in neutral oak—prioritize reductive precision and a chiseled phenolic grip. The resulting wine is defined by its intense verticality and high-toned, saline acidity, embodying the cooling influence of the Brézé plateau and the focused energy of the 2017 conditions.