Domaine des Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny, Thierry Germain 2025

Domaine des Roches Neuves' owner and winemaker, Thierry Germain, takes his Cabernet Franc seriously and makes several cuvées from his vineyards on the south bank of the Loire showing off its different facets. This one is his flagship expression and is packed with crunchy red summer fruits, followed by spicy and savoury notes. The tannins have a bit of grip giving a good balance and it all leads up to a pleasant, slightly smoky finish. Germain's reputation as one of Saumur-Champigny's benchmark producers is built on wines like this.

This is a red that takes well to a light chill - 30 minutes in the fridge sharpens the fruit no end. Try it with roast chicken or a charcuterie board; the fresh acidity handles the richness with ease.

Thierry Germain, owner of Domaine des Roches Neuves, comes from a long line of Bordeaux winemakers, and arrived at this estate in the Loire appellation of Saumur-Champigny in 1991. He works his vineyards in the most natural manner he can with the aim of keeping the vines and soils in full health and in the process has become a fully-fledged advocate of biodynamic production. Harvesting is manual and vinification is done in small batches with optimally ripe fruit which lead to wines with plump and generous fruit flavours. Bottling is unfiltered and unfined. His painstaking attention to detail and quality of product has earned much praise from all corners and given him a justifiably enviable reputation.