Legrand Clotilde

The Legrand winery has a history that dates back to the 17th century, and Clotilde is the first female winemaker of this family with such a long tradition in the wine industry. The winery spans over 16 hectares of land mainly cultivated with the Cabernet Franc grape variety, spread across about twenty plots between Saumur, Dampierre, Chacé, Varrains, and Souzy-Champigny. Some vineyards have an average age of 45 years, with the oldest vines dating back to 1927. The uniqueness of the terroir is reflected in the limestone and chalky soils, with tuffeau, a type of fine-grained rock highly prized, dominating this area of France. This particular soil hosts ancient fossil remains dating back over a thousand years, imparting complexity and uniqueness to Clotilde's wines.

The work in the vineyard and cellar is steeped in tradition and quality. The vines, rooted in the rich clay-limestone soils, yield grapes of the highest quality for the production of Saumur-Champigny wines. Vineyard management is carried out with total respect for the environment, with particular attention to biodiversity. For over 40 years, the company has practiced "enherbement," cultivating grass between the vines for ecological soil protection. The conditions offered by the land and the ancient tuffeau cellars, with constant humidity and cool temperatures, promote the vinification process and aging of the wines in the bottle. Harvesting is exclusively done by hand, ensuring careful grape selection and the highest quality for each vintage.

The winery's production philosophy is based on a traditional approach and constant pursuit of perfection. Following in the footsteps of her father René-Noël, Clotilde prioritizes winemaking that respects the intrinsic characteristics of each vintage, aiming to produce wines of exceptional quality. This commitment has received acclaim from specialized critics since the 1970s, and some great vintages like 1947, 1959, and 1989 are still appreciated today for their excellence. The winery also adopts winemaking practices that minimize the use of sulfites, and although not certified as Organic Agriculture, the amount of SO2 in their wines is significantly lower than the limits prescribed for this certification, confirming their commitment to careful and quality production.