Saumur-Champigny AOC, Saumur AOCCabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc10 haFounded 1664Bouygues family (Martin and Olivier Bouygues, since 2017)ORGANIC CERTIFIEDSaumur-Champigny
Saumur-Champigny's grand cru: the Foucault brothers' 10 hectares of Cabernet Franc and old-vine Chenin at Chace, sold to the Bouygues family in 2017 after eight family generations.
Tasting: No public visits. Wines on strict allocation through importers.
Signature wines: clos-rougeard-le-bourg, clos-rougeard-les-poyeux, clos-rougeard-le-clos
Tip: Le Bourg from old vines is the appellation's reference grand-cru-class bottle; vintages 2005, 2009 and 2010 are the modern benchmarks.
Saumur-Champigny AOC, Saumur AOC, Coteaux de Saumur AOCCabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc18.5 haFounded 1840Vatan family (Philippe and Agathe Vatan)Winemaker Philippe VatanORGANIC CERTIFIEDSaumur-Champigny
Dampierre-sur-Loire Saumur-Champigny estate of 18.5 hectares, certified organic since 2007, with cellars dug into the tuffeau cliffs above the Loire.
Tasting: Visits and tastings at the troglodyte cellars by appointment
Signature wines: hureau-fevettes, hureau-lisagathe, hureau-tuffe
Tip: Lisagathe, from the two best old-vine parcels, is the long-ageing flagship; book the troglodyte cellar visit.
Saumur-Champigny AOC, Saumur AOCCabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc28 haFounded 1850Thierry and Marie GermainWinemaker Thierry GermainDemeter CertifiedDEMETERSaumur-Champigny
Varrains domaine taken over by Thierry Germain in 1991, 28 hectares biodynamic, trained by the Foucaults of Clos Rougeard.
Tasting: Visits and tastings by appointment in Varrains
Signature wines: roches-neuves-cuvee-domaine, roches-neuves-clos-de-lechelier, roches-neuves-franc-de-pied
Tip: The Franc de Pied cuvee from ungrafted vines is the cellar-door rarity; the Cuvee Domaine is the textbook entry point.