Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny La Marginale 2022 (6 Bottles) Loire Valley, France

Biodynamic. Marginale is Germain’s old-vine blend, drawn from parcels on the limestone soils of Fossés de Chaintre (in the lieux-dits of les Dares and Clos Maurice) and from a small parcel of old vines on Turonian limestone in the famous Les Poyeux. Made from the Estate’s oldest (apart from Les Mémoires) and lowest-yielding Cabernet Franc vines, perhaps more than any other red, Marginale encapsulates the Germain style (profound elegance and soaring intensity) that defines the wines of this Estate today.

The 2021 vintage might be my favourite-ever for the reds of Saumur (at this early stage anyway). The wines have all the vibrancy, purity and freshness that we expect of this unique place, but there is matching flesh, opulence and seduction.

La Marginale was raised in a large 25-hectolitre foudre (that had to be erected in the Roches Neuves cellars by Franz Stockinger himself) for 12 months before finishing in three-year-old Burgundian barrels. Since 2013, Germain has employed a shorter maceration. The resulting wines have been even more balanced, with the kind of finesse and precision of fruit that is rarely found outside Burgundy. The perfume here is dripping with ripe, dark cherries, freshly ground star anise, red rose and nettle, while the palate is wonderfully pure, vibrant and layered, with all of the characters of the nose but now some raspberry kicking in with the dark cherry, and a lick of graphite to boot. It has an incredibly precise and beautiful palate with very fine tannins and a twist of fresh herbs on the long, perfumed close. Beautiful indeed.

“It kicks off with a fabulous nose, pure and focused, with scented black cherry fruits, and perfumed with bright violets. The palate feels darker and more brooding than Terres Chaudes, but it still has the silky texture which seems on this tasting to run right through the range. But here there is also an undercurrent of rich, dark and grippy tannins, wrapped in threads of black bean and dark chocolate in the middle of the palate. Yet that silky purity persists throughout. Beautiful, but with superb potential for drinking in four to eight years.” 93-95 points, Chris Kissack, The Wine Doctor

“Seamless, balanced and ageworthy. Aged 12 months in 25-hectoliter barrel. Nose full of roses and violets. Silky and cool in the mouth, with fresh plum and black cherry. Finishes full of graphite and crushed stone and a lingering licorice note. Needs a couple years, but this will be exceptional.” 94 points, Jason Wilson, Vinous