Chenin Blanc Saumur 'L'Insolite' Domaine des Roches Neuves 2025

The Chenin Blanc Saumur “L'Insolite” from Domaine des Roches Neuves is a white wine that manages to combine finesse and personality in an extraordinary wine. When talking about Chenin Blanc, there is no doubt that it is one of the most multifaceted and complex grape varieties in the world, capable of creating memorable liquids in every type. Chenin is indissolubly linked to its region of vocation, namely the Loire, right where Domaine des Roches Neuves is located. Here near Saumur, famous for also producing some of the greatest reds in the region, Thierry Germain has become a true legend, thanks to original interpretations that are incredibly complex and territorially adherent. The wines, despite their well-deserved fame, are still available at accessible prices, therefore stocking up is highly recommended.

The white “L'Insolite” is made from pure Chenin grapes, sourced from vineyards cultivated near Saumur and resting on clay-limestone soils. In the vineyard, organic and biodynamic practices are used, therefore all chemical or synthetic substances are banned. The vitality of the plant and the soil is the prelude to a similarly conscientious work in the cellar, which involves spontaneous alcoholic fermentation and aging for 9 months on the fine lees in large wooden barrels.

The Saumur wine “L'insolite” presents itself in the glass with a bright straw-yellow appearance. It has the makings of a champion, right from the first sniff, where the liquid reveals notes of cedar, chamomile, chalk, and toasted almond, in a manner that is anything but didactic or rhetorical. The sip is truly splendid, fleshy and taut at the same time, infused with a vein of acidity and salt that is truly refreshing. A great French white, with a quality-price ratio that definitely leans towards the former.