English
FrançaisClos Rougeard — The Timeless Legend of Saumur-Champigny
Clos Rougeard is a true institution in the world of wine, a mythical name from the Loire Valley and an absolute benchmark in Saumur-Champigny. Founded in 1664, this historic estate has built a legendary reputation through wines of rare purity, finesse and depth.
Long carried by the Foucault family, then acquired in 2017 by the Martin Bouygues family, Clos Rougeard remains one of the most sought-after estates in France. Its red wines, made from Cabernet Franc, and its rare white from Chenin Blanc, embody a rigorous, elegant and deeply singular expression of the Saumur terroir.
A cult Loire estate, where Cabernet Franc reaches an expression of legendary finesse. Clos Rougeard combines fruit purity, textural depth, limestone tension and artisanal precision. Each cuvée reveals a different facet of Saumur-Champigny, between grace, density, minerality and great ageing potential.
Terroir: clay-limestone, sand and Saumur tuffeau
The estate benefits from remarkable terroir composed of clay-limestone and sandy soils, with a strong imprint of Saumur limestone. This geology gives the wines their tension, minerality, natural elegance and ability to evolve with great nobility.
Cabernet Franc finds here a crystalline expression, far from any heaviness: pure fruit, fine tannins, noble herbal freshness and mineral length. Chenin Blanc, on the limestone soils of Brézé, reveals saline energy, chalky uprightness and rare depth.
Terroir expression: Saumur-Champigny, clay-limestone, sand, tuffeau, Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, red fruits, graphite, flowers, fine spices and mineral tension.
Clos Rougeard signature: finesse, purity, depth, long ageing, artisanal precision, silky texture, Loire elegance and strong ageing capacity.
Viticulture and farming philosophy
Vineyard work follows principles that respect the living environment, close to organic and biodynamic farming, without chemical inputs. This approach preserves soil integrity, the natural balance of the vine and the deep identity of the wines.
Grapes are sought at perfect ripeness, with precise aromatic concentration and intact freshness. Each cuvée is vinified with great artisanal rigour, then aged for an extended period in order to reveal depth, texture and complexity without ever masking terroir expression.
Reds: raspberry, red cherry, fresh cassis, redcurrant, violet, peony, soft pepper and graphite.
Evolution and complexity: blond tobacco, fine leather, noble forest floor, discreet truffle, fresh earth, fine spices and smoky notes.
Brézé white: lemon, quince, pear, white flowers, wet stone, chalk, salinity and vertical tension.
Overall impression: wines of rare purity, profound, silky and precise, combining aromatic intensity, Loire freshness and great longevity.
Wine style
The red wines of Clos Rougeard stand out for their rare alliance between depth and elegance. Cabernet Franc expresses itself with great fruit purity, remarkably fine tannins and a structure that gains complexity with time.
The style is never demonstrative: it is built on precision, freshness, texture and length. The great cuvées develop with age notes of tobacco, truffle, forest floor, fine leather and graphite, while preserving the upright, crystalline energy that defines the greatness of the estate.
Emblematic cuvées
Le Clos: the signature cuvée from historic parcels, embodying the balance between pure fruit, elegance, silky texture and great length.
Les Poyeux: a cuvée from sandy terroir, renowned for its grace, lightness, aromatic finesse and exceptional precision.
Le Bourg: a mythical cuvée from a limestone parcel in Chacé, denser, sunnier and more structured, produced in very small quantities.
Brézé Blanc: a rare Chenin Blanc cuvée from pure limestone soils, marked by saline tension, chalky minerality and great aromatic richness.
History and transmission
A symbol of excellence and consistency, Clos Rougeard remained for generations in the hands of the Foucault family, who elevated its wines to iconic status. This family history, built on discretion, rigour and fidelity to terroir, shaped the estate’s unique aura.
Since its acquisition by the Martin Bouygues family in 2017, the domaine has continued its story while preserving its identity and traditional methods. Clos Rougeard continues to write one of the most beautiful chapters of the Loire, with wines among the most sought-after in the world.
Region: Loire Valley, Saumur-Champigny
Estate: Clos Rougeard
Founded: 1664
Surface area: around 15 hectares
Grape varieties: Cabernet Franc for the reds, Chenin Blanc for Brézé
Historic families: Foucault, then Martin Bouygues since 2017
Style: pure, profound, silky, mineral, elegant, rigorous and built for ageing.
In summary: Clos Rougeard is one of the absolute legends of the Loire Valley, a mythical estate where Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc reach a rare expression of purity, depth, elegance and precision.
Dominant aromas: raspberry, red cherry, fresh cassis, violet, peony, graphite, blond tobacco, fine leather, discreet truffle, chalk, quince, white flowers and a long mineral finish.
