Maunoury
Jonathan Maunoury
Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame
Puy-Notre-Dame is a little hill of chalk 20 kilometers south of the city of Saumur, sort of on the border of between the more limestone bedrock of the greater Saumur region, and the more superficial soils of Anjou noir. In 2015, after studying with such illustrious vignerons as Marc Angeli, Vouette and Sorbée, Pierre Gonin, Chandon de Briailles, and -naturally- Melaric, Jonathan settled in this little goldilocks zone of tuffeau vineyards. (Tuffeau is this sort of wet and crumbly bedrock that makes up all the caves of Saumur including the ones you walked through at La Dive! It's alluvial like schist, but not so much, and it produces a lot of power, but not as much as pure limestone).
Anyway, as a result of this interesting terroir and it being one of the driest places in France, the wine here is known for its muscularity and aromatic complexity. Also because it tastes very good. That's no more so the case than with this very cool lineup we've got from Jonathan spanning 4 vintages and many different exposures. Something for everyone here: completely biodynamic, without additives, and as clean as can be.
2022
Vdf "Popopop!" 2022
VARIETY: Cab Fran/Cab Sauv
TERROIR: Clay/Limestone/Tuffeau. Puy Notre Dame hill
HARVEST: by hand
VINIFICATION: Ancestral method, 12 months elevage.
Vdf “Le Petit Alphée” 2022
VARIETY: 60% Chardonnay / 40% Cab Franc blanc de noir
TERROIR: Puy Notre Dame hill, clay-limestone soil on tuffeau. Cabernet Franc plants of 20 and 40 years old, Chardonnay of 40 years.
HARVEST: by hand
VINIFICATION: Cabernet Franc not de-stemmed only the first part of the press is used to make Blanc de Noir, spontaneous fermentation, maturation on lees for 10 months, of which 15% in used wooden barrels of 400 litres.
Vdf "Consonance" 2022
VARIETY: 70% Cabernet Franc, 30% Pineau d'Aunis
TERROIR: Calcareous, chalky soil with a tuffeau subsoil. 70% Cabernet Franc and 30% Pineau d'Aunis, planted in 1997 and 2009. 50 cm deep clay-limestone soil on a tuffeau rock. Plot on a slope of 63 meters to 70 meters altitude. Manual harvest.
HARVEST: by hand
VINIFICATION: Spontaneous fermentation with whole bunches, maceration of 9 days in stainless steel and fiberglass. Maturation for 7 months in barrels. Then bottled without clarification and filtering and without sulphites.
Vdf "Mon Nom est Rouge" 2022
VARIETY: Cabernet Franc
TERROIR: Vines planted from 1997 to 1999. Shallow soil (60 cm), stony with clay-limestone dominance on green chalk rock. Chalky rock (tuffeau from the middle Turonian period). Plots located at mid-slope (60-70 m altitude) on the western side of the Puy Notre Dame hillock. Certified organic since 1998 and worked biodynamically (nettle, horsetail, willow teas, and comfrey purines applied), certified biodynamic in 2017.
HARVEST: by hand
VINIFICATION: 1 part sees a 5 day maceration.
1 part is a semi-carbonic maceration in whole clusters.
2021
Vdf "Alphée" 2021
VARIETY: Chardonnay
TERROIR: Vines planted from 1983-1985.
Predominantly clay-limestone soil on rock and green chalk alterite (middle Turonian period). Parcelles located halfway up slope (64-69 meter in altitude) on the south-east and south-west slopes of the mounds of Puy Notre Dame. Certified organic since 1998 and worked biodynamically (nettle, horsetail, willow teas, and comfrey purines applied), certified biodynamic in 2017.
HARVEST: by hand
VINIFICATION: Slow manual press of whole clusters. Juices transferred by gravity into 400l barrels. Aged on lees for 18 months.
Saumur Puy Notre Dame “Sarrandières” 2022
TERROIR: 100% Cabernet Franc planted in 1999. Very stony top soil, mainly tuff. Plot on a slope in the middle of the Puy Notre Dame hill (73 meters altitude), exposure to the southwest. Manual harvest.
HARVEST: by hand
VINIFICATION: All grapes are destemmed, spontaneous fermentation and maceration for 10 days in wooden barrels, soft 'infusion' of the skins, 7 months maturation in oak barrels, bottled without clarification, filtering and sulphite.
2017-2019
AOC Saumur "Ephémère" Rosé NV
VARIETY: Cabernet Franc
TERROIR: Vines planted in 1982 and 2002 the hill of Puy Notre Dame. Clay-limestone soil and clayey sands on tuffeau (chalky limestone). Certified organic since 1998 and worked biodynamically (nettle, horsetail, willow teas, and comfrey purines applied), certified biodynamic in 2017.
HARVEST: by hand
VINIFICATION: Direct pressed with stems. 2019 harvest aged one year in 400l barrels. 2020 harvest aged 6 months on lees in fiberglass. Assemblage in bottle.
Vdf "Alphée" 2019
VARIETY: Chardonnay
TERROIR: Vines planted from 1983-1985.
Predominantly clay-limestone soil on rock and green chalk alterite (middle Turonian period). Parcelles located halfway up slope (64-69 meter in altitude) on the south-east and south-west slopes of the mounds of Puy Notre Dame. Certified organic since 1998 and worked biodynamically (nettle, horsetail, willow teas, and comfrey purines applied), certified biodynamic in 2017.
HARVEST: by hand
VINIFICATION: Slow manual press of whole clusters. Juices transferred by gravity into 400l barrels. Aged on lees for 19 months. Bottled in July of 2021.
AOC Saumur "Mon nom est Rouge" 2020
VARIETY: Cabernet Franc
TERROIR: Vines planted from 1997 to 1999.
Shallow soil (60 cm), stony with clay-limestone dominance on green chalk rock. Chalky rock (tuffeau from the middle Turonian period). Plots located at mid-slope (60-70 m altitude) on the western side of the Puy Notre Dame hillock. Certified organic since 1998 and worked biodynamically (nettle, horsetail, willow teas, and comfrey purines applied), certified biodynamic in 2017.
HARVEST: by hand
VINIFICATION: 1 part sees a 5 day maceration.
1 part is a semi-carbonic maceration in whole clusters.
Months in tank, bottled in April of 2021.
Vdf "Mon nom est Rouge" 2018
VARIETY: Cabernet Franc
TERROIR: Vines planted in 1999.
Shallow soil (60 cm), stony with clay-limestone dominance on green chalk rock green chalk rock (mid Turonian period). Located halfway up (73 m of altitude) on the western slope of the Puy Notre Dame. Certified organic since 1998 and worked biodynamically (nettle, horsetail, willow teas, and comfrey purines applied), certified biodynamic in 2017.
HARVEST: by hand
VINIFICATION: De-stemmed, 4 day maceration in tank. Aged 9 months in tank.
Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame "Esprit du Lieu" 2018
VARIETY: Cabernet Franc
TERROIR: Vines planted in 1999.
Shallow soil (60 cm), stony with clay-limestone dominance on green chalk rock green chalk rock (mid Turonian period). Located halfway up (73 m of altitude) on the south-western slope of the Puy Notre Dame. Certified organic since 1998 and worked biodynamically (nettle, horsetail, willow teas, and comfrey purines applied), certified biodynamic in 2017.
HARVEST: by hand
VINIFICATION: 10-14 day maceration in stainless, gentle extraction. Aged 2.5 years in 225l barrels.
Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame "Le Grand Champ Bourreau" 2017
VARIETY: Cabernet Franc
TERROIR: Vines planted in from 1997-1999. This plot is less stony and has more soil. Located halfway up (73 m of altitude) on the south-western slope of the Puy Notre Dame. Certified organic since 1998 and worked biodynamically (nettle, horsetail, willow teas, and comfrey purines applied), certified biodynamic in 2017.
HARVEST: by hand
VINIFICATION: De-stemmed grapes, 3 week maceration in tank. Soft extraction with a little remontage. Transferred by gravity into 225L barrels. Aged 14 months in a troglodyte cellar.
Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame "Le Amandiers" 2017
VARIETY: Cabernet Franc
TERROIR: 60 year old vines. Plot selection.
Shallow soil (50 cm), very stony with clay-limestone dominance on green chalk rock green chalk rock (mid Turonian period). Located 60 meters up on the western slope of the Puy Notre Dame. Certified organic since 1998 and worked biodynamically (nettle, horsetail, willow teas, and comfrey purines applied), certified biodynamic in 2017.
HARVEST: by hand
VINIFICATION: De-stemmed grapes, 3 week maceration in tank. Gentle extraction with a little remontage. Transferred by gravity into 225L barrels. Aged 14 months in a troglodyte cellar.