Arnaud Lambert Cremant de Loire Rose NV

Arnaud Lambert Cremant de Loire Rose NV

Arnaud Lambert
$26.00

Grape: Cabernet Franc
Vintage: NV
Type: Sparkling

Produced from organically farmed estate vineyards in Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg, this sparkling rosé is made from cabernet franc grapes. Winemaker Arnaud Lambert utilizes low-intervention practices to handle the fruit, which grows on calcareous clay and porous tuffeau limestone soils. It is vinified using the traditional method, undergoing a cool primary fermentation followed by extended aging on its lees in deep chalk cellars. This zero-makeup process preserves the crisp, maritime character of the grape without heavy cellar manipulation.

It radiates a pale copper-pink hue with clarity and a persistent mousse. The nose is open and fresh, offering aromas of red currant, wild strawberry skin, and a light hint of fresh garden herbs. On the palate, the light-bodied frame is juicy and balancing crunchy red fruit with a mineral salinity. A snappy, vertical wave of limestone acidity runs through mid-palate, keeping the mouthfeel lively. It finishes clean, dry, and mouthwateringly light on its feet.

Terroir

Arnaud Lambert’s domaine vineyards are located in three communes within the Loire Valley’s Saumur region, a subsection of the larger Anjou area. This is the land of Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc and inexpensive bubbles. He principally works within three communes: two within the Saumur-Champigny appellation and the resurrected commune, Brézé, included in the broad AOP Saumur, on the southernmost border of the AOP Saumur-Champigny.

Saumur and neighboring Anjou have a lot in common, but can be vastly different with the end result, at least within the context of the same grapes.

Winery

Arnaud studied enology and viticultural studies in Beaune and his wines show it in their somewhat Burgundian-like elegance and aristocratic polish.

What’s most incredible about Arnaud is his ability to churn out such quality with nearly twenty different cuvées rendered from more than forty hectares of vineyards; although this is a lot, all of his wines seem like they’ve come from a domaine with no more than five hectares. His wines are spectacularly etched jewels, short on pretension and confection, and long on harmonious depth and purity.

Arnaud, like many of the wine world’s luminaries-in-the-making, has adopted the philosophical approach to allow the terroir to define the wines, rather than the other way around. He’s most known for his wines grown on Brézé and no more than two kilometers away, from his home in Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg. These two hills gave inspiration for the subtle, two-line, soft hill shaped logo on his labels.