Appellation
Saumur-Champigny
Identity card
VillageAOPRed
Loire Valley
- Village
- Regional
Key points
- Red only: at most 57 hl/ha, at least 10.5% natural alcohol.
- Malolactic fermentation must be complete; at most 3 g/l of sugars.
- Seven communes south of the Loire, around Saumur.
Grape varieties
Red wine onlyCabernet Franc
Accessory varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon
Accessory grapes, with Pineau d'Aunis: at most 15% together
The cap applies to the plantings and to the blend
Production rules
57
hl/ha
Maximum yield
10.5
% ABV
Minimum natural alcohol
- Maximum yield
- How much wine a hectare may produce under the appellation (a higher, exceptional ceiling often exists). The lower it is, the less can be made: one of the levers on how concentrated the grapes are. For reference: 35 hl/ha to 80 hl/ha across 67 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
- Minimum natural alcohol
- The alcohol the grapes' own sugar must be able to give, without enrichment: a ripeness threshold at harvest. For reference: 9 % ABV to 12.5 % ABV across 63 Oenopia appellations of the same colour.
Terroir
- Lie of the land: Slopes of the Turonian escarpment, 40 to 110 m up
- Soils: Rendzinas and brown limestone soils on the Turonian
- Climate: Oceanic, sheltered by the Mauges: 550 to 600 mm a year
Wine style
- Violet
- deep ruby
- red fruit
- fresh, round, supple
- young or after keeping
Boundaries: INAO, AOC vineyard plot delimitation (September 2026 edition) · Open Licence
Specification
5 December 2025
Labelling terms
- The geographical name "Vin de Loire" may be added
- The name of a registered lieu-dit may appear on the label
Nearby appellations
Sources
- Official sourceCahier des charges de l'appellation d'origine contrôlée « Saumur-Champigny »— Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité (INAO) / Ministère de l'agriculture
Across seven communes of Maine-et-Loire around Saumur, south of the Loire, Saumur-Champigny is an appellation for still red wines only, built on Cabernet Franc. The vines cover the slopes of the Turonian escarpment, on chalky limestone soils over Turonian formations, in an oceanic climate sheltered from rain by the Mauges hills. The specification describes fresh, round, supple reds with red-fruit or violet aromas, enjoyable young or after a few years.
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Saumur-Champigny
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