Newsletter: Maunoury 2-Pack

Newsletter: Maunoury 2-Pack
In the storied hills of Saumur, the legendary Clos Rougeard unequivocally makes the greatest expression of Cabernet Franc on earth...with prices to match. Yet tucked away, in the shadows of this paramount estate, there are still values to be found. Just a few kilometers south of the Clos, a young winemaker is settling in and gaining access to historic sites with parallel terroir.

This winemaker is Jonathan Maunoury, who has established his estate here after stints with celebrated names such as Pierre Gonon and Chandon de Briailles. He farms a handful of sites in Puy-Notre-Dame, an appellation known for powerful, muscular wines, yet Maunoury manages to pull out shocking aromatic nuance and silky textural finesse from this bold, deep terroir.

While the nascent domaine is just 8 years old, Maunoury has stunned me with the quality and complexity of his wines. These are the easily some of the best new Cabernet Francs I've tasted since my first sips of Clos Rougeard many moons ago.

Toady, I'm proud to offer the only bottles of his 2017 Saumur Put-Notre-Dame AND 2020 Saumur Rouge in South Carolina.
BUY NOW
 Saumur Puy-Notre-Dame 'Le Grand Champ Bourreau' 2017 $42.99

100% Cabernet Franc farmed biodynamically on tuffeau soils. 'Grand Champ Bourreau' sits on the sunnier South-West side of the hill of Puy-Notre-Dame. The grapes ripen easily on these lush, clay heavy soils. Hand-harvested, de-stemmed and aged for 14 months in barrique before bottled unfined and unfiltered.  

Powerful and effusive, the nose is a lush array of earthy black fruit, peppercorn, graphite, and violets. Beautifully refined on the palate from several years of age, it unfolds with wave after wave of blackberry and plum, underscored by more savory and floral notes. Soft but structured tannins and surprising freshness all lead to a long finish. Drink now with grilled meats or assertive cheeses, but tuck a few away as this wine will evolve beautifully. 
Saumur Rouge 'Mon nom est Rouge' 2020 $34.99

Cabernet Franc from a fully western exposed side of the same hill, this is a fresher, brighter wine from similar vines but planted on more limestone heavy soils. Hand-harvested, the wine is fermented half carbonic maceration, half traditional whole-cluster for five days. The two halves are then blended and aged for about six months before bottling.

Full of energy, a bouncy and aromatic nose of red cherry, cranberry and blackberry fruit are accented with a touch of spice. The palate is juicy and ripe, with zippy red raspberry and black cherry. Rounded tannins and crisp acidity give this wine weight and structure to balance all the crisp fruits.  Serve well chilled with anything from pizza to salmon. 
On the border of Saumur proper and Anjou, Jonathan Maunoury farms several parcels with a variety exposures and soil types. The parcels sit in what importer Steven Graf refers to as a "goldilocks zone," where tuffeau dominates, but clay and limestone can also be found. This combined with generally dry weather compared to the rest of the Loire means this part of Saumur is known for broad, muscular wines made to go the distance in the cellar. Maunoury's talents lie in using the terroir to make such wines, while being able to pull freshness from such a deep and powerful terroir. 
Domaine Maunoury 2-PACK  - $77.98

*SPECIAL NEWSLETTER PRICE - $72.98

To order, reply directly to this email or call me at 843.576.4845
Justin Coleman
Proprietor
Monarch Wine Merchants
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1107 King St
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Charleston, Sc 29403

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