Clos Cristal Hospices de Saumur 'Saumur-Champigny', Loire, France

A stunning embodiment of Saumur-Champigny’s heritage, the 1987 Clos Cristal Hospices de Saumur delivers a beautifully evolved expression of Cabernet Franc from one of the Loire Valley’s most storied vineyards. From a vintage in the Loire noted for its balance, purity, and age-worthy structure, this wine shows how time can refine and deepen an already exceptional terroir. Grown within a unique, walled microclimate on ancient tuffeau soils, it captures the hallmark freshness of Cabernet Franc while layering on decades of aromatic and textural complexity.

Product Details

• Varietal: 100% Cabernet Franc
• ABV: 13.5%
• Farming Practices: Organic (not certified)
• Vinification: Whole-cluster fermentation, no sulfur added, aged in tufa galleries
• Aging: 1 year in barrel and vat, 2 additional years in underground cellars

Sensory Description
Pouring deep garnet with glints of copper, the 1987 reveals remarkable clarity and vibrancy for its age. The bouquet is expansive—redcurrant, raspberry compote, and wild strawberry intertwine with cedar, sweet vanilla, and exotic spice. With air, the profile turns increasingly complex: dried violets, garrigue herbs, and faint tobacco leaf rise alongside truffle and forest floor. On the palate, the wine is seamless, its once-firm tannins now silk-edged, carrying a core of concentrated red fruit framed by savory paprika and cocoa powder. The finish is long, elegant, and remarkably fresh, hinting at mint and graphite—testament to the vintage’s structure and the Clos’s singular microclimate.

Winemaker’s Background
Clos Cristal was founded in the early 1900s by Antoine “Père” Cristal, a visionary monk and winemaker who designed an ingenious vineyard system with over 3 kilometers of stone walls, training the vines through them to harness warmth and shelter. Upon his passing in 1929, the estate was gifted to the Hospices de Saumur. For more than two decades, winemaker Éric Dubois nurtured the Clos’s reputation for purity and finesse through minimal intervention and natural fermentation. Today, while managed by a local cooperative, the vineyard continues to honor its heritage, producing wines of singular elegance and longevity.

Serving Suggestions
Serve slightly below room temperature (60–64 °F) and decant gently for 30 minutes to allow its aromas to unfurl. A sublime partner for roast duck, mushroom bourguignon, or herb-crusted lamb, and equally compelling with mature goat cheeses or Tomme de Savoie. This 1987 not only offers a rare, living taste of Loire history but also shows that, in the right hands and with ideal cellaring, Saumur-Champigny can remain fresh, complex, and irresistibly graceful well into its fourth decade.