Domaine des Closiers Saumur-Champigny 'Les Trezellieres' 2020

Domaine des Closiers Saumur-Champigny 'Les Trezellieres' 2020
Saumur-Champigny, Loire Valley
100% Cabernet Franc

​The “Trezellières cuvée” comes from the oldest Cabernet Franc vines from a single parcel farmed biodynamically on the highest elevation slopes in the village of Parnay, known for its top Cabernet Franc vineyards. The limestone soils there contribute to the wine’s finesse and gorgeous density.  Aged for an additional year (24 months total) in barrels (only 10-20% new), it rivals any red produced in the Loire Valley today. All three reds, including even the entry-level Closiers, share the velvety textural character that Nady achieved at Clos Rougeard. 

2020: No score yet but we loved the 2020s from Closiers (this is released later) is a great vintage in the region
2020 should be similar to the 2019 for comparison:
92 pts Robert Parker Wine Advocate
(I'm a 94+ on this and this was tasted almost a year ago by the WA, lots of potential here to easily rise to a 96 imo)
The 2019 Saumur Champigny Trezellières comes from old, low-yielding Cabernet Franc vines located at the top of the limestone slopes of Parnay. Fermented and macerated in stainless steel and aged in oak barrels for 24 months, the Trezellières opens with an intense and buttery bouquet with cloves and nougat aromas. Smooth and refined on the palate, this is a rich but elegant, refined and refreshing Cab Franc with fine acidity and generous, pretty fleshy and saucy fruit. There is too much makeup for me in this wine that is smooth and generous and quite long and intense. Natural cork. Tasted in March 2022.

Robert Parker Wine Advocate: Domaine des Closiers, located in Parnay, in the heart of the Saumur Champigny appellation, is an ambitious new producer in Saumur. The new owner, the studied enologist, then computer engineer and co-founder of one of the biggest business consulting companies in the world, Anatole de la Brosse, returned to wine at almost 50 years old and has sold out his production quickly in France yet hasn’t opened up much export yet. He currently converts the former domaine, whose terroirs he believes "are great" to organic viticulture, with the assistance of technical consultant Michel Chevré. Also, Nady Foucault, former owner of the iconic Clos Rougeard, is consulting for him. The estate covers 15 hectares in the commune of Parnay, where they are located on the hillside. Rooting in clay-limestone soils, the vines average 35 years of age. About 95% of the vineyard is planted in Cabernet Franc in the Saumur Champigny AOC. The domaine also has a few plots of Chenin, which are used to produce the Saumur Blanc. Heavy investments have been made as well: the soil is now worked to avoid the use of chemicals; a new sorting table makes it possible to select the best fruits and to eliminate all the undesirable elements; a new destemmer scrapes the grapes without damaging them, which improves the quality of the maceration; a new 30-hectoliter pneumatic press gently presses the grapes; gravity is used instead of pumps; and the tanks are thermo-regulated for perfect control. No chemicals are added during the whole process except for small quantities of sulfur dioxide. The first three wines I tasted, two 2020s and one 2019, represent a promising start for this rejuvenated domaine with five generations of history.