Summer 2025 begins in Azay-le-Rideau : • Genuine Wines

June 23rd

We were greeted at the end of June by a smiling, serene winegrower, as the season unfolded without stress. The vines are growing at a reasonable pace, so there’s no need to be overwhelmed by the work involved.

Marie Thibault loves spending time in her vines, which she takes great care of. If you’re ever going to visit the estate, it’s a must … for our great pleasure!

Climatology overview

Following an unusually long winter and a late budburst, the vines have finally settled into a regular rhythm. The good news: no significant frost damage was recorded this year, a welcome change after several challenging seasons. Conditions haven’t been this mild at this stage of the growing cycle for quite some time.

Spring, although wet in the early stages, allowed for solid vegetative growth. As of now, mildew pressure is virtually nonexistent, offering much relief across the vineyard.

The main concern now shifts toward the risk of drought. To mitigate this, careful soil management is underway, particularly surface scratching (griffage), a technique that breaks up the surface vegetation to reduce water competition, especially critical around young vines.

Left picture : plant cover during winter

Right picture : surface scratching underway

Vine growth stage

Flowering occurred evenly across the parcels, always a promising sign for the remainder of the cycle. Currently, the Chenin vines are in the fruit set stage (nouaison), while the Gamay and Grolleau have reached the “pea-sized berry” stage.

Strong diurnal temperature shifts are slightly slowing growth: while daytime highs reach 28°C, nighttime temperatures drop to around 12°C. This contrast tempers vine development. It’s safe to say that this year, growth is progressing steadily, without the usual race against the vines.

Fruit set underway for the Chenin

Rediscovering forgotten grapes

In the cellar, winemaking is increasingly shaped by the challenges of climate change. Over recent years, sugar levels in grapes have been rising while acidity has declined, a critical concern, as acidity is key to balance and aging potential, particularly in white wines, but also in reds.

In response, Marie Thibault and her partner Franz Saumon have turned their attention to historic grape varieties, long overlooked because they were once considered too acidic or lacking in richness. Today, these forgotten cultivars offer a promising answer to climate-driven shifts, combining natural resistance and freshness with distinctive character and moderate alcohol levels.

Three such varieties stand out in their vineyard, chosen for their resilience to frost and disease, their aromatic profiles, and their ability to produce lighter, fresher wines:

Grolleau, a red grape native to the region (originally from Saint-Mars-La-Pile, less than 10 km from their estate) and grown exclusively in France, stands out for its hardiness and natural resistance to mildew. It yields light, supple, fruit-forward wines with low alcohol, ideal for easy-drinking reds.
Menu Pineau, a white variety indigenous to the Loir-et-Cher, is often seen as Grolleau’s white counterpart. Well adapted to the Loire’s climate, it produces precise, finely etched wines, typically low in alcohol. Rarely vinified on its own, it is often used in blends.
Romorantin, brought to the Loire Valley by King Francis I and traditionally grown in Cheverny, reveals remarkable finesse on the terroirs of Chambord. Its bright acidity, delicate floral aromas, and subtle honeyed notes make it a rare and noble grape, one that Franz now cultivates with care in Montlouis.

Romorantin has recently been introduced into their range as a single-varietal wine. A first trial was carried out in 2022, but it was bottled exclusively in magnums. The 2023 vintage marks a turning point: for the first time, it will be available in standard bottles and is now ready to make its official debut.

Vinified with the utmost care, hand-harvested, directly pressed, and cold-settled overnight, the 2023 Romorantin was aged for 18 months in a 5-hL clay jar. The final blend was completed just before the 2024 harvest, after which the wine underwent a brief period of refinement in tank. It is now ready to be enjoyed.