AOC/AOP Regulations
Département
- Maine-et-Loire, Deux-Sèvres, Vienne
Styles and Encépagement
- Blanc: 100% Chenin Blanc
- Rouge: Cabernet Franc, plus a max. 30% combined Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d’Aunis
- Saumur „Puy Notre-Dame“: Cabernet Franc and a max. 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
- Vin Mousseux Blanc: Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cab. Franc, Cab. Sauvignon, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris
- Vin Mousseux Rosé: As for Vin Mousseux Blanc
- Saumur Blanc wines permitted a max. 20% combined Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc up to the 2016 harvest
- All Saumur wines may include the geographical designation „Val de Loire“ on the label
Assemblage
- Blanc, Rouge and „Puy Notre-Dame“: per encépagement
- Vin Mousseux Blanc: Min. 60% Chenin Blanc, max. 10% Sauvignon Blanc
- Vin Mousseux Rosé: Min. 60% Cabernet Franc, max. 10% Sauvignon Blanc
Minimum Potential Alcohol
- Blanc/Rouge: 10.5%
- Saumur „Puy Notre-Dame“: 12% (11% prior to 2011)
- Vin Mousseux: 9.5%
Minimum Must Weight
- Blanc: 170 g/l
- Rouge: 180 g/l
- Saumur „Puy Notre-Dame“: 216 g/l (189 g/l prior to 2011)
- Base wines for Vin Mousseux: 153 g/l
Maximum Residual Sugar
- 3 g/l (max. 6 g/l for blanc wines if the total acidity is within 2 g/l of the residual sugar)
Sparkling Wine Requirements
- Vin Mousseux is made by the traditional method, and is aged for a min. 9 months on the lees.
Élevage
- Saumur „Puy Notre-Dame“ may not be released until June 1 of the year following the harvest
Minimum Planting Density
- Saumur: 4,000 vines per hectare
- Saumur „Puy Notre-Dame“: 4,500 vines per hectare
Maximum Yield (Rendement de Base)
- Blanc: 60 hl/ha
- Rouge: 57 hl/ha
- Saumur „Puy Notre-Dame“: 50 hl/ha
- Vin Mousseux: 67 hl/ha
AOC Established
- 1936 (Vin Mousseux added in 1957) (last updated 2011)
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