Saumur-Champigny
the name
At the discovery of
the name
Saumur-Champigny
The Saumur-Champigny appellation lies at the heart of the Loire Valley, on a limestone territory where the Cabernet Franc reveals its full accuracy.
Supported by a privileged natural environment and a collective of committed winegrowers, it relies on mastered know-how and a common vision.
Its key figures, the structure of its terroirs and the elements that compose it — Grape, Loire, Freestone — shed light on the coherence of this unique identity.
AOC in figures
The Saumur-Champigny appellation
2004: First actions in favor of biodiversity. While organic farming and biodiversity were still confidential and little-known practices, the Saumur-Champigny union, a pioneer, launched a program to develop biodiversity in its vineyard.
The emulation is immediate, the involvement, total: all the winegrowers, whether they practice conventional, reasoned, organic or biodynamic viticulture, enthusiastically embark on this adventure, making Saumur-Champigny the first French AOC to collectively embark on an environmentally friendly approach.
First action: planting more than 20 km of hedges.
120
WINEGROWERS
9
VILLAGES
More than
10 MILLION
OF BOTTLES ON 1500 HA
1957
creation of the AOC
99 %
of cabernet franc
(In the grape variety selection)
More than
1st AOC
Loire red wine in restoration
(Symétris 2019)
Environmental certification
(Updated: December 2021)
Around 95% of the domains producers of Saumur-Champigny are under environmental certification (AB, AB conversion or HVE), out of 129 "harvest declarants".
Saumur-Champigny is a pioneering appellation in the field of biodiversity, many actions have been carried out collectively since 2004: plant cover, hedges, nesting boxes etc.
winegrowers
engaged
For the environment and biodiversity
Biodiversity
Biodiversity: a collective and pioneering approach
Since 2004, the winegrowers of Saumur-Champigny have been collectively committed to preserving and developing biodiversity within the appellation. Initiated by two visionary winegrowers, this approach aims to naturally reduce harmful insects by redesigning vineyard landscapes. An active technical committee continues to develop new projects to benefit the environment.
Learn more about our commitment to biodiversityBiodiversity: concrete actions on the ground
From 2005 to 2011, 70 winegrowers planted 20 km of ecological hedgerows to restructure the landscapes of the appellation. At the same time, Saumur-Champigny became the first French AOC to ban the total use of chemical weed control, starting in 2008. The result: a natural and measurable reduction in harmful insects, without the use of insecticides.
Discover our actions for biodiversityRigorous and continuous monitoring
Since 2008, the winegrowers' association has been monitoring diseases, pests, and biodiversity annually using a network of traps and nearly one hundred weather stations. In parallel, trees and nesting boxes have been planted to encourage natural predators. Each winegrower receives weekly data to adapt their practices and reduce pesticide use.
Discover our biodiversity monitoring
Ongoing projects
(Updated: December 2021)
The technical committee is working to propose new collective projects with the aim of addressing current environmental and ecological issues.
In 2026, studies are underway on the evolution of the AOC specifications in order to adapt to climate change, viticulture and pastoralism and the study of the impact of bats.
THE TERROIR
Cabernet Franc
Cabernet Franc is the leading red grape variety of the Loire Valley. It produces velvety wines with light tannins and great finesse. It can be enjoyed in its youth and develops an incomparable, ample fruitiness.
Over time, it will retain its freshness combined with silky tannins, a perfect reflection of the limestone terroirs it benefits from in Saumur.
Loire and tuffeau: an exceptional terroir
The Tuffeau It is this soft and luminous limestone that gives the identity of the Saumur landscapes their character.
The vine rests on this porous limestone, it plunges its roots into it and ages in bottles kept in underground tuffeau galleries which maintain a constant temperature of 12°.
The Loire structure the wine-growing landscape of Saumur-Champigny: this great waterway, the longest river in France at approximately 1,006 km, crosses very contrasting territories before joining the Atlantic, draining a catchment area of more than 117,000 km², or nearly one-fifth of the national territory.
The river, the true backbone of the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage site, has been shaping the landscape, soils and agricultural practices for millennia.
Map of the Saumur-Champigny AOC
This map reveals the Saumur-Champigny appellation area, its villages, and its vineyard landscapes. It provides an essential reference point for understanding the territory and planning a visit to the Saumur-Champigny vineyards.
One hundred winemakers shape the identity of Saumur-Champigny every day and expertly showcase its terroir. Meet them and discover their wines directly at their estates.
