2017 Clotilde Legrand "Les Chaintrée" Saumur-Champigny

Name: 2017 Clotilde Legrand "Les Chaintrée" Saumur-Champigny
SKU: 1996616
Price: 29.99 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 94 (2 reviews)

94JG

$29.99

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John Gilman

Reviewed July 2025

I last had the pleasure to taste Clotilde Legrand’s 2017 Saumur-Champigny "la Chaintrée" two years ago and the wine continues to blossom beautifully. Though the wine is now eight years of age, it was a "new release" from Madame Legrand’s cellars back in the summer of 2023, as she aged the wine fully three years in cask prior to bottling. This cuvée does not see any new oak, as it is raised in five hundred liter barrels that are three to eight years of age. Today, it offers up a superb bouquet that shows its gently oaky influence in its aromatic blend of cassis, sweet dark berries, cigar ash, tuffeau soil tones, coffee bean, a nice touch of oak and a topnote of juniper berries. On the palate the wine is deep, full-bodied, precise and still on the young side, wit a great core of pure fruit, an excellent foundation of soil, fine-grained tannins and a long, impeccably balanced and complex finish. This is outstanding Saumur in the making, but it still needs several years in the cellar to soften up its undercarriage of tannin.

Staff Reviews

Keith Mabry

K&L Buyer

Review Date: 06/2026

We're definitely crossing a new threshold here with this magnificent Saumur. Layers of black cherry, currant jam, tapenade, and dried rose petals create an inviting and wonderfully complex aromatic profile. The additional bottle age has worked its magic, transforming what was once a powerful, structured wine into something far more harmonious. Time has allowed the tannins to melt into the background, while the fruit, savory notes, and floral nuances have seamlessly integrated. The result is a wine of impressive depth and concentration that remains remarkably elegant and approachable today. This is the kind of wine that calls for a grilled picanha steak and a generous side of chimichurri. The wine's savory complexity and polished structure are a perfect match for the richness of the beef and the bright herbal character of the sauce. This is my new weekend favorite.

Notes

The Legrand family has been crafting wine in Saumur since the 17th century and was among the pioneering producers of Saumur-Champigny. Today, Clotilde Legrand carries on the family's legacy, combining traditional winemaking with a deep respect for terroir and vintage expression. The estate's Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc vineyards, many planted on prized limestone and chalk soils and averaging 45 years of age, produce wines of remarkable freshness, structure, and longevity. Long aging in the family's historic tuffeau limestone cellars—where cool, constant temperatures provide ideal maturation conditions—helps shape wines that are equally enjoyable in their youth and capable of graceful development in the cellar. Produced from 100% Cabernet Franc, this special cuvée is aged for four years in seasoned French oak barrels, allowing the wine to develop remarkable depth while preserving varietal purity. Bottled unfiltered, it offers a deep color and layered aromas of blackcurrant, blueberry, and pine resin. The extended élevage softens and refines the tannins, resulting in a full-bodied yet elegant wine with a silky texture, impressive concentration, and the structure to drink beautifully today or continue evolving over the next decade.

Details

Origin	Loire, France
Type/Varietal	Cabernet Franc
Alcohol Content	13%
SKU	1996616