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Bouvet-Ladubay

Established by Etienne Bouvet in 1851, this is the second oldest producer of sparkling wine in Saumur, and like many of the other leading houses they are today based in St-Hilaire-St-Florent. This town, effectively now a suburb of Saumur on the riverbank just downstream from the main town itself, was where Etienne set up his business. Bouvet, born in 1828 to a local vigneron, was attracted to the town by the soils and the tuffeau rock, which was peppered with a myriad of underground tunnels perfect for the storage of millions of bottles of sparkling wine. When he married his accountant, a Mlle Ladubay, he renamed his business Bouvet-Ladubay in her honour. Under Etienne's direction, and subsequently with his son Jules by his side, Bouvet-Ladubay expanded to become active in Épernay, at the heart of the Champagne region, as well as Saumur, and by 1895 it was the largest producer of méthode traditionelle sparkling wines in all France. Bouvet innovated and invested, installing a generator to provide the electricity needed to light his eight kilometres of cellars, and he built what must have seemed like a small empire to his peers, including amongst other things a theatre, which has very recently been restored. His riches were such that some thought he had discovered the treasures of the monks of the nearby St-Florent Abbey deep in his cellars, and today the Cuvée Trésor is a humorous nod towards these ancient rumours.

In the early years of the 20th Century Jules Bouvet died, quickly followed by his father, and control of the business passed to Pierre Girard-Bouvet, Etienne's son-in-law. His untimely death left Bouvet-Ladubay without strong leadership, and in 1933 the failing business was acquired by Justin Monmousseau, and during the decades that ensued it was passed through the family until it came to Patrice Monmousseau in 1971. It was he who was at the helm when the firm was bought out by the Taittinger family of Champagne, and he stayed on to continue to guide the firm into the 21st Century, although in the early years of this century the ownership of Bouvet-Ladubay changed once again. Still smarting from losing out in the battle to acquire Champagne Taittinger, United Breweries, India's largest brewing corporation and globally the third largest spirits business in existence, purchased Bouvet-Ladubay. What effect this will have on the wines, if any, still remains to be seen, although I would imagine that the aggressive marketing of the brand, its association with the Le Mans 24 Hour Race, the Paris-Dakar Rally and the Cannes film festival will continue.

There are no vineyards to discuss with Bouvet-Ladubay, as the firm owns none; instead they work with innumerable local growers, over 120 in total, who produce grapes with the guidance of Bouvet-Ladubay oenologists, manage the harvest and pressing, and then deliver the fresh must ready for fermentation and the other processes necessary for the creation of sparkling wines. With such a huge operation it is perhaps not surprising to learn the extent of the Bouvet-Ladubay facilities in St-Hilaire-St-Florent Etienne, a high-tech winery where fermentations are overseen in temperature-controlled stainless steel, the wines are riddled on 500-bottle gyropalettes invented by Patrice Monmousseau, disgorgement is performed by machine and corks are microwave-treated before they go anywhere near a bottle. And it should also come as no surprise to learn that the portfolio of wines is extensive, a legion of cuvées differing in quality, encépagement, residual sugar, colour and oak treatment.

The range of wines can broadly be divided into two, the original wines and the more recently introduced Mlle Ladubay range, both of which include wines that originate from the Saumur appellation as well as some sourced from other vineyards of Anjou or Touraine. Starting with the original range, in the case of the white wines almost all are Chenin-Chardonnay blends, beginning with the non-vintage Saumur Brut, a basic blend, and it is a step up to the vintage Saumur Saphir, a cuvée made from an annual selection of the best wines. I have found both to be good wines with the refreshing acidity and nettly, chalky minerality that mirrors the origins of the fruit. There is a Crémant de Loire, the non-vintage 150aire which is 100% Chardonnay, the Brut Export which is 100% Chenin, the Rosé which is 100% Cabernet and Rubis, a red blend of Cabernet, Gamay and Grolleau. The jewel in the crown at this level, though, is intended to be the Saumur Trésor, a cuvée first created in 1987, distinguished by the first fermentation being in oak rather than stainless steel which is the norm, followed by a little less than a year in oak before secondary fermentation in bottle. Lauded by many, I personally find this a wine too heavily stained by the winemaking process, and it seems to me that there is little room left for the wine to show off anything of its origins. Perhaps in the cellar these characteristics will fade and a delightful complexity will result, but on the basis of the samples I tasted I would much rather have the firm minerality of Saphir. There is also a Saumur Trésor Rosé, made from 100% Cabernet, also the result of a 1987 brainwave, as well as a Saumur Trésor Rouge, a blend of Cabernet, Gamay and Grolleau. At the sweeter end of the scale is the Saumur Cuvée Or and Grand Vin de Dessert, both demi-sec wines, and travelling in the opposite direction is Zero, a zero-dosage unsweetened wine. Again, I felt the first of this trio to be heavily marked by winemaking and not to my taste; the subsequent two I have not tasted.

The Mlle Ladubay range is intended for exclusivement en Grande-Distribution, in other words the supermarket shelves. Nevertheless the wines, which are made by the méthode traditionelle, should not be ignored and I certainly enjoyed the non-vintage Rosé Brut from this range, a 100% Cabernet sparkler, and the non-vintage Saumur Brut. There are also two vintage Saumur cuvées Supreme and Eclat, both Chenin-Chardonnay, the first fermented in steel the second in new oak barrels. The same two varieties make up the blend in the two examples of Crémant de Loire, a Brut and a Demi-Sec. A little more out of the ordinary is Intense, a red sparkler made from the now familiar trio of Cabernet, Gamay and Grolleau sourced outside the Saumur appellation, all fleshed out by a dosage firmly in the demi-sec sphere. A fine concept on paper no doubt but on the day it just didn't work for me.

All in all there are without doubt some very good wines to be found here, although with such a diverse range and confused labelling it can be very difficult to know what you are buying without considerable research. A number of the wines display a residual sugar which is not accompanied by the declaration of demi-sec on the label, and the barrel-ferment character of Trésor would also be a shock to the system of any unsuspecting Loire fan. I found myself warming to those wines with firm structure and a challenging nettly, stony character, as these seemed to be not only the most refreshing, but also the wines with the best sense of place, that ability of wine to speak of the vineyards and the soils from which they originated. Such wines were just as likely to be from the Mlle Ladubay range as from the original range; some of the others at this level were fun, but didn't always have the necessary intrinsic quality to stand on their merits alone. Most wines here, though, are inexpensive, no matter what position they might occupy in any one view of the portfolio. Find the right bottle here and you have pleasure and good value combined. (14/8/07, updated 1/8/08)

Contact details:
Address: St-Hilaire-St-Florent, 49400 Saumur
Telephone: +33 (0) 2 41 83 83 83
Fax: +33 (0) 2 41 50 24 32
Internet: www.bouvet-ladubay.fr

Bouvet-Ladubay - Tasting Notes

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Bouvet-Ladubay Saumur Trésor Brut 2007: Lots of force behind the cork here, although in the glass this pale-straw coloured wine shows little bead. Not to worry, beyond the nose which has a lovely, smoky, dried-fruit character the palate shows a fine and creamy mousse, fine-boned, with a well defined core of acidity running through it. The fruit has that dried, slightly candied character found on the nose, with a touch of juicy sourness which I find very appealing, before rounding up in a fairly long finish. Great style and certainly good value. 17+/20 (July 2010)

Bouvet-Ladubay Saumur Saphir 2006: This has a fine and very typical nose for the style; some good smoky minerality, but also a fresh, crisp, plainly stony character. Bright and vivacious on the palate, with a razor-like acidity. Good stony fruit mirroring that found on the nose. A classic example of the appellation. Tasted at the Brasserie du Théâtre in Angers. 16/20 (February 2010)

Bouvet-Ladubay Saumur Cuvée du Millénaire Instinct 2006: This wine shows a very delicate mousse in the glass, and a pale, stony-straw hue. A smoky nose follows on, more expressive than the Trésor, sweet with dried fruit character. Wonderful substance on the palate, creamy and direct, showing a little more flesh and more integrated acidity than the Trésor I think. Honey-stone fruits, white flower petals, overall this is an elegant, well-polished wine. Very good indeed. 17.5+/20 (July 2010)

Bouvet-Ladubay Mlle Ladubay Saumur Brut 2005: This wine still shows a plentiful bead, a crisply coloured wine, perhaps with a tinge of green? A very low-level cuvée intended for French supermarket shelves, the Mlle Ladubay Brut has always over-performed in this vintage; this is the last of many bottles I bought. Although delightful, however, they have rarely shown the exuberant, peachy fruit that they did in the summer of 2008, but in their favour they have never lost their firm minerality, crisp character and freshness of style. This is true of the palate, although there is texture here too, a little creaminess coming in alongside the mousse. Fresh, flavoury, a touch savoury, and drily pleasing. A good introduction to the tasting. From a tasting of Saumur wines. 17+/20 (January 2010)

Bouvet-Ladubay Mlle Ladubay Saumur Brut 2005: Yet another couple of bottles of this great value and crowd-pleasing sparkler have been popped and poured. Lots of lemony, papery, chalky, dusty, steely-stony fruit on the nose, with a little citrus and mango richness. A fresh and crisply defined palate, full of exotic notes of mango again, of tangerine, with that mineral vein as suggested by the nose. Always bright, with thyme complexity, and slightly perfumed notes. really great value for money, and a real delight to drink. 17/20 (December 2008)

Bouvet-Ladubay Mlle Ladubay Saumur Brut 2005: This wine has a pale straw hue, and a rich and effervescent bead. The nose has herby, thyme-tinged, chalky rock dust with an appealing suggestion of stone fruit just like the very first bottle if I recall correctly. A fresh and clean palate, with a mineral freshness, but with that sweet fruit richness coming in through the midpalate, buoyed along quite perfectly by the vibrant acidity. It remains delicate and vivacious, whilst showing a lovely seam of fruit. This is fabulous value for money, and great drinking within its own right. From my 2008 Loire wine tasting notes. 17.5/20 (July 2008)

Bouvet-Ladubay Mlle Ladubay Saumur Brut 2005: A straw-gold hue, perhaps showing a little more richness than the 2004 did, with a fine bead. The nose is just great, showing quite overtly a wealth of minerals and rocks - it is like licking a large, dry stone, and it promises much. On the palate this characteristic holds true, with plenty of firm and bright stony-rocky flavour, but layered on top here we have wonderfully rounded fruit - ripe peach juice in particular - as vibrant as if the juice had been squeezed over the aforementioned stones. The two layers intertwine beautifully, and although such fruit richness might offend some Loire purists, I find its unexpected presence to be both harmonious and innervating. In fact, it is absolutely delicious. Having said that, a second bottle a few days later showed all the mineral elements but with much more muted fruit, so there may be some bottle or batch variation out there. It was still, however, super and yet inexpensive drinking. For label images and more see my Wine of the Week write-up. 17.5/20 (July 2008)

Bouvet-Ladubay Saumur Saphir 2005: Bouteille No. 50620K. A very pale hue, with a tinge of green. A fine, pétillant bead. Slightly green nose, mineral and chalky, but clean and nicely defined. Fresh, lively, a lovely fresh mousse, a little more creamy than the basic NV Saumur but still with an appealing chalkiness in the background, more so than some other cuvées. Well defined and precise, and a lingering chalky finish. Really good. 16.5-17/20 (July 2007)

Bouvet-Ladubay Saumur Cuvée Or 2005: Pale gold, again with a gentle pétillant bead. A very different style here, with sweet fruits, rich honey and even a little buttery toffee on the nose. A creamy, succulent palate, obviously fleshed out by a degree of residual sugar. There is a little praline character over the nettly backbone of acidity. This style will appeal to some, but not me. I much prefer the harder, chalky style that speaks much more of the region. 15.5+/20 (July 2007)

Bouvet-Ladubay Mlle Ladubay Saumur Brut 2004: A pretty pale gold hue with a very plentiful bead. Fresh, green, leafy and steely on the nose, crisp in style. A lovely, vivacious quality on the palate, a crisp mousse, lots of stony, leafy, acidic fruit character. I like this clean, leafy, nettly character very much. Finishes rather short, but nevertheless one of my favourite wines here. Very good. 17/20 (July 2007)

Tasting notes are ordered by date of tasting, most recent first. I have tried to indicate whether it is a tasting of a new release, or of a wine I have cellared.

Bouvet-Ladubay Saumur Rosé Excellence NV: I picked this bottle up late last year for the purpose of unfussy drinking, and it has just taken me a while to get around to it. This is 100% Cabernet Franc, pressed and given skin contact for colour at the domaine/vineyard of origin, the juice then delivered to Bouvet-Ladubay, where it is fermented in new oak before the méthode traditionelle in bottle. To the eye it has a peachy-pink sunset hue and a plentiful, youthful bead. There follows a nose of gentle summer fruits, strawberries, redcurrants tinged with cream, green pears too, but also an appealing, pebbly-stony note. The palate has the same impression, well defined summer fruits, alongside pebbles rolled in the mouth, and notes of nettles, A good fresh mousse, and a sappy finish, quite sharp and incisive though. Nicely textured. Good wine. 16/20 (February 2010)

Bouvet-Ladubay Rubis Rouge Excellence Demi-Sec NV: Current release. A blend of Cabernet, Gamay and Grolleau Dark, dusty, black cherry hue, and a vibrant purple froth when poured into the glass. Why do some sparkling reds give a clear/white froth, and others purple? On the nose crunchy dark fruits, plum skin and cherry stone character, with a touch of fatty smoke. Nice weight, a little fleshy but not over the top, well-judged residual sugar giving some body rather than sweetness, balancing out the smoky, crunchy fruits. More summery in style on the palate, with strawberry and loganberry alongside the more grippy fruit elements noted on the nose. Nice, gentle mousse, and just a little tannin in the finish. Good. 16/20 (September 2009)

Bouvet-Ladubay Mlle Ladubay Saumur Brut NV: Current release. A clean, pale lemon gold with a huge, effervescent bead. Very clean on the nose, quite minerally and stony. Lots of mousse on the palate, filling the mouth in a creamy style, although the body of the wine itself is chalky and well defined. It has substance though. Lots of good character here, and certainly good value. 15/20 (July 2008)

Bouvet-Ladubay Rubis Rouge Excellence Demi-Sec NV: Current release. A blend of Cabernet, Gamay and Grolleau, this wine has a very dark, in fact opaque purple-black appearance with a fine bead only visible on the surface of the wine. Curiously, the foam on the surface is bone white rather than purple. The nose is stony and peppery, and the palate has a bright, sharp stony character too. It has a firm mousse and broad style, with a creamy soda-like quality, and plenty of fruit. This leads up to a dry and savoury finish, the wine here displaying little of its demi-sec classification. Overall, very good indeed, and great fun on a warm summer evening. 16.5/20 (July 2008)

Bouvet-Ladubay Mlle Ladubay Rosé Brut Vin Mousseux NV: Current release. A deep yet vibrant scarlet-pink. Strawberries and vanilla pod on the nose, with a leafy edge. A firm mousse, with redcurrants and nettles, presented in a deliciously dry style. There is a slightly bitter streak to it which I like, and fine acidity. It even lingers a little on the finish. Another eminently enjoyable wine. 16.5/20 (July 2007)

Bouvet-Ladubay Mlle Ladubay Intense Rouge Extra Demi-Sec Vin Mousseux NV: Current release. A deep red hue, with a foaming purple character. Rather acetic on the nose, with strange nuances of burnt butter, with a little fruit. Gentle and creamy on the palate, acetic but not to the level I expected from the nose. Plump raspberry and blackberry fruit, a little residual sugar fleshing it out, altogether there are some attractive points here. But that acetic note is too much for me. 11/20 (July 2007)

Bouvet-Ladubay Saumur Brut NV: Current release. A pale lemon-gold and moderate bead. Light, slightly grapey nose, delightfully fresh, grapefruity, steely and minerally. Fine, full, effervescent mousse, very characterful, forceful, chalky, nettly and peppery. Crushed rock minerality, with a texture which in a strange way supports this impression. This is really rather appealing. 16.5/20 (July 2007)

Bouvet-Ladubay Saumur Trésor Brut NV: Current release. A pale, golden hue, with a fine pétillant bead. The nose has an obvious barrel ferment character which swamps any other aromas that might be present. Notes of vanilla, nuts and smoke. More of the same on the palate, which has a praline, toasted nut flavour, and a full and creamy style, all largely oak derived. It has an attractive broad mousse. It has a lovely structure and definition and I know some really admire this wine, but for me it does not really speak of the Loire. Perhaps a few years in the cellar would help it? 15.5+?/20 (July 2007)