Clos Rougeard – can its iconic status be maintained?

Extensive construction at Clos Rougeard 14th October 2021

Above and below

 

 

 

Last Thursday (14.10.21) we went across to Saumur to see how the 2021 vintage was coming along – overall the vignerons we saw said that it was better than they feared at the end of August as once again fine weather during September and well into October has made an important difference, especially the recent wind from the east which has concentrated the grapes. Unfortunately the April frosts and mildew have played their part.

 

Approaching Chacé (now in the commune of Bellevigne-les-Châteaux, which is a merger of former communes – Chacé, Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg and Brezé) from the direction of Champigny we could see a large crane. I instantly wondered whether this was a new construction at Clos Rougeard. So it proved. 

 

 

Details of the construction work,
which involves partial demolition and renovation
of the old factory building
+ constructing a new building
at
14 Allée des Tilleuls
(above and below)  

 

After Charly Foucault's death at the end of 2015, the iconic Clos Rougeard was sold in 2017 to Bouygues brothers, industrialists who run construction and telecommunications businesses. They are also the owners of Château Montrose in Saint-Estèphe. Under the new ownership, Clos Rougeard is now becoming more and more visible with the new winery and daily visiting hours (excluding Sunday), which raises the question over whether the domaine's iconic status will continue.

The old 'winery' Rue de l'Eglise, Chacé

 

Charly Foucault September 2011
checking the flow of destemmed Cabernet Franc 

 

 15 Rue de l'Eglise, Chacé: Nadi and Charly close to the
quai de reception for the grapes during the 2011 harvest

2011

2011: sorting table – Anne Vatan, Nady's wife in centre

Nady during 2010 vintage
 

The old cellar

The old cellar cut out of the tuffeau (limestone)
under 15 Rue de l'Eglise
The Foucaults continued to use barrels
when many Loire producers had moved
to concrete or stainless steel.

Coins stuck on the wall of the cellar 

 

 

The tasting area

 

Questioning Rougeard's iconic status has nothing to do with the expertise of Richard and Jacques-Antoine, who now head up the domaine in the vines and winery, or the quality of the wines made under the new regime. Instead I'm asking how important its former invisibility was to the domaine's iconic status. Back in Charly and Nady's time, there was no sign for Clos Rougeard in their commune of Chacé. The mythical cellar and the chai at 15 Rue de l'Eglise in the centre of Chacé were well hidden. This invisibility along with the old cellar, the small production, the quality of the wines, the expertise and personalities of Charly and Nady all played their part in adding to the mystique of Clos Rougeard and creating its iconic status, with prices to match. 

Clearly the purchase of the domaine by Martin and Olivier Bouygues meant that changes would happen. Indeed changes had already started to happen before Charly's death. I assume that the old cellar and quai de reception had become too cramped so, by the 2015 vintage, they had moved to an old factory building at the northern end of Chacé – 14 Allée des Tilleuls.

The Foucaults' new winery – 2015

Entrance to the winery 

During the 2015 vintage

 

It will be interesting to see whether and how Clos Rougeard's greater visibility along with the lifting of the shroud of mystery that used to surround the domaine will change perceptions and its iconic status. How many changes can occur before iconic status is imperiled or an amended narrative comes necessary?  

Whatever changes there are at Clos Rougeard there is little doubt that they will give Saumur-Champigny and Saumur greater visibility along with Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc.   

 

Visiting hours: Monday to Saturday 9am – 12pm. 2pm-7pm 

 

Address : 14 Allée des Tilleuls, 49400 Bellevigne-les-Châteaux
Phone : +33 (0)2 41 52 92 65