Robert et Marcel wrap up the Clos Cristal deal

Clos Cristal, Saumur-Champigny 

The deal has been closed. It has been agreed, and will be signed and sealed that Robert et Marcel, aka La Cave des Vignerons de Saint-Cyr, would take a 25-year lease on the famous Clos Cristal, one of two highly unusual vineyards established by Antoine Cristal (1837-1931).

Cristal established two vineyards – Clos Cristal for red and the Clos des Murs for white. As well as enclosing these vineyards with a wall he built walls within the vineyard running west to east. These walls had regular holes which allowed vines to be planted on the north side and trained through through the hole. This means that the roots and base of the vine is in the shade, so helping to keep the roots etc. moist, while the rest of the vine faces south and the sun plus benefitting from heat radiated from the wall.

This agreement ends a crisis that started in early 2016 when L'Institut du Clos Cristal, the company running the Clos Cristal on behalf of the hospital of Saumur got into financial problems. L'Institut du Clos Cristal is now in liquidation with debts of some 300,000 Euros. Clos Cristal had been run since 1996 by Eric Dubois.

In April 2016 the Saumur Hospital appealed for people to make offers for the Clos Cristal on a 25 year long-term rental agreement. This appeal produced a large response – 18 offers. From this five were selected and there was a proposal that le Clos might be managed between a number of partners. In the interim Robert et Marcel were invited to run the Clos, which had been untended for several months, for two years. Unfortunately this was too late to save the 2016 vintage, which will not be released.

Instead of an arrangement with a number of actors, Robert et Marcel will be the leaseholders of Le Clos Cristal for 25 years. The Clos will continue to be run organically, as a separate entity and managed by François Robinson, who has experience of working in Australia and New Zealand. Robert and Marcel will be investing 1.3 million euros and replanting six of the ten hectares. 10% of this will be Chenin Blanc and 90% Cabernet Franc.

in 1957 the late Robert and Marcel Neau were the founders of the well run Cave des Vignerons de Saint-Cyr in Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg. They were president and director respectively. It was in November 2013 that the Cave de Saint-Cyr changed its name. Robert et Marcel are part of Alliance Loire – now an association of seven cave cooperatives from the Pays Nantais through to Touraine, whose headquarters are at St Cyr.  Alliance Loire is also a shareholder in Ackerman, the region's leading Loire based négociant. Ackerman is in expansionist mode. In particular it has been acquiring individual domaines such as Château La Varière in Anjou and and Château de Sancerre.

Clos Cristal (Saumur Champigny) to Robert et Marcel

One of the walls in the Clos Cristal
The vine roots are on the shady side, while 
the rest of the vine grows facing the sun

Thankfully a solution has been found to what happens to the famous Clos Cristal, AC Saumur Champigny, albeit that the solution is, for the moment, temporary. Earlier this year the previous management of this historic Clos founded by Antoine Cristal early in the 20th century went bust. 

Attempts to find a new management proved to be fruitless and apparently, in the interim, the vines, which escaped the serious frost of 27th April, were not being looked after. Two days ago it was announced that the well run Cave des Vignerons de Saumur, had agreed a two year contract under their trade name – Robert et Marcel – called after the two now deceased cousins – Robert Neau and Marcel Neau – who founded the Cave in 1957. The agreement can be extended to six years. There is a stipulation that the Clos has to be farmed organically.        

'Clos Cristal : L'hôpital confie temporairement son legs avant de... ?

La directrice de l'hôpital de Saumur, Cécile Jaglin, a rendu officiel son choix pour le devenir du Clos Cristal, le legs qu'avait fait Antoine Cristal aux Hospices de Saumur en 1929.... Celui-ci sera temporaire. Elle en a confié la gestion par un "prêt à usage" de 2 ans à la Cave des Vignerons de Saumur avant qu'une solution "pérenne" ne soit envisagée. Et, foi de vigneron, le président de la Cave, Marc Bonnin l'annonce : il devrait y avoir du "Clos Cristal" en 2016.'

Read the rest here.

Famous Clos Cristal (Saumur-Champigny) available to rent

Extract from a report in Le Courrier de Ouest: 9th April 2016

'L'hôpital de Saumur vient de lancer un appel à fermage pour le Clos Cristal, hospices de Saumur, de Souzay-Champigny. Il est un des symboles du vignoble de Saumur avec sa technique des ceps passant à travers les murs.

Les rumeurs vont bon train sur l'état de santé du domaine du Clos Cristal. Propriété de l'hôpital de Saumur depuis un legs en 1928 d'Antoine Cristal, son fondateur, ces 10 ha de vignes sont aujourd'hui confrontés à des difficultés financières.'

Read the rest here.

Antoine Cristal (1836-1931) is widely credited as the father of good Saumur red wine, particularly after the ravages of phylloxera. In 1886 he acquired the Château de Parnay rapidly developing a passion for wine and viticulture. Cristal created two unique walled vineyards – Le Clos Cristal planted with Cabernet Franc for red wine and Le Clos des Murs planted with Chenin Blanc for white. 

They are unique because Cristal devised a system of walls that ran across the vineyard with the vine root planted on the shady side – clearly north in the case of the Clos des Murs – keeping the roots moist. The vine was then threaded through a hole in the wall to benefit from the sun and heat. 

In 1928 Cristal bequeathed his Clos Cristal to the Hôpital de Saumur before he died in 1931. 

Since 1996 Éric Dubois has run the Clos Cristal on behalf of l'Hôpital de Saumur. The vineyard is organic. Unfortunately, according to this report in Le Courrier de Ouest, the Clos has run into financial problems and the the owners are now looking to rent out this famous vineyard.

The Clos des Murs, still owned by the Château de Parnay, used to be in a lamentable state but, with a change of ownership, has happily now been restored.   

 Clos Cristal 

Clos des Murs       

Coq au vigne@Ingrandes-en-Touraine

Geese and chickens in the vines@Clos Cristal, Saumur

Press release received (see below) yesterday from Guillaume Lapaque, vins de Bourgueil, claims that Ingrandes-en-Touraine may well score a first in France when a peep of chickens are allowed to graze in a Bourgueil vineyard.  

Unfortunately Guillaume is incorrect or Franc-ly wrong: this will certainly not be the first time chickens have been let loose in a vineyard. A 30-minute drive from Bourgueil will taken him the 23 kilometres to the famous Le Clos Cristal in the Rue du Clos Cristal, Souzay-Champigny where you will find geese and chicken amongst the vines.

'C'est très probablement une première en France : le mardi 21 janvier, des poules seront lâchées dans les vignes de Bourgueil !

C'est le cuisinier "Vincent cuisinier de campagne", à Ingrandes de Touraine, qui a partagé cette idée avec son voisin vigneron, Philippe Boucard, du Domaine Lamé-Delisle Boucard.

Le cuisinier, qui aime proposer à ses clients des plats locaux, cherchait un terrain pour élever ses poules en plein air. A terme, son fils prendra le relais en créant une exploitation agricole.

Le voisin, toujours à l'affût d'innovations, travaille déjà sur plusieurs expériences de biodiversité. Si l'effet des poules sur la vigne n'est pas encore connu, leur activité de prédation des insectes et de maîtrise de l'enherbement ne peut-être que bénéfique.

Les volatiles seront retirés du vignoble quelques semaines avant les vendanges pour ne pas être tentés de goûter aux précieux raisins qui donneront des vins de Bourgueil !

1ha de vigne a été cloturé pour accueillir 250 poules.'

Vincent Simon et Philippe Boucard (September 2013)

The 2013 Real Wine Fair - 17th-18th March: further news

Naturally an impressario Douglas Wregg: May 2012

A press release giving further details on the 2013 Real Wine Fair:

'The Real Wine Fair is a growers’ tasting supported by the following merchants: Les Caves de Pyrène, Passione Vino, Roberson Wines, Indigo Wines, Tutto Wines, Eclectic Wines, Ethical Edibles and Modern Portuguese Story.

Over 100 artisan growers will be present to pour and talk about their wines. Amongst those featuring will be Domaine Réné Mosse, Pierre Breton, Clos du Gravillas, Domaine Plageoles, Domaine Pierre Frick, Champagne Francis Boulard, Domaine Gramenon, Sandro Fay, COS, Eugenio Rosi, Paolo Vodopivec, Montevertine, Cascina degli Ulivi, Afros, Zarate Family, Bodegas Mengoba, Recaredo, Pheasant’s Tears, Testalonga & Lammershoek and Pyramid Valley.

Eleven growers will come over from Georgia to show their unique wines at the fair. On Tuesday 19th March there will be a celebration of Georgian gastronomy at Terroirs with food, wine and song. Details to follow in a further press release.

The food and drink exhibitors will be Ham & Cheese Company, Zucca, Duck Soup, Donostia, Caravan Coffee, E5 Bakehouse, Wright Brothers, Hoxton Beach, Handmade Food, Androuet Cheese, Original Beans, Paff Ices, Camden Town Brewery and Sacred Microdistillery.

There will be a pop up restaurant in the evening at the venue hosted by Ed Wilson.

Ed Wilson 

The Real Wine Shop will be run by Roberson Wine Merchant.

The Real Wine Fair is part of The Real Wine Month featuring a promotion of organic, biodynamic and natural wines in restaurants, bars, bistros as well as independent merchants and retailers. Confirmed participants include  Galvin, Club & Cellar Gascon, Fifteen, The Modern Pantry, Moro, Newman Street Tavern, The Green Man & French Horn, Duck Soup, The Nut Tree Inn (Oxon), Henri’s (Edinburgh), L’Art du Vin (Edinburgh), Origin Wines (Wigan), and Solent Cellar (Lymington).

Tickets for the consumer day are now on sale for £15 (+ £1.55 booking fee) per ticket at www.therealwinefair.com or £20 on the door.'

Eric Narioo: le grand fromage au lait cru

News flash: 12th February – RAW not Real

Two more Loire domaines have signed up for RAW (May): Clos Cristal (Saumur-Champigny) + François Saint-Lo (Anjou).

#loirevelo: some memories – many good; a few bad

Group photo@Château de Targe

Cycling: very well looked after by super-fit Christophe Marzais of Détours de Loire (35 Rue Charles Gilles, Tours – 02.47.61.22.23) and a revelation to see how many and how good the cycle paths are, especially along the Loire from Tours towards Vouvray and to the east of Saumur.

Four good visits: Marc Brédif, especially the 1959; Clos Cristal especially PetNat Clos Tirmouches and 2010 Les Murs' Saumur-Champigny; Château de Targé, especially the 2011 Cabernet de Saumur Rosé, 2010 and 2009 Saumur-Champigny classic cuvée and the 2009 Cuvée Ferry (needing more time); and Langlois-Chateau, especially 2005 Vieilles Vignes Saumur Blanc with a few more years in bottle and 2005 Vintage Crémant de Loire.
      
Vitiloire 2012: enjoyable despite the heat (around 30˚C). Great atmosphere and good to see so many people enjoying Loire wines.

Dinner at Le Théleme, 30 Rue Charles Gilles, Tours.

Sunday lunch at L'Hélianthe, Ruelle Antoine Cristal, 49730 Turquant. Have long wanted to eat here and it lived up to expectations despite being very busy with everyone celebrating La Fête des Mères. Only one negative – why serve good Coteaux de l'Aubance from Domaine de Bablut in silly little flutes? 

The view of the Château de Saumur at dinner on the Sunday night and some of the wines: Charles Joguet – 2009 Les Charmes and the two Les Varennes du Grand Clos 2005 and, especially, the 2009. Also 2010 Les Poyeux from the Vignerons de Saint-Cyr, a good example of a single vineyard wine from this well run cave co-opérative.  

Good that the Saumur-Champigny appellation has banned the use of weedkillers in the vineyards except under the vines. The rest of the vineyard has to be either grassed over or cultivated. It would be even better if they banned weedkillers altogether as producers in Savennières Les Roches aux Moines have done but this is a considerable step in the right direction. Unfortunately Brussels has now decided that such measures can't be put into the rules of an appellation because allegedly they don't directly affect the taste of the wine. Presumably Brussels is not favour of aiding biodiversity. These new rules for Saumur-Champigny were agreed in 2008. Marie-Anne Simmoneau of the Syndicat des Producteurs de Saumur-Champigny told me that today they probably wouldn't be able to get a similar measure ratified.    

Illuminated Château de Saumur + full moon

and the less good: 

Le Chien Jaune, 74 Rue Bernard Palissy, Tours. Appallingly slow service on Saturday lunchtime. Can they not cope with a group of 10 people? Almost certainly would have been better off grabbing something to eat within Vitiloire enclosure.  

Le Duplex, 18 Place de la Résistance, Tours  – recently opened restaurant in the centre of Tours. A triumph of design over taste and style, although the main course of quail and sweetbreads was good. Minuses: mineral and austere 2011 Menetou-Salon from Domaine de Chatenoy served foie gras, over-warm 2010 Chinon from Olga Raffault and small ISO glasses. Also apparently refused to allow Charles Sydney to serve the wines he had brought with him with the dinner. Won't be rushing back. 

Remarkably numerous and vicious mosquitos (single vineyard variety!) on cycle path close to the Thouet. Was attacked by a good 10-15 while trying to free Miss Vicky's bike of mud (or was it terroir?) 

Pity Andrew Barrow wasn't able to join us due to an accident on the way to the airport. Hope his stiff neck is now better. 

Hail struck Chacé, Varrains, Souzay-Champigny and Parnay on Wednesday 30th May.  

••

My thanks to Alex Chardonnereau and Hilkka Chartier (Interloire) for organising a really fun trip. The first press trip I have ever been on when the participants may have lost weight rather than gained it and almost certainly finished it fitter than they were when they started! 

Clos Cristal (Saumur-Champigny): fine post by Bertrand Celce

Clos Cristal and the unique vine wall system planted by Père Cristal

Excellent post by Bertrand Celce on his Wine Terroir site on the historc Clos Cristal in Saumur-Champigny.

Photos from a visit to Le Clos Cristal (Saumur-Champigny) in June 2006

Sign@Le Clos Cristal

10-hectare Le Clos Cristal is one of two vineyards designed and built by Le Père Cristal at the turn of the 20th century. Antoine Cristal built walls in his vineyards, which had holes in them. This allowed him to plant the vines in the shade and then to trained the vine through the hole, so that the rest of the plant and its grapes were in the sunshine and also benefited from the radiator effect of the sun’s heat stored and given out by the wall.

Above and below: vine roots in the shade

Rest of the vines facing the sun

Geese and a hen@Le Clos Cristal

Le Clos Cristal was planted with Cabernet Franc and only some of the vines are trained through walls, the rest of the vineyard is planted normally. However, in the Clos des Murs at Parnay (part of the Château de Parnay) all the vines are trained through the walls. This is a much small vineyard and is planted with Chenin Blanc.

Old bottles in the cellar@Le Clos Cristal

Sign@the Clos des Murs, Parnay

As far as I know nobody else took Cristal's example and planted walls in a vineyard for although it works – I have tasted several impressive vintages of the cuvée Clos des Murs from Le Clos Cristal – it must be a very expensive way of growing vines. There are some three kilometres of wall in the Clos Cristal.

More details on Antoine Cristal:

www.thewinedoctor.com/weekend/closcristalhospicessaumurchampigny06.shtml

www.mon-chef-a-moi.com/vin/val-de-loire/cristal.html

Also Le Clos Cristal www.clos-cristal.com