Saumur-Champigny L’Ile Quatre Sous

Château Yvonne

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Packshot Label Tech-sheet

Type

Red Wine

Appellation

Saumur-Champigny

Variety

Cabernet Franc

L’Ile Quatre Sous comes from a single vineyard in Parnay with a high proportion of sandy soil which yields a softer “bistrot style” red wine to be enjoyed right away. The name means "Four Penny Island", and refers to an actual sandy bank located in the middle of the Loire River near Parnay (though no vines are actually planted there).

Viticulture

Vineyard name

L’Ile Quatre Sous

Soil type

Sandy-clay over Turonian-era limestone.

Vine ageFrom 1950s to 2000s

Vineyard size1 ha

Vinification

Native yeast fermentation in concrete vats for 3 weeks without pumpovers to limit extraction.

ElevageAged for 8 months in concrete vats.

Harvest typeHand Harvested

Fining/FilteringUnfined and unfiltered

Additional info

Total production average6,000 bottles

More about
the producer

Château Yvonne

Founded in 1997

13 hectares

Located in Parnay, Château Yvonne has been surrounded by vineyards since the Middle Ages, when the monks at the Abbaye de Fontevraud brought their influence to the region. The château dates to the 16th century, but not much became known of it until 1813, when a local winemaker moved in and began producing wine on site. In 1997, Yvonne and Jean-François Lamunière decided to recreate the abandoned vineyard with the help of Françoise Foucault. In 2007, Mathieu Vallée took over and decided to keep the name Château Yvonne, in homage of the incredible work done by the previous owners. Today, the domaine is one of the best producers in Saumur. The estate is composed of 3 hectares of Chenin Blanc and 8 hectares of Cabernet Franc, all of which have been farmed organically since 1997.