# Arnaud Lambert Saumur Brézé 'Midi' 2024 (2024)

- **Producer:** Arnaud Lambert
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Chenin Blanc
- **Region:** Loire, France
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 12.5%
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 8–10 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** apple, pear, quince, lemon, blossom

## About this wine

Arnaud Lambert's Saumur Brézé 'Midi' 2024 hails from the historic Loire Valley in France, specifically the renowned limestone hill of Brézé. This area boasts a storied past, with its wines once being highly prized, even exchanged barrel for barrel with Château d'Yquem and favored by King Louis XIV at Versailles. Arnaud Lambert is celebrated as one of Saumur's finest producers, known for his unwavering commitment to purity, minimal intervention, and a profound respect for the unique terroir of each vineyard site. The 'Midi' comes from the 'Clos de Midi,' a walled vineyard on Brézé's south-east facing slope, characterized by its tuffeau limestone and sandy topsoil. This wine embodies precision and intense minerality, hallmarks of exceptional Chenin Blanc from this distinguished appellation.

## Interesting facts

- Wines from Brézé were once traded barrel for barrel with the legendary Château d'Yquem.
- King Louis XIV of France was known to favor wines from Brézé at Versailles.
- The 'Midi' vineyard is a historic walled plot, known as a 'Clos', on the famed Brézé hill.
- Arnaud Lambert is considered one of the Loire Valley's top Chenin Blanc producers.

## Food pairing

The high acidity and pronounced minerality of this Chenin Blanc make it an exceptional food-pairing wine. Its vibrant freshness cuts through richness, while its mineral core complements delicate flavors without overpowering them. It harmonizes beautifully with dishes that share similar bright, clean profiles or those that benefit from a refreshing counterpoint, particularly seafood, poultry, and fresh cheeses.

## Wine making process

The vineyards for Arnaud Lambert's Saumur Brézé 'Midi' are farmed with meticulous care, adhering to organic and biodynamic principles. Grapes are harvested and then whole-bunch pressed, followed by fermentation in stainless steel tanks using only indigenous yeasts. To preserve the wine's vibrant and 'electric' acidity, malolactic fermentation is intentionally avoided. The wine then undergoes a period of maturation on its fine lees, remaining in stainless steel for approximately five months before bottling.