# Hervé Villemade Sauvignon (2022)

- **Producer:** Hervé Villemade
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Sauvignon Blanc
- **Region:** Loire, France
- **Style:** Natural
- **Alcohol:** 13.0%
- **Average price:** €25
- **Vegan:** Yes
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 6–10 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** green apple, passion fruit, saline, citrus zest, wet stones, mango, flinty, grass, grapefruit, lemon, white berries, peach, pear, gooseberry, lemongrass, yeasty notes

## About this wine

The Hervé Villemade Sauvignon 2022 is a white wine from the Loire Valley, France, made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc grapes and classified as Vin de France. Hervé Villemade, who took over his family's estate in 1995, is committed to organic and natural winemaking practices, with his estate certified organic. He transitioned to organic farming in 2000, influenced by natural winemakers. The wine is produced with minimal intervention and low sulfur usage, aiming to express the purity of the fruit and the terroir. The fruit for this bottling is often sourced from organic suppliers in Bourré and Noyers-sur-Cher, with vineyards planted in clay, flint, and sand soils. Vine age averages around 30 years for some Sauvignon Blanc vines.

## Interesting facts

- Certified organic estate.
- Minimal to no added sulfur.
- Grapes sourced from organic suppliers.
- Vine age averages around 30 years.

## Food pairing

The wine's bright acidity cuts through the richness of seafood and creamy sauces, while its mineral notes complement the brininess of oysters. Herbal undertones in the wine can echo fresh herbs used in dishes, and its citrus notes provide a refreshing contrast to richer flavors.

## Wine making process

The Hervé Villemade Sauvignon 2022 is produced using direct press and cold racking of gross lees. Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks and concrete vats, often utilizing native yeasts, with malolactic fermentation typically completed. The wine is then aged in stainless steel, fiberglass, concrete vats, foudres, or old oak barrels, often on fine lees. Manual harvesting is employed. A key aspect of the winemaking is the minimal to no addition of sulfur dioxide during the process, with small additions sometimes made at bottling for preservation.