Saumur (mousseux)

AOC since 1938 · traditional method

Saumur mousseux is the white and rosé traditional-method sparkling wine of AOC Saumur, recognised in 1938 for white and 1957 for rosé.¹ White cuvées need at least 60% Chenin, rosés at least 60% Cabernet Franc, and the wine spends at least 9 months on the lees.¹

Area

The geographic area for Saumur sparkling wines lies in three departments: Maine-et-Loire, Deux-Sèvres and Vienne.¹ White sparkling Saumur was recognised by decree on 14 May 1938, and sparkling rosé followed by decree on 31 December 1957.¹

Grapes

Ten varieties are allowed: Chenin, Chardonnay, Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gamay, Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, Pineau d'Aunis and Pinot Noir.¹

Wine	Blend rule
White	Chenin at least 60%
Rosé	Cabernet Franc at least 60%
Both	Sauvignon at most 10%

Source for the table: the cahier des charges.¹

Production

Saumur mousseux is made by the traditional method. The wine spends at least 9 months on the lees, counted from tirage.¹ The base yield is 67 hl/ha with a ceiling (rendement butoir) of 76 hl/ha.¹ The lees minimum is the same as for Crémant de Loire, whose area also covers these three departments.^1,2

Saumur and Crémant de Loire

Both appellations make traditional-method white and rosé from similar grapes, and both require 9 months on the lees.^1,2 The difference is in the blend rules: Saumur sets a minimum share of Chenin for white and of Cabernet Franc for rosé, while Crémant de Loire caps Cabernet Sauvignon and Pineau d'Aunis at 30%.

About the source

The figures on this page come from the draft amendment of the cahier des charges examined in February 2022 for the national opposition procedure; the version it amends dates from 10 October 2019.¹ Later amendments may have changed details. Official production volumes for sparkling Saumur were not found.