Coteaux de Saumur is the only sweet wine appellation of Saumur, in the central Loire Valley wine region of France. Created in 1962, the appellation has always had a very small annual output, especially when compared to the sweet white specialists just to the west. Although it covers the whole of Saumur, just 700hL of wine are made under the title each year. This is substantially less than the single Layon village of Chaume and a tiny proportion of the 45,000hL produced under the Coteaux du Layon sweet wine appellation in total.
The soils where the wines are grown are similar to the rest of the Saumur district – namely loose, gravelly soils close to the banks of the Loire and tuffeau-rich soils further up. Tuffeau is a yellowish, fragile sedimentary rock characteristic of the Loire region, where it was formed during the Turonian era (actually named after Touraine) roughly 90 million years ago. A combination of sand and marine fossils, the rock is extremely porous, absorbing water rapidly and releasing it slowly. These qualities are ideal for viticulture, as they draw excess water away from vine roots and hold reserves that stop the vines from shutting down entirely during drier periods.
Coteaux de Saumur wines are made from Chenin Blanc and harvested in tries successives –i.e. multiple passes through the vineyard, with pickers collecting only the ripest grapes and, where appropriate, those affected by botrytis. The typical Coteaux de Samur wine has honeyed aromas of citrus fruits, sweet white blossoms and, in the case of the finest wines after a few years' ageing, a nutty, buttery richness on the palate.
