Bouvet Ladubay is a sparkling light along the Loire Valley. Undoubtedly, they are a Crémant de Loire AOC and a Saumur AOP specialist. As a sparkling wine house, they have been producing fizz for over 170 years. Remarkably, Etienne Bouvet and Celestine Ladubay’s initial acquisition included the purchase of 8 kms of underground tunnels. Tunnels in the region’s famous Tuffeau soils. Some of these tunnels were part of the estate built by the monks of the Abbey that once graced Saint-Florent. Tunnels and caves in Tuffeau soils are certainly not unusual in the Loire. And these soils give many of the wines of the Loire their character.

Today, you can see these tunnels. When you visit the cellar door, you have the opportunity of taking a tour on bicycles to travel all of these.

During all that time, it has been run by two families. Firstly by the Bouvet Ladubay family. Then since 1932, by the Monmousseau family. Although for a time, this producer was owned by very large multinational drinks businesses. It was still being led by the family. It is now again fully in this family’s hands.

Bouvet Ladubay has had a long history of their wines being poured into English wine glasses. They had even become an official supplier to the House of Lords in the 1800s.

Here is an overview of their wines:

Bouvet Saumur AOP Brut

This is a blend of mostly Chenin blanc (85%) with about 15% Chardonnay. The wine has spent 12 months at least on lees which has given it a nuttiness. It is a medium bodied fizz with plenty of fruity appeal to enjoy here. The apple, lemon zest aromas are underlined with a minerally stoney edge combined with nuttiness from that time on lees. The wine sweeps into the mouth with a zippy line of bubbles and crisp apple. It then grows in stature to finish with lingering apple, pear and there is a light toasted and salted almond bitterness for interest. (9 grams/litre residual sugar) (£14)

Want to know more about what ‘lees’ are? Click here to read ‘What are lees?”

Bouvet Saumur Rosé Brut

This rosé is interestingly, 100% Cabernet Franc. It is a fresh pink in both colour and fruit. After 12 months, at least, on lees there is a light creaminess. Aromas of strawberry, mandarin/satsuma citrus, and red applehas that characteristic mineral edge as well. This wine is a finely balanced with around 9 g/l residual sugar. It is a medium bodied rosé with intense fruit in the mouth. Unsurprisingly, enjoyment with food is key here and this is a versatile wine. The red fruit in particular lasts for a long moment in the mouth. (£15)

Bouvet Cremant de Loire Blanc de Blancs 

A vintage Blanc de Blancs made from Chardonnay. Being a vintage fizz, it has a longer time resting on lees in the bottle. In this case, 18 + months, enhancing the complexity and giving the wine some additional body. The dosage of 10 grams per litre residual sugar and just that extra six months on lees balances the crisp acid here and lifts the fruit. The wine is dry with a fuller body and intense fruit with definition. Here you will find apple, ripe juicy pear, and lemon on show, along with nuts, minerally stone and subtle saltiness. Wines such as Blanc de Blancs like to show their provenance, and this wine certainly does this well.  (£19)

Bouvet Saphir Saumur Brut

The Saphir is a vintage fizz. It embraces the Loire’s speciality, Chenin Blanc (85%) to its heart with some Chardonnay in support. Of course, being vintage it has at least 18 months on lees. The fruit here is ripe dipping to peach while still focusing on the more typical flowers, apple and lemon citrus that you might expect.  It is a wine with finesse and the fresh acid is well balanced with a hint of sweetness. On the finish, some savoury toasted and salty almonds lingers. It is a poised medium body wine and it is a refreshing mouthful. And while it certainly works well with food, no food is needed at all. (9 grams/litre residual sugar) (£17)

Bouvet Tresor Saumur Brut

The Tresor gets the full winemaking treatment here. Not just content to use the Loire icon white grape, Chenin as a focus, the base wine has been matured in oak.  The single vintage blend of Chenin blanc and Chardonnay spends time in oak before being bottled. Then this wine spends at least 24 months on lees in the bottle. The result is lovely. In this wine, the peach and nectarine are well supported by the expected citrus fruit. 

Of course, it is not all about the fruit though. There is some lightly toasted brioche, nuts and cream that provides complexity and depth. The Tresor is still elegantly proportioned however now it has roundness and curves. It is dry, fuller bodied and has a rich, ripe lushness. The finish though still has freshness. It is an excellent match with food. Not just apetitisers, but also I would suggest roast fish with buttery sauce with flaked toasted almonds.  (10 grams/litre residual sugar) (£20)

Bouvet Ogmius Saumur Brut

As a magnum produced vintage sparkling wine, this is certainly a wine with a difference. It has been matured in oak barrels and has had extended lees contact within that magnum. The Ogmius is blend of Chenin blanc and Chardonnay and the team release it with around 9 years of maturity.    

The aromas that rise from the glass continuously unfurl. There you will find creamy, lime zest, almonds, red apple, peach with brioche and nuts. This is a fuller bodied wine, gently rounded and curved while still having a fresh line of acid. The fruit is concentrated and finishes with peach and nuts and pastry.  It is a joyous amalgam that shows what sparkling wines from the Loire really can deliver. It is a contemplative wine that just keeps giving. And let’s face it, with a magnum, there is plenty to share and to appreciate it over time. 

(9 grams/litre residual sugar) (£80 at the winery’s cellar door only)

Food matching notes: Each of these wines will match very well with intensely flavoured, lighter textured dishes.  Here are some suggestions below:

For more information, please see bouvet-ladubay.fr.