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2018 Domaine FL / Famille Fournier Longchamps “Chamboureau”
Savennières, Loire Valley, France
Grape Varietal
- 100% Chenin Blanc
Location
Savennières AOC
Loire Valley, France
Historic Chamboureau parcel surrounding the Château de Chamboureau, east of the village of Savennières
Chamboureau comes from one of Domaine FL’s historic vineyard parcels surrounding the Château de Chamboureau. The producer describes the site as rooted in the mineral-rich soils characteristic of Savennières: sandy loam over rhyolite and micro-granite bedrock. These poor, mineral soils, combined with Chenin Blanc’s naturally high acidity, help give the wine its remarkable concentration, tension and ability to age.
Cellar Window: Drink now through approximately 2035
Tasting Notes
The 2018 Chamboureau is a powerful, dry and deeply mineral expression of Chenin Blanc. In the glass it shows a lemon-yellow color with golden highlights. The nose brings together ripe yellow fruit, quince, citrus, dried flowers and fresh herbs alongside more exotic and tropical-fruit notes. Beneath the fruit is a pronounced mineral character—stone, saline nuances and the almost smoky or stony impression associated with Savennières’ ancient soils. On the palate, the wine begins with lively freshness before broadening into a richer, more powerful mid-palate. Ripe yellow fruit and exotic fruit are balanced by bright lemony acidity and a firm mineral spine. The finish is particularly long, dry and persistent. The 2018 has enough maturity now to show greater complexity than when young, so additional notes of beeswax, dried herbs, lanolin, quince and subtle nuttiness may begin appearing as the bottle evolves. The vintage received 98 points from James Suckling, who particularly emphasized its depth, herbal complexity and extraordinary mineral character.
Food Pairings
The richness and acidity of Chamboureau make this a superb gastronomic white. Pair it with seared scallops, lobster, crab, halibut, turbot, monkfish or other firm white fish, especially when served with butter, cream or beurre blanc. It is also excellent with roast chicken, chicken in a cream sauce, pork tenderloin, mushroom dishes or risotto. The producer specifically recommends refined dishes such as creamy poultry, noble fish and aged washed-rind cheeses. Its mineral and citrus character also makes it particularly good with shellfish, while the wine’s richer texture can handle dishes that would overwhelm a lighter white. For cheese, try Comté, Gruyère, aged goat cheese or a washed-rind cheese such as Taleggio or Époisses.
About the Producer
Domaine FL — Famille Fournier Longchamps is based in Rochefort-sur-Loire in Anjou. Philip Fournier established the domaine in 2006, bringing together important vineyard holdings that included Château de Chamboureau and the former Jo Pithon estate; his son Julien Fournier took over leadership of the domaine in 2009. The initials FL honor the family names Fournier and Longchamps. Today the estate works vineyards across some of the Loire’s most prestigious appellations, including Savennières, Roche-aux-Moines, Anjou, Coteaux du Layon and Quarts de Chaume. The domaine has been certified organic since 2009 and also incorporates biodynamic practices, with an emphasis on preserving biodiversity and allowing individual vineyard sites to express themselves distinctly. Chamboureau is particularly important to the estate because it comes from the historic vineyard surrounding the château from which part of the modern domaine originated.
2018 I Sabbioni Spumante Metodo Classico
Blanc de Noirs — Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Grape Varietal
- 100% Sangiovese
- Romagna clones of Sangiovese
- Vinified as a white wine with no skin maceration
Although Sangiovese is a red grape, the grapes are pressed immediately and the juice is separated from the skins, producing a white sparkling wine—a Blanc de Noirs.
Location
Castiglione di Forlì
Romagna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy
The vineyards lie approximately 90 meters above sea level with a northwestern exposure. What makes the site particularly unusual is its soil: yellow sands dating to the Messinian geological period. The area was once influenced by an ancient marine environment, and these sandy soils play an important role in the saline, almost briny character that I Sabbioni considers a signature of its wines.
Winemaking
Traditional Method / Metodo Classico — Zero Dosage
The Sangiovese grapes are hand harvested early, generally during the first part of September, then immediately soft-pressed and vinified white so there is minimal extraction of color from the red skins. The base wine matures for approximately eight months in stainless steel on its fine lees before undergoing a second fermentation in the bottle. No sugar dosage is added after disgorgement, making this a true Dosaggio Zero / Brut Nature sparkling wine.
Cellar Window: Drink now through approximately 2027
Tasting Notes
This is a highly unusual expression of Sangiovese: creamy yet bone-dry, elegant and intensely savory, with the structure of a Blanc de Noirs and the freshness of a traditional-method sparkling wine. The color is straw yellow to golden with bright reflections and a fine, persistent perlage. Aromatically, note iris and broom flowers alongside sourdough, bread crust and brioche, with ripe yellow apple, pear, chamomile and subtle hay-like notes. With air, the wine becomes increasingly saline and briny—a character closely associated with I Sabbioni’s sandy soils. On the palate, fine bubbles create a creamy texture while bright acidity provides a vertical, energetic backbone. Mature yellow pear, citrus, fennel seed and subtle nutty or yeasty flavors lead toward a dry, mineral and distinctly savory finish. The complete absence of dosage makes the wine especially transparent: there is no sweetness to soften its acidity or mineral character.
Food Pairings
This wine’s combination of fine bubbles, high acidity, zero dosage and savory salinity makes it extremely versatile at the table. It is excellent as an aperitif, but it can also accompany an entire meal. Pair it with oysters, crudo, sushi, sashimi, shrimp, fried calamari, grilled prawns or delicate white fish. The bubbles and acidity make it especially good with fried foods such as fritto misto, tempura or arancini. Its yeasty, brioche character also works beautifully with Parmigiano-Reggiano, prosciutto di Parma and other Emilia-Romagna specialties. For a particularly regional pairing, try it with Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano-Reggiano or delicate filled pasta.
About the Producer
I Sabbioni is located near Castiglione di Forlì in Romagna, an area where Sangiovese has a long history but where the vineyard soils are strikingly different from many of the clay-dominated sites associated with the grape elsewhere in central Italy. The estate places particular emphasis on its yellow sandy soils, viewing their maritime geological origins and resulting salinity as central to the identity of its wines. Owner Dino Zoli and the I Sabbioni team describe their objective as expressing Romagna directly through Sangiovese, producing wines marked by elegance, freshness and savory minerality. Sangiovese forms the heart of the estate’s range, appearing not only as traditional red Romagna Sangiovese but also as white wine, rosé and this traditional-method Blanc de Noirs.
