“When drinking Champagne, it is often for a special occasion with a budget, crémant on the other hand is for every day.”
Francois Regis de Fougeroux, managing director Maison Langlois
Quality-focussed crémant
As many a buyer will be aware, crémant as a category and style of wine has found increasing popularity in the UK over the past few years. Reporting from Wine Searcher indicates that there has been a decline in champagne sales across major markets. And analysis from IWSR has shown that fewer consumers regard prosecco as high quality, but its results indicate that sparkling has "cemented its status as an established part of the UK wine market."
From a summer visit to Maison Langlois in Saumur it became apparent that the House has an unique opportunity to promote and engage buyers with its quality-focussed crémant. With a recent rebrand that reflects more of its sister champagne producer (the Jacques Bollinger Family group acquired a majority stake in Maison Langlois in 1973), there is a quiet determination and confidence to produce high quality crémant.
Of the eight crémant appellations in France, Loire crémant makes up over 20% of total production and is increasing. 50 years ago, the Bollinger family saw the potential in the area and specifically the Maison Langlois site. The location close to the Loire River and the property’s history of sparkling production along with its distinctive truffeaux, chalky stone soils provide a strong foundation.
More stringent standards
Plans are in place to have all vineyards certified organic by 2030
Maison Langlois is spearheading the quality offer from the Loire. As one of the leading producers in the region, its standards are more stringent than appellation requirements. For example, all the fruit is hand-picked, and the yield is lower – it uses 160kg of grapes to produce 100L of must (compared to legal requirement of 150kg) and, most telling, is that all of its sparkling wine is kept on lees for 24 months – double the appellation requirement of 12 months in bottle prior to release.
There are other differentiating factors too; when it presses the grapes Maison Langlois is the only crémant producer in the Loire that separates the cuvée into the first and second taille (just as they do at Bollinger). It has 2 million bottles ageing neatly stacked throughout 4km of truffeaux caves.
Langlois is intensely focussed on the terroir – drawing from distinct vineyard areas with truffeaux, slatey and chalk soil types. There is an ethos of sustainability; the vineyard is certified Terra Vitis and 30 hectares of the estate are certified organic with plans in place to have all of the vineyards, including their growers’ vineyards, certified by 2030.
The caves at Maison Langlois are so extensive they have to have road names. Laurent Onillon (pictured 2017)
Speaking with sales manager Laurent Onillon, he explained that the recent re-brand was undertaken as part of an approach to better communicate how Maison Langlois operates, in order to be a better reflection of its wines. While still wine is part of the portfolio, sparkling is the focus. They came to a realisation they were not so great at telling consumers what they do – ie their focus on terroir and quality, the extensive time on lees – a minimum of 24 months for all of their cuvees, and no malolactic conversion for the sparkling base wines. With a go-ahead from their parent company, they have a new look and a strong story to share.
Re-brand inspired by setting
The setting is beautiful with vineyards sitting atop the hill, sitting neatly above the winery, with their extensive truffeaux caves – there are at least 4km of them - all over-looking the Loire River and valley. Earthy with salmon sunsets, pale greens, lemon straw hues – all offer a calming beauty. Inspiration was the sunrise, sunset and the truffeaux stones. The silver label was no more! Instead, a link was created to the colour of the label – bringing the vineyard to the drinker, by the label alone.
The result is smart, with an understated style that has translated the spirit of the wines and the vineyards. Looks aside, more information is provided on the labels and Langlois had a renewed vigour for transparency to share with the drinker how the wines are made.
While one of top 3 of crémant producers in France they have a dogged determination not to sell to supermarkets, focusing on the on-trade and a quality product. Their new look, in my opinion at least, is understated, looks smart but more importantly their wines exceed expectations. Below are my tasting notes including the inaugural tasting of their new organic vintage blanc de blancs with UK retail prices included.
Maison Langlois ably demonstrates high quality and exacting standards. Terroir-driven, no malo and longer lees ageing provides wines of high quality. Onillon was right – quality crémant is for every day!
The caves also house enormous riddling machines
So how were the wines tasting?
Langlois Crémant de Loire Brut - £19
67% Chenin Blanc 23% Chardonnay and 10% Cabernet Franc. No malo, dosage 9g
Supple, soft and fresh – with clean and crisp salinity. Very appealing. Very fine bead with a generous, creamy mousse. Long, elegant with poise – it includes 12% reserve wines (no more than 1-2 years) to ensure a fresh, pure style that favours expression of the terroir.
Langlois Crémant de Loire Rosé - £20
80% Cabernet Franc with 20% of Pinot Noir introduced to give elegance. No malo. 12g dosage With no malo, the wine handles the dosage beautifully. The palate is immediately approachable yet keeps a line of savouriness and freshness. Immediately appealing salmon hue, with fresh red fruit notes, a hint of canteloupe melon. An easy drinking style yet savoury and very moreish. No reserve wines used – because the objective is to keep freshness and fruit. A mere 15000 cases are produced.
Langlois Vintage 2018
58% Chenin Blanc 22% Chardonnay 10% Cab franc 6% Grolleau - No malo. 6g dosage. Aged on lees for 48 months.
Slight golden hues, broad on the palate with elegant minerality. Hints of peach, yellow stone fruit, with spice and a dry long finish. Moreish with a fine bead and mousse.
Langlois Cadence 2017 Extra Brut - £34
50% Chenin Blanc 20% Chardonnay 10% Cabernet Franc 20% Pinot Noir 2g dosage, no malo
This presents a much richer nose and a darker, more golden hue; clean and precise with fresh stone fruits, white nectarine and fresh rhubarb. Engaging bright acidity and freshness makes this a natural pairer with oysters. WIth at least 10-year ageing potential – this is a serious example of crémant and out-performs many a champagne.
Formerly Quadrille, this has been renamed Cadence to reflect the link with Cadre Noir – the riding school based in Saumur, established by Napoleon and created originally for the French Cavalry. Cadence has five years on lees.
Langlois Blanc de Blancs 2020 Organic
58% Chenin Blanc 42% Chardonnay 2g dosage, no malo
Rounded with light honey notes, exceptionally fine bead, hint of fresh lime and hawthorn. Long, easy and very approachable. Delicious and pure. 3+ years on lees.
Still wines are not the focus at Maison Langlois but by no means insignificant....
Langlois Clos Saint Florent Saumur White 2021 - £26
From the walled vineyard behind the winery, this AOC Saumur Blanc, from a ’classic’ vintage rather than an excessively sunny one, offers a savoury, rounded elegant Chenin. With one third of new oak. Elegant, linear, fine and with bright acidity.The wine currently displays more Chardonnay-like flavours with yellow peach but with the acidity of Chenin Blanc.This offers a compelling alternative to Bourgogne!
Langlois Clos Saint Florent Saumur Red 2021 - £25
AOP Saumur Rouge with 100% Cabernet Franc. Aged in barrel, this displays a bright and juicy nose; hints of cherry and chocolate though the oak judiciously handled. Dark fruits, cherry with some slight stalky green nuances giving freshness and some hints of green pepper. Tight, youthful with minerality and a linear palate. While a more difficult year with frost and a lower fruit concentration, this wine has ample to satisfy.
The wines of Maison Langlois are imported and sold in the UK through Mentzendorff which is a commercial partner of The Buyer. To discover more about them click here.
