Top Loire wines go into screwcap

One of the best estates in the Loire has sent shockwaves through the wine establishment by moving its entire production to screwcap.

Domaine des Baumard in Anjou, recently selected by Robert Parker as one of only three Loire producers to qualify for inclusion in his book The World’s Greatest Wine Estates, is the first top quality Loire producer to opt for screwcaps.

At this week’s Salon des Vins de Loire, Florent Baumard unveiled his Clos du Papillon Savennières 2003 and Quarts de Chaume 2004 in stelvin.

Until now only a few of the larger Loire producers like Vinival/LaCheteau, part of Les Grands Chais de France, and Allliance Loire have chosen screwcaps and only for their cheaper ranges.

Baumard is using the new high quality Stelvin. This closure has only recently become available and is designed to look more like a traditional closure than screwcap. ‘From next year all of my production will go into screwcap,’ Florent Baumard told decanter.com.

Reaction to Baumard’s move was mixed. Many producers like Eric Morgat (Château du Breuil), Stephan Branchereau (Domaine des Forges) and Michel Villedey (Langlois-Chateau) were interested by the move, and described the new closure as ‘classy’.

Others, like Henry Marionnet, were aghast at the idea of two of the Loire’s most renowned wines going under screwcap.

Written by Jim Budd