Domaine des Sanzay Beauregard 2022: A Dark, Spicy Saumur-Champigny with a Taste for Serious Bordeaux
There is a side to Cabernet Franc that has little interest in being delicate. Domaine des Sanzay’s Beauregard 2022 belongs to that school: dark, muscular and richly scented, with ripe black fruit, a smoky edge and tannins that demand attention. Yet beneath its imposing exterior lies the unmistakable freshness of the Loire Valley.
This is a single-vineyard Saumur-Champigny from Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg, where limestone and clay give the grape enough substance to withstand a lengthy stay in oak. The warm 2022 vintage adds generosity, but the wine retains the peppery, savoury character that makes Cabernet Franc such a fascinating variety.
The Basics
- Producer: Domaine des Sanzay
- Wine: Beauregard
- Vintage: 2022
- Appellation: Saumur-Champigny AOC
- Region: Loire Valley, France
- Vineyard: Beauregard, Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg
- Grape: 100% Cabernet Franc
- Soils: Clay and limestone over tuffeau bedrock
- Viticulture: Low-yielding, single-parcel production
- Ageing: Oak barrels; the estate’s historical specifications indicate 18 months
- Alcohol: 13% ABV
- Bottle size: 750 ml
- Serving temperature: 16–18°C
The Estate and the Beauregard Vineyard
Domaine des Sanzay is a family estate established in the late nineteenth century and based in Varrains, in the heart of Saumur-Champigny. Today, Didier and Céline Sanzay continue a tradition stretching back five generations, farming approximately 28 hectares across several neighbouring villages.
The estate’s wines deserve attention because they reveal how dramatically Cabernet Franc can change from one vineyard to another.
Beauregard comes from Saint-Cyr-en-Bourg, on clay-limestone soils underlain by tuffeau, the pale, porous limestone that defines much of the Saumur landscape. The rock stores moisture and helps regulate the vines’ water supply during dry periods, while the clay contributes to the vineyard’s ability to produce concentrated fruit.
The estate also makes Les Dares, Les Frogères and Les Poyeux, each expressing a different parcel. Beauregard belongs to the more structured side of the range, with low yields and extended barrel maturation.
The contrast with the region’s white wines is instructive. Saumur’s Chenin Blanc often expresses these limestone landscapes through piercing acidity and remarkable longevity. Cabernet Franc responds with a different language: dark fruit, herbal nuances, smoke and tannins.
How It’s Made
Beauregard is made exclusively from Cabernet Franc grown in a single vineyard.
The estate’s historical technical information describes low yields and approximately eighteen months of barrel ageing for this cuvée. The extended maturation distinguishes Beauregard from the domaine’s younger, tank-aged wines.
Oak gives Cabernet Franc another dimension, particularly in ripe years. Its naturally herbal character can become harsh when the grapes lack maturity, but careful extraction and measured barrel ageing allow those flavours to develop into more attractive notes of tobacco, pepper and woodland undergrowth.
In 2022, the hot, dry summer encouraged concentration and generous ripeness across the Loire. Beauregard has the raw material for an assertive, deeply coloured wine, although its identity remains firmly rooted in Saumur-Champigny rather than the more opulent reds of Bordeaux.
Tasting Notes
Colour: Deep ruby red, with dark garnet highlights and considerable concentration.
Bouquet: Blackcurrant and wild blackberry emerge first, followed by violet, black pepper and a pronounced earthy note. The fruit is ripe and almost brooding, but a sharper herbal streak cuts through the richness. Tobacco, cedar and a suggestion of toasted wood bring further depth. An intense, sombre bouquet, with none of the frivolous sweetness sometimes found in overheated vintages.
Palate: Broad, vigorous and densely textured. Dark fruit fills the opening, followed by firm, finely grained tannins and a distinctive savoury tension. The oak adds a discreet toasted accent, while the natural acidity of Cabernet Franc prevents the palate from becoming ponderous. There is considerable substance here, but also an attractive austerity beneath the ripe fruit.
Finish: Long, dry and peppery, with persistent blackcurrant, tobacco and a slightly earthy bitterness. The tannins remain assertive, suggesting that the wine will benefit from further bottle ageing.
Our Verdict
Beauregard 2022 is an ambitious, uncompromising Saumur-Champigny. The dark fruit has real authority, the tannins are serious, and the oak gives the wine breadth without erasing its Cabernet Franc identity.
It is less immediately charming than the estate’s basic cuvée, but considerably more compelling for anyone who appreciates structured Loire reds. A wine worth decanting now or keeping for a few more years.
Price
€19.26.
Food Pairings
Paella, vitello tonnato, chicken curry, pulled pork, empanadas, hamburgers.
