Laurent Charrier
Le Pas Saint Martin
Saumur, Loire Valley
The domaine takes its name from the Cross of Pas Saint Martin, a small stone construction erected on the edge of the ‘Pierre Frites’ vineyard. In the Middle Ages, this was the last stop for the pilgrims of Santiago de Compostela, before arriving in the Marian city of Puy Notre Dame.
The family’s vigneron history can be traced back to the 1700’s and today Laurent Charrier farms vineyards planted by his grandfather and great grandfather, as well as more recent plantings. In 1996 Laurent converted the domaine to organic principles, which now comprises 16 hectares spread across Saumur, Anjou and Coteaux du Layon. The vineyards are not treated with synthetic chemicals and regular cultivation forces the root systems deep into the soil and rock, which Laurent believes helps the vines to resist parasites and withstand climatic variations. The ‘Pierre Frites’ terroir that makes up a large part of their holdings is worth a special mention. Here both limestone and flint rock offer a “dual terroir” creating wines with ripeness but also deep minerality.
The winemaking is very simple with the belief that it’s the vineyard work that counts most. Healthy, balanced, ripe grapes fermented using native yeast and no additives save a small amount of sulphur prior to bottling. Raised predominantly in stainless steel for extra freshness.
Laurent says he aims to produce wines of freshness, tension and balanced acidity that display the minerality or salinity of their sites but remain pure with a refreshing simplicity. And we agree, these wines are pure with fresh crunchy fruits and underlying minerality. The whole range represents extraordinary value.