Bouvet Ladubay

Bouvet Ladubay is one of the oldest sparkling wine producers in the Loire valley, boasting over 170 years of history. Their Saumur base was established by Etienne Bouvet and his wife, Celestine Ladubay in 1851 when they purchased 8km of underground tunnels with the intention of turning them into cellars. By the 1870s, Etienne was exporting his wines to England, became an official supplier to the House of Lords, and had built both a fine château and his own power plant to serve the domaine. With no direct heirs after Etienne’s death, the house was auctioned and bought by the Monmousseau family. Champagne house Taittinger invested in them in 1971, but by 2015, Patrice Monmousseau had bought back control. Their sparkling wines are made in the Méthode Traditionnelle, blending Loire staple, Chenin Blanc, with small amounts of Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc. Their vintage sparkling wine, Saphir, which takes its name from the sad loss of a newly acquired sapphire ring in the river Loire, has a loyal following for its elegant freshness and value for money.