In a region renowned for its wines since the Middle Ages, Saumur became a specialist centre for sparkling wines in the early 19th century. The founders of its famous wine houses invested in the former tufa-stone quarries, recognising the potential of the vast and cool galleries, in which they were to develop the production of sparkling Saumur Brut using the traditional method.
The huge success of these fine sparkling wines was to stimulate a major architectural boom in the area. Wine stores, packing and dispatch warehouses, company offices and the awners’ mansions all combine to illustrate a century of new construction techniques and the architectural trends of the times. A rich collection of posters, postcards and advertising images contributes to the decidedly festive heritage of the Saumur Brut Houses.
