Saumur Rouge, Brenda Stater West, Saumur 2022

Brenda Stater West, Saumur (Organic)

A Portland émigré, Brendan Stater-West joined Domaine Guiberteau in 2011, going on to become Romain Guiberteau's indispensable right arm. In early 2015 he took control of a single hectare of organically-farmed vines in Bizay, Les Châpaudaises, located just south of Brézé in order to make some of his own wine. The vineyard, replanted in 2002, is next door to the Clos de Guichaux below, and the soils comprise a skinny layer of loamy clay over the classic limestone of the region, tuffeau. This second release was fermented naturally in stainless steel and then aged in used, large format barrels (sourced from Louis-Benjamin Dagueneau) for 18 months. From a terroir that the young vigneron notes is finely tuned for "the style of Chenin that I am crazy for: elegant, pure, vertical, with salinity from the limestone." this was picked three days earlier than Guiberteau's Clos de Guichaux though it's arguably got more texture.

100% Chenin Blanc

Organic