Tasting Notes
Les Chapaudaises is a 1 hectare vineyard in the commune of Bizay, just two kilometers south of Brézé. The topsoil (40cm) is composed of loam, sand and clay, with the tuffeau (soft limestone) bedrock just underneath.
Considering the shallow top-soil, Brendan see that generally the vines have a much harder time growing and therefore the clusters are much smaller and more concentrated. This is the first vineyard that Brendan picks, even before any of the Domaine Guiberteau vineyards in order to preserve high acidity. Usually the pH that ranges from 3.0 - 3.10.
Everything is pressed whole cluster and alcoholic fermentation takes place in stainless steel and is kept to under one month. Of course, only indigenous yeasts are allowed. Once alcoholic fermentation is over, the wine is racked and then put into barrel at Brendan’s house in Chacé for roughly 12 months. He racks the wine to make room in the barrels for the upcoming vintage and then allows the wine to age in stainless steel for the remaining 6 months. - Importer Note
When Brendan Stater-West, an Oregon born English teacher, come to Paris in 2007, he fell in love with the world of wine. He trained to become a wine merchant but soon developed a desire to make wine.
In 2012, he started working with Romain Guiberteau in Saumur, both in the winery and vineyards. Work quickly led to friendship and, in 2015, Romain offered him to take over one hectare of the vineyard on the lieu-dit Les Chapaudaises, in Bizay. Brendan soon made the best from these limestone soils, producing a tensed, mineral and very elegant chenin wine.
With the acquisition of 2.3 hectares of old vines of Cabernet Franc and Chenin in Brézé – on the famous terroirs of La Ripaille and L'Ardillon – Brendan’s activity developed even more from 2018. Today, the vineyards are organically trained without being certified.
Young, talented and gifted with beautiful terroirs, Brendan Stater-West holds the keys to a very promising future. - Importer Note
| Product Type | Wine White Chenin Blanc |
| Volume | 750ml |
| Country | France |
| Region | Loire Valley |
| Sub Region | Saumur |
| Winemaking Practices | Minimal Intervention |
| Vineyard Practices | Organic/Biodynamic |