Variety: Chenin Blanc

An Oregon yankee in King Chenin’s Court??? Brendan Stater-West may have never imagined his name on a bottle of Loire Valley Chenin Blanc when he took the job at the Paris wine shop that ignited his passions, but it is a reality now. He may have never imagined apprenticing under the winemaker of the particular bottle that sparked that ignition of passion, but that also happened. That same bottle of Guiberteau led him to the producer Romain Guiberteau and Saumur, where he begged Romain for a job in the vineyards. It was Romain who leased him a plot, allowing him to begin his own domaine! Fast forward a few years and now Brendan owns his own property in Bizay where he creates his Chenin expressions from grapes grown in the ‘tuffeau’ limestone that creates the bedrock layer for which Saumur is famous.

This 100% Chenin Blanc wine is vinified whole cluster in stainless steel vats. After initial fermentation the juice is moved to oak barrels for 12 months. The wine is then racked back into stainless holding vats until bottling. Using only natural yeast, with no fermentation agents added, this wine is truly crafted by the land and grape itself, with Brendan as its steward.