Winemaker Notes
This Savennières is produced from the younger Chenin vines of the estate. With an average age of 20 years and planted in soils that are mainly schist (shale) with some clay, sand and quartz, the vines are the result of the selection massale process, whereby the cuttings are selected from the most prized vines in the vineyards to replant. Yields run 30-35 hl/hectare where 50hl are allowed in the appellation. Only indigenous yeasts are used and the wine is aged in both neutral oak barrels and vats.
Unquestionably one of the most diverse grape varieties, Chenin Blanc can do it all. It shines in every style from bone dry to unctuously sweet, oaked or unoaked, still or sparkling and even as the base for fortified wines and spirits. Perhaps Chenin Blanc’s greatest asset is its ever-present acidity, maintained even under warm growing conditions. Somm Secret—Landing in South Africa in the mid 1800s, today the country has double the acreage of Chenin Blanc planted compared to France. There is also a new wave of dedicated producers committed to restoring old Chenin vines.
Known for its delightful whites and sparkling Pétillant and Mousseux, made predominantly of Chenin blanc, Anjou has a temperate and dry maritime climate. The region's limited temperature variations are admiringly referred to locally as the “douceur angevine,” or “Anjou sweetness.” Fruit forward rosé and red wines from Cabernet Franc and Gamay merit Anjou its success within the Loire subregions.