Brendan Stater-West Saumur Blanc 2021

Brendan Stater-West Saumur Blanc is a stainless-steel Chenin Blanc from Les Chapaudaises, a parcel within half a kilometre of the Brézé hill.

Les Chapaudaises lies in the Bizay terroir of Épieds, a small village just outside Saumur, next door to Guiberteau's monopole Clos de Guichaux and on the same sandy tuffeau limestone. The vines are a mix of Chenin Blanc and old-vine Cabernet Franc. Brendan Stater-West rents the hectare from Romain Guiberteau, who makes a red from the same site, and draws two cuvées from it. This Saumur Blanc comes from the lower section of the vineyard, where the vines are more vigorous and yields run a little higher than in the parcel reserved for the Les Chapaudaises bottling. Winemaking is deliberately plain: the grapes are whole-bunch-pressed and wild-fermented in stainless steel, then the wine stays on its lees for six months before bottling. The result is chalk-inflected and taut, with white florals and ripe green apple, fleshy citrus and pulpy weight cut by razor-sharp freshness.

Drink now or over the next five to eight years. Serve at 10-12°C with grilled fish, roast pork or a fresh chèvre.

*Every effort is made to ensure the current vintage is accurate; however, variations can occur. If you are after a specific vintage, please contact us prior to ordering.