2022 Pierre Ménard Clos des Mailles

WINEMAKER: Pierre Ménard
REGION: Loire Valley, FR
VARIETY: Chenin Blanc
VITICULTURE: Organic/Biodynamic

100% chenin from the highest point of this hillside vineyard on phtanite (a rare blue quartz) and shist soils, some vines over 100 years old. Almost a year in barrel on fine lees. Bold, powerful and driven. Intensely mineral, smoky and pure.

After studying wine in the Agronomic school of Angers, Pierre travelled the world to learn about the different processes and made wine in Canada, New Zealand and Hungary. Only in his late twenties, Pierre started to produce wine in the Layon in 2013, using a 100-year-old Chenin Blanc vineyard laying on schist called “Le Quart des Noëls”. The plot used to belong to his parents who withdrew some of the vines from the cooperative contract. Since his first vintage Pierre’s wines have been met with critical acclaim. There is no botrytis in his dry wines and although wines of this region have typically had botrytis, today, a number of up-and-coming young vignerons have recognised the negative impact botrytis can have on a dry wine, and they see the precision and energy that can be found in vinifying Chenin Blanc grown on the slate and schist of western Anjou totally and truthfully dry, with not a whisper of botrytis in the blend. These wines are super limited.