Chateau de Plaisance
Château de Plaisance exudes a quiet, unruffled confidence under the direction of Vanessa Cherruau. Before taking over in 2019, Vanessa gained valuable experience working across Champagne, Catalunya, and the Loire. Since acquiring the estate, she has intensified efforts to farm biodynamically, with a strong focus on enhancing biodiversity and minimising intervention both in the vineyard and cellar. Her approach is determined yet thoughtful, positioning her at the forefront of a quiet revolution renewing interest in dry Chenin Blanc from the Chaume cru. Ronceray, soon to be recognised as a distinct appellation, sources fruit from the ancient terraces of Chaume, where Chenin planted on schist soils produces dry whites of fine-boned mineral austerity combined with gentle precision and poise.
Cremant de Loire
Hand-harvested using traditional methods. Secondary fermentation with natural sugars. Aged 18 months on lees. No added sugar. The extra time on the lees and in bottle has done this some favours, because this now shows a beautifully aromatic nose of sour orange and crushed minerals, with traces of marzipan, toasted almond and quince paste.
Quick Facts
APPELLATION: Anjou
VINTAGE: NV
STYLE: sparkling
GRAPE: chenin brut
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: stainless steel
MATURATION: bottle
FILTRATION: filtered
ALCOHOL: 13%
CASE SIZE: 6
Chenin Blanc
A mouth of green apples is balanced by the creaminess that comes from malolactic fermentation and the natural richness of the Chenin Blanc, while the stainless steel fermentation has allowed the explosive acidity to shine.
Quick Facts
APPELLATION: Anjou
VINTAGE: 2023
STYLE: white
GRAPE: Chenin blanc
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: stainless steel
MATURATION: stainless steel
FILTRATION: filtered
ALCOHOL: 11%
CASE SIZE: 6
L’Anjou Blanc
A steely, minerally style, showing a light-bodied frame filled in with apple and spices, plus a touch of lanolin, with flint on the fluid, linear finish. Opens up in the glass to reveal salty, briny complexity.
Quick Facts
APPELLATION: Anjou
VINTAGE: 2023
STYLE: white
GRAPE: chenin brut
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: stainless steel
MATURATION: stainless steel
FILTRATION: filtered
ALCOHOL: 11%
CASE SIZE: 6
Anjou Blanc ‘Ronceray’
100% dry Chenin Blanc from the Chaume hill. Soils of schist, spilite, sandstone. It is a full-bodied and incisive wine, with great minerality.
Quick Facts
APPELLATION: Anjou
VINTAGE: 2023
STYLE: white
GRAPE: chenin blanc
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: barrels, foudres, amphorae
MATURATION: barrels, foudres, amphorae
FILTRATION: filtered
ALCOHOL: 11%
CASE SIZE: 6
Anjou Blanc ‘Le grande piece’
La Grande Pièce is a testament to meticulous winemaking. The Chenin Blanc grapes are hand-harvested from the unique soils of sandstone and pudding stone, which create a solar effect on the vines, enhancing their intensity and concentration. The grapes undergo slow cold pressing, followed by fermentation with native yeasts and partial malolactic fermentation, ensuring the preservation of their natural complexity and character.
Quick Facts
APPELLATION: Anjou
VINTAGE: 2023
STYLE: white
GRAPE: chenin blanc
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: barrels
MATURATION: barrels, stoneware
FILTRATION: filtered
ALCOHOL: 13.5%
CASE SIZE: 6
Anjou Blanc ‘sur la butte’
The greater Anjou region is at the centre of the French wine revolution, a place where young (often first-generation) producers have found fertile ground for low-intervention wines that are driving the world's new generation crazy. Vanessa Cherruau and her own Château de Plaisance on the famous Chaume hill, a historic Anjou vineyard, is at the heart of this revolution, rewriting the region's history with stunning dry wines made mainly from Chenin. But Vanessa is also the only producer with red varieties on the Chaume hill. Sur La Butte is perhaps the most appealingly elegant blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc imaginable. Aromatic, with perfect lines, lovely clean fruit and spicy characters. Light, direct, crisp a beautiful -cool vineyard- expression of the variety.
Quick Facts
APPELLATION: Anjou
VINTAGE: 2023
STYLE: red
GRAPE: cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet franc
FARMING: organic
FERMENTATION: barrels
MATURATION: cement
FILTRATION: filtered
ALCOHOL: 13%
CASE SIZE: 6