Etienne Bodet Saumur Graippeaux 2023

Graippeaux is the 2nd vintage of the domaine’s first white, produced from a 1.2 hectare plot of 70 year-old Chenin Blanc vines (planted 1953) in the small village of Ternay, about 15 km to the southeast of Montreuil-Bellay. Here the vines are planted on olive Turonian tuffeau and sandy glauconite with calcareous sandstone. The site’s excellent water-holding capacity buffers the vines against water stress, allowing them to retain high malic acidity even in warmer vintages. The wine is vinified without sulphur, the fruit whole-bunch pressed and settled, then racked to barrel for ferment. A quick stir to complete the ferment, followed by malolactic conversion and the wine is then aged for two years in a mix of new and seasoned barrels (including demi-muids), Bottled unlined, but filtered and matured for one additional year in bottle before release.
The extra time in bottle has given more expression to this tightly coiled wine with beautiful aromatics giving gentle hints of tarragon and anise and Chartruese herbs together with bright apple and orchard fruit aromas. Excellent length and intensity on the palate yet so fine and restrained at the same time. Utterly distinctive and built for a long life if you can keep your hands of this rivetting wine.

Etienne Bodet is the 5th generation of his family working on the beautiful Jurassic limestone terroirs they own in Montreuil-Bellay in Saumur where they have been producing both sparkling and still wines for more than a century. An accomplished oenologist in his own right Etienne has worked with an amazing roll call of producers before striking out on his own in 2020.