Salve

Salve is the middle Chenin Blanc of the range, but don't let that fool you. One sniff (let alone taste) of this wine should be enough to convert anyone to the wonders of France's second best grape! It comes from the same plot as their other Chenin, Rivage. However, the grapes for Salve come from the second pick (harvest), approx 2 weeks apart from the first pick for Rivage. Giving some idea of the more serious and concentrated expression.

From vines approximately 40 years old on a plot less than 1ha. Grown on soil mainly consisting of silt with a bit of red clay and schist, which has been organic from 2020. The production leans fully into the zero-zero philosophy. Whole bunches are manually pressed directly and vinified in a combination of fiberglass and tank vessels. The wine is aged for 9 months, before spending 6-9 months in bottle, depending on vintage. 2023 was in general a very hard year in the Layon area, with lots of rain and bad rot affecting yields. It required a lot a sorting and resilience. The result is outstanding.