Product Description:

"Totaling 22 hectares spread over 30 different plots, Clos de l’Elu is located in the tiny village of Saint-Aubin de Luigne. The sites that Clos de l’Elu farms are scattered from the village of Chaume, famous for its sweet style of botrytized Chenin Blanc, to Chaudefons-sur-Layon near the confluence of the Layon and Loire. In this warmer and drier part of the Anjou red varieties are widely cultivated along side the traditional Chenin Blanc.

Clos de l’Elu was originally established by two brothers in the 1950s who sold their grapes to local negociants and in 2008 they retired selling their estate to Thomas Carsin and Grégoire du Bouëxic. Thomas, an agricultural engineer by training became enamored with viticulture during his studies and once his formal education was complete, he traveled to Sonoma, Champagne and Provence supporting himself as a viticultural consultant while learning enology by working in various cellars. While in Champagne he met Grégoire du Bouëxic, an entrepreneur who was equally passionate about wine and they became fast friends. A few years later, when they found Clos de l’Elu for sale, it was an easy, if life-changing decision to make.

After years of experience advising others he has put his principles to work at his own estate: native cover crops are encouraged, the soil is tilled and no synthetic products are employed. These efforts have brought new life to the soils allowing him to preserve many of the old vines on the property. New plantings have been made using selection massale to preserve the diversity of his sites. About half of his vineyards are planted with equal proportions of Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc – the two most common varieties grown in the Anjou with smaller plantings of Gamay, Grolleau, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pineau d’Aunis. each plot and variety is harvested by hand and brought to the cellar where the white are pressed and allowed a short period to settle. Most of the red wines are whole cluster fermentations. Only natural yeasts are employed, macerations are long and the wines age in tank, barrel or amphorae. Sulfur usage is minimal and often added just before bottling." - Importers