Bodet-Herold

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

His family are not only wine growers for the well known Chateau de la Durandiere label of still wines - his aunt also runs Louis de Grenelle the largest independent sparkling producer based in the heart of Saumur and his god-father is none other than Romain Guiberteau (who he has worked with) as well as 3 years recently on the winemaking team at Clos Rougeard. Having grown up in vineyards and cellars with his father and family Etienne describes his education and experience as follows -

These differences find their foundations in my training and my experiences that I have been able to undertake. Sylvain Pataille nurtured me for 2 years during my BTS viti oeno. His talent, his personality, and his ideas deeply marked me. He is for me my godfather in wine, an inexhaustible source of reflection. Subsequently, I was able to work within the Bernard Baudry estate to understand a little more about the materials of Cabernet Franc. My training also led me to work with François Dal, agricultural engineer, at SICAVAC in Sancerre. He opened my eyes to the dogmas of the milieu. He pushed me to become more alert, more rigorous in viticulture while being as much in tune as possible with my convictions. He, too, marked a turning point in my career. After these first experiences, I went to Champagne for the national diploma in oenology which I successfully obtained in 2020. I had the chance to work with Aurélien Gerbais, from Champagne Pierre Gerbais. With him, I learned precision, attention to detail. He instilled in me the perpetual search for excellence and precision. The Guiberteau estate and the Clos Rougeard are my last experiences, they allowed me to understand all the more our Loire grape varieties, our terroirs and our breedings (I cannot be moved by Cabernet Franc only after a long-term refining. The aromatic and angularity of this grape before aging disinterests me to the highest degree.). Today, I still work at Clos Rougeard. I was responsible for the last two vintages winemaking in 2021 and 2022, an eminently formative experience.

Viticulture

 I treat my vines only with copper and sulfur and I use biodynamic preparations 500, 500p and 501. The vines of my domain are attached to my father's agricultural company, my father does not work in organic, I cannot obtain the certification for the moment. I convinced myself of the relevance of certain biodynamic preparations. During my experiences with Sylvain Pataille and François Dal, I saw its effectiveness empirically and even scientifically in Sancerre. Despite everything, I do not want to belong to a fixed ideology and I would like to be able to sell my wines for what they are - the wines of a given terroir without artifice and in respect of the soil of my ancestors.

 I prune my vine using Guyot Poussard in search of the life path of the vine, I debud two to three times depending on the vintage, I split, I remove the secondary branches, I leaf and I carry out a green harvest if necessary, I work as much as possible with a pickaxe under the row of vines. I try to listen to my plot. I have the pleasure of having the help of my grandfather in these labors. The harvest is of course by hand and sorted.

Vinification-aging

Vinification and aging take place without sulphur, in native yeasts, with more or less whole bunches depending on the vintage to seek the elegant and spicy expression of an intracellular fermentation of the berries. I take a lot of risks in sulphur-free winemaking, but these are measured and considered risks. I taste my wines as much as possible and allow myself the use of organic nitrogen in my musts depending on the vintage, the only input used during vinification. I play on temperatures and carbon dioxide to control the alcoholic fermentation. The malolactic fermentation was made during maceration in 2021 and 2022.

Cabernet Franc is a raw material that takes a long time to polish. I age my wines for a minimum of two years in barrels new to three wines, then 6 months in vats and 6 months in bottles before selling. The temperature and humidity of the cellars are fundamental criteria in order to polish the tannins as much as possible. The objective is to obtain a refined, spiritual wine that is as moving as possible.

Dry whites

2022 Graippeaux Saumur blanc (Montreuil-Bellay) - extremely limited
100% Chenin Blanc planted 1953 + 1957 almost directly across the road from his Clos Durandiere vineyard near the family house and cellars in Montreuil-Bellay. From a cooler north-west facing vineyard in the village of Montreuil-Bellay this is the first vintage of this single vineyard white wine raised in barrel with no malolactic fermentation and no S02 during elevage. Etienne selects the heart of the pressings discarding the last press for this wine aiming for maximum elegance and finesse. Aged for 2 years in barrel and for another year in bottle before release in January 2025. 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

2024 Taison Noire Saumur blanc (Montreuil-Bellay) - due 2027

Dry reds

I age my wines for a minimum of two years in barrels new to three wines, then 6 months in vats and 6 months in bottles before selling. The temperature and humidity of the cellars are fundamental criteria in order to polish the tannins as much as possible. The objective is to obtain a refined, spiritual wine that is as moving as possible.

2021 Clos Durandière Saumur Champigny (Montreuil-Bellay)
100% Cabernet Franc from vines planted 1983. This plot is based on a specific and unique geology in the Saumur area (only 20 ha of vines are counted on this type of soil). We are on hard limestone from the Bathonian stage of the Jurassic period. The vine rests on thin soil (30 to 60 cm) and is directly planted on this hard rock. The soil textures are clayey sands or sandy loams with the presence of iron oxide. We are on the same geological era as the Côte de Nuits. The geological component of the plot confers constraints and potentialities on the vine (low water reserve, earliness, good drainage, moderate vigor, active limestone) in line with high-flying viticulture. On this type of soil, my objective is to obtain the most aerial and elegant wine possible.

The resulting wine is as utterly distinctive as it is rivetting. Medium saturation of colour (less for 2021 than for his first 2020 vintage) with incredibly fine lifted aromas of lavender, pot-pourri, rose petal and delicate red fruits hinting at fraise des bois. Etienne’s principal goal is to soften the tannins of Cabernet Franc through non-extractive maceration with crushing of the grapes up to a week after harvest so that the first fermentation takes place within each berry. Low SO2 and extended elevage for 2 winters (3 winters for Les Clos des Vaudelles) brings extra finesse and stability to the wines and remarkable finesse to the tannins of the variety. Cabernet Franc is naturally prone to Brettanomyces and to this point he aims to have healthy amounts of nitrogen in the vineyard to ensure enough available naturally during fermentation to ensure sugars are fully fermented out naturally. Ample intensity and length of flavours on the palate with a frame of bright vibrant fruit and remarkably fine and sophisticated tannins carried through to a long and expressive finish with perfectly balanced freshness. The aftertaste is long and hauntingly fine and appetising drawing you back to taste again. Such remarkably well managed tannins and intensity of fruit within a fine and refreshingly balanced structure.

2023 Le Clos des Vaudelles Saumur Champigny (Varrains) - due 2027
100% Cabernet Franc from vines planted 1966. This Clos faces directly the “Clos Durandière” on the other side of the street. We are here on a geology-pedology in opposition to the “Clos Durandiere”, the vines rest on Oxfordian marls from the Jurassic era. The soil consists of heavy clay. We are on cold, deep ground, difficult to work. The particular geology of this parcel generates constraints and potentialities for the plant (high to moderate water reserve, bud burst later than average, slow maturation, active limestone). I love this plot, it is an exceptional terroir, it also has an experience since it was planted in 1966. Since 2021, I have been regenerating the plot and from 2023 I will vinify the entire plot. Again, the aging will be 3 years.

Tasted from barrel this looks incredibly promising with even more finesse which is remarkable given that 1/3rd of this cuvee had whole bunch ferment. This will be aged for 3 years in barrel then bottles before release in 2027. Even smaller vineyard than Clos Durandiere so quantities will be tiny.