2023 CHENIN BLANC 'N' Château de Plaisance, Lea & Sandeman

CHENIN BLANC

2023 'N' Château de Plaisance

IN STOCK
Grapes Chenin Blanc
Colour White
Origin France, Loire
Other Certified Organic
ABV 11%

In 2023 Vanessa has sourced her 'extra' Chenin Blanc from 3 hectares in 3 different beautiful terroirs of Anjou, Bonnezeaux and Thouarcé. So this is no longer called Anjou Blanc. As before she and her team farm and harvest this themselves - building on the long-term partnership she has started with these like-minded neighbours. The vineyards are a mix of 35-50 year old vines, all on beautiful Sandstone-Schist soils - ideal for pure and expressive Chenin. This has a beautiful fleshy feel - reflecting the generous breadth of the vintage - but with a fresh, saline tail that runs on brilliantly and leaves you thirsty for more. L&S (Jun 2024)

DELIVERY SERVICE
We offer free nationwide delivery on all orders over £150 (excluding Highlands & Islands). Express Delivery options also available.

Château de Plaisance

Sometimes you meet people, and you instantly know there is something special about them. And so it was when we came across the brilliant Vanessa Cherruau from Anjou in the Loire Valley.
When we first encountered her, this dynamic 32 year-old had just taken over the beautiful Château de Plaisance in the heart of 'Anjou Noir' with old vineyards in the famous zones of Quarts de Chaume and Savennières too. The estate has been organic since 1995 and biodynamic since 2008, and she has taken on some gorgeous old vineyards with the plan to continue to work in this way.
These wines are a complete revelation. We could not decide which of the range to pick, we loved them all - so we have them all! This is justified by their distinctly individual styles and mesmerising drinkability - across the board. This part of the world has for generations been famed for its superb sweet wines - but with warming global conditions and less call for something sticky - there is a movement afoot, flouting the rules and making wines that you really want to drink.
Vanessa bought the estate from one of the early 'outlaws' here - Guy Rochais - who started to make a contraband dry wine from his ancient Quarts de Chaume vineyards. He was prosecuted for such outlandish behaviour - this could not be called 'Quarts de Chaume'! In subsequent years he continued to make this crisp dry Chenin, but with the new name 'The Insolent'.
This is an exciting part of the world for wine-lovers - and Vanessa and her Château de Plaisance wines are right at the forefront of this quiet revolution going on. Textured, bright and gorgeously weighted whites - and the most charming Cabernet Franc that you can imagine, pretty, perfumed and perfectly shaped. We could not be more thrilled to have just rolled onto our 3rd vintage from this rapidly rising star.

2025 THE COMPLETE CHRISTMAS MIXED CASE

Let's be honest, pairing wine with the beautiful chaos of Christmas dinner is a bit of a nightmare. You’ve got the smoked salmon, then the turkey (or beef, or goose), the mountain of veg, the cheese board, and then the flaming pudding. It's a minefield of flavours.
This year, forget the stress. We’ve built The Complete Christmas Case, a 12-bottle 'job done' box with the perfect, curated wine for every single moment.
This is your Christmas dinner, sorted:
The Welcome: Get the party started with two brilliant grower Champagnes. Pop the charming Gonet-Médeville Tradition as guests arrive, and keep the Mathieu-Nicolas 'Cuvée 1629' (from the 12th-generation Moussé brothers) for Christmas morning.
The Starter (Smoked Salmon): You need energy. The Saint Véran 'La Fournaise' from Frantz Chagnoleau is electric, with wonderful bite and bounce, to cut right through the richness.
The Main (Turkey White): For the white wine lovers, the Chenin Blanc 'N' from rising star Vanessa Cherruau has a beautiful fleshy feel, that's a perfect match for the bird.
The Main (Turkey Red): The classic pairing. The Marsannay 'Champs Perdrix' is a gorgeous Pinot Noir from the stony field vineyards of the Derey brothers, with the perfect lift and berry fruit.
The Main (Beef or Goose): Serving something richer? We've got you. The Le Pessac-Léognan from Domaine de Chevalier is an elegant, classic claret with notes of blackcurrant, dark cherry, graphite, and cedar.
The Cheese Board: Time to explore. We've included the chalky and... refreshing Finca de Los Locos Rioja from the Artuke brothers and the Sangiovese 'Girapoggio', which has that wonderful Italian 'bite' of savoury freshness.
The Pudding: The grand finale. The Coteaux du Layon 'Les Rouannières' is a stunning sweet Chenin, with notes of crème caramel, and grilled peaches that will sing with the fruit and spice. See? Job done. This is your one-click solution to a perfectly-paired, utterly delicious Christmas.

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  • We offer free nationwide* delivery for all orders over £150 with our own vans. We also offer an express delivery service for an additional charge.
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