QUARTS DE CHAUME

René Papin is the third generation of this organically-farmed estate, having taken over from his father Claude. The estate now includes the Roche aux Moines, Clos Le Grand Beaupréau and Clos de Coulaine in Savennieres, as well as sites in Coteaux de Layon and Quarts de Chaume

The family describe their farming methods, which go beyond simple organics, as 'conservation agriculture' - the vineyards are grassed over and worked as little as possible to preserve and encourage microbial life. The estate's Japanese agronomist, Masanobu Fukuoka, also believes straw is good for the soil structure.

The valley of the Layon brings mists in the late autumn which favour the development of botrytis for the famous Chenin Blanc sweet wines. The Papins like to focus on getting the ripest and most botrytised grapes possible by harvesting non-stop for two months for the sweet wines, only taking the rot-affected grapes on each of several passes down each row of vines. For the dry wines they are looking for fully mature polyphenols and thin mature skins to add complexity and a pure intensity. The labour intensive processes continue in the winery, in prolonging the fermentations for as long as possible to achieve the greatest polymerisation of the polyphenols and greatest purity and freshness of expression in the wines. René has added larger foudres as well as some amphorae to futher refine the ageing process.