Brendan Stater-West Saumur Rouge 2024
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The Land
Saumur's Cabernet Franc grows on the chalky tuffeau limestone soils that define the hill of Brézé and the surrounding communes, producing lighter, more angular reds than the alluvial plains further north in Chinon or Bourgueil. Brendan Stater-West farms a little over half a hectare of Cabernet Franc at a site called La Ripaille on that limestone ground, where thin soils and cool, airy conditions keep the fruit fresh and the alcohol modest. Loire Cabernet Franc at this elevation and on this substrate tends toward iron, wildflowers, and red berry rather than the riper, more extracted styles of warmer climates — which is exactly the point.
The Wine
100% Cabernet Franc from the La Ripaille plot, farmed organically. Infusion-style maceration with indigenous yeasts, aged in stainless steel with no oak and no additions beyond minimal sulfur before bottling. The 2024 Loire vintage brought mildew pressure through a wet growing season, but Saumur was among the better-positioned appellations, and careful sorting produced something precise and lively. Fresh cassis, crushed blackberry, violets, and iron-tinged chalk, with fine-grained tannins and a clean, saline finish. Meant to be drunk sooner rather than later, at a temperature closer to 60°F than 65°F.
The People
Brendan Stater-West is an American from Oregon who moved to France in 2007, learned the craft working in Saumur, and trained under Romain Guiberteau before launching his own small estate in 2015. He bottled his first vintage in 2017. The wines are deliberately minimal: organic farming, infusion-style extraction, stainless steel aging, and an emphasis on freshness over power. He still collaborates with Guiberteau today — a detail that speaks to the seriousness of the work. A small producer worth keeping track of.
Food Pairing
Grilled lamb chops with rosemary, duck rillettes on toast, roasted beets with goat cheese and walnuts, or a good cheeseburger with mustard. Serve cool. This is not a cellar wine — open it while the fruit is alive.
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Weather shipping advisory: Orders placed during times of extreme heat or extreme cold will be held for no charge until more favorable weather returns.
The Loire Valley, often referred to as the "Garden of France," is a revered wine region that stretches along the Loire River, producing an array of distinct wines, including the crisp, sea-breeze influenced Muscadet near the Atlantic coast, the versatile and expressive Chenin Blanc in regions like Vouvray and Anjou, the elegantly fragrant Cabernet Franc from Chinon and Bourgueil, and the minerally complex Sauvignon Blanc-based Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé from its eastern vineyards. This is a reflection of the valley's varied terroir and climate, which together foster the creation of wines that are celebrated for their finesse, diversity, and food-friendliness.
Loire Valley
Cabernet Franc is a black-skinned grape variety primarily known for its contribution to the complex, savory bouquets of Bordeaux blends, and it thrives as a varietal wine in the Loire Valley, France. It often presents a lighter body with floral and herbaceous notes, complemented by a distinctively crisp acidity and a texture that speaks to its Loire Valley terroir, where the moderate climate and diverse soils amplify its elegance and aromatic complexity.
