Stephane Bernaudeau Les Onglés 2024
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The Land
Les Onglés sits directly across the Layon from Les Nourrissons and looks back at it, and the two parcels could hardly behave more differently. This is roughly two hectares of Chenin Blanc on a southwest-facing hillside of schist, a cooler site than the flat plateau opposite, which in Anjou is not a small distinction: the Layon valley is warm enough that heat, not ripeness, is usually the problem. Schist is dark and fractured, so it absorbs daylight heat and forces roots down through the rock rather than out through topsoil. The vines are around thirty years old, which by Bernaudeau's standards makes this the young parcel of the domaine. He took it on in 2014, and it is the largest single piece of land he farms.
The Wine
100% Chenin Blanc, hand-harvested and whole-bunch pressed on a vertical press, settled briefly in stainless to separate the pressings, then fermented with native yeast in used barrels and left on its lees for around twelve months. Malolactic runs its own course. Bottled without fining or filtration and with almost no sulfur, under the Vin de France designation. 2024 was one of the Loire's most punishing vintages in two decades: rainfall roughly double the annual average, an eight-week soaking through May and June that kept tractors out of the vineyards, and mildew pressure through the summer that forced organic growers into sixteen or more copper and sulfur treatments. Yields collapsed and harvest ran late. The wines that came through are lower in alcohol and higher in tension than recent years, and this one leans hard into that: green apple, grapefruit pith, crushed stone, dried herbs, and a chalky, almost bitter finish. Cooler site, colder vintage, sharper wine.
The People
Stéphane Bernaudeau spent close to twenty years at La Ferme de la Sansonnière as Mark Angeli's right hand before leaving at the end of 2015 to work only his own parcels, though his first bottling dates to 2000. The domaine is barely three hectares total, split into a handful of separate sites, each bottled on its own. The vineyards are farmed biodynamically and worked entirely by horse, and several parcels are still trained in gobelet without wires. He has stopped using the appellation system entirely; every bottle is Vin de France, which is his way of declining to have his wines graded against a template.
Food Pairing
Sharper and leaner than the rest of the range, so it goes toward the sea. Oysters on the half shell with nothing on them, ceviche with lime and chili, grilled sardines, or a goat cheese salad with green apple and walnuts. The acidity and stony bite do the work here; anything creamy will bury it. Serve it properly cold and drink it young if you want the tension, or hold it five years and let the texture fill in.
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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
Chenin Blanc, celebrated for its high acidity and versatility, finds its most iconic expressions in the Loire Valley of France and the sun-drenched vineyards of South Africa. In the Loire Valley, it's the backbone of an array of styles, from vibrant, dry whites to lusciously sweet wines, showcasing the grape's remarkable ability to reflect terroir and respond to winemaking techniques. Meanwhile, South Africa has embraced Chenin Blanc, locally known as Steen, producing wines that range from fresh and fruity to complex and age-worthy, further cementing the grape's global appeal and adaptability.
