Anjou Blanc Les Zersilles
At a Glance
- Variety: Chenin Blanc
- Size: 1.24 ha (3.06 ac)
- Vine Age: Planted in 1970
- Terroir: From the Zersilles lieu-dit, east-facing. Shallow soil of shale and sandstone over Carboniferous coal bedrock.
- Viticulture: Certified organic (Ecocert, 2005), certified biodyverse (LPO), only copper-sulfur treatments, horse plowed since 2019.
- Vinification: Gently pressed, cold settled for 24 hours. Ambient yeast fermentation and aging in used barrels with no added SO2. Full malolactic fermentation, blended in tank for a few months. Minimal SO2 added before bottling.
Additional Info
Ronceray is not a lieu-dit. It is a name that growers who have vineyards on the hill of Chaume have come up with to say, “This is a dry wine from the hill of Chaume.” Indeed, in the Layon, the name Chaume cannot be used for dry wines because it is reserved for the sweet wines produced on the hill: 1er Cru Chaume and Grand Cru Quarts de Chaume. The growers hope that Ronceray will eventually become an appellation. The name is an homage to the nuns of the Abbaye du Ronceray who owned the vineyards on the hill in the 11th century. The abbey is located in Angers.