Brendan Stater-West Saumur Rouge La Ripaille 2023 BFCM21ALL Fornerot's blocks here were planted

Fornerot's blocks here were planted between 1960 and 2000 and have become one of his calling cards - the bottling has won multiple medals from French wine competitions over the years

fermented with native yeasts and raised in concrete

This is old-vine Sonoma Zinfandel as it should be: light on its feet

but it’s also a real electric treat while young

Brendan Stater-West Saumur Rouge La Ripaille 2023 BFCM21ALL Fornerot's blocks here were plantedLa Ripaille is a west facing lieu dit on the Brz hill where 1960s planted Cabernet Franc digs into sandy loam over Turonian limestone. Brendan Stater West, the Oregon born expat now in the direct lineage of Clos Rougeard and Domaine Guiberteau, is only the second grower ever to bottle from this parcel. The wine is fully de stemmed, fermented with indigenous yeast, and built by infusion (no pump overs, no punch downs), then aged a year on lees in