Christian Venier, Candé sur Beuvron

Christian Venier(to the right in the photo), the man, the myth… well you get it, pretty hard to get hold of. Apart from not caring about phone, email or other things that makes our ’normal world’ function, he makes exceptional wines.

He started in 1995 with 2 hectares, inherited from his parents, and is the 3:d generation in the family to make wine here. Today he has 6 hectares in Cheverny that he’s working hard on to be able to produce the best fruit for the wines.

Before his wine growing career he’s been around the world through his work as a sheep shearer. He got this job through a friend who thought he looked strong while they were picking grapes in Champagne together with Jean-Marie Puzelat (Clos du tue-Boeuf). He was still in his teens and spent 15 years traveling with this profession that took him both to Spain and New Zeeland. During winter he came back to Loire to prune vines and the love of wine made him eventually stop the shearing business and move back to Loire.

He makes mainly Menu Pineau for whites (thank god, there is too little of that grape around), Sauvignon blanc and Chardonnay. For red, Pinot Noir, Gamay and some Cabernet Franc. Everything more or less vinified in stainless steel (just some wood used for some parts of the Pinot Noir) and a few concrete tanks. The wines, so full of nice aromatics, are vibrant, fruity, pure and have a mineral finish.

2021 Haut Madon Blanc

Soil: Clay and silex.
Grape: 60% Menu Pinot & 40% Sauvignon Blanc
Appellation: AOC Cheverny
Age of Vines: Planted 1971.

Vinification: Direct press before fermentation at low temperature, then aged on the lees in stainless steel until bottling in May 2022.

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2021 Les Carteries Blanc

Soil: Clay, sand and silex.
Grape: 70% Sauvignon Blanc & 30% Fié Gris
Appellation: AOC Cheverny
Age of Vines: Planted 2005.

Vinification: Direct press before fermentation at low temperature, then aged on the lees in stainless steel until bottling in May 2022.

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2020 Perrières Blanc

Soil: Clay, limestone and silex.
Grape: Menu Pineau
Appellation: AOC Cheverny
Age of Vines: Planted 1967-1977

Vinification: Direct press before fermenting and then aged for 8 months in stainless steel. Bottled in May 2021.

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2020 Les Perrières en Grès

 Soil: Clay, limestone and silex.
Grape: Menu Pineau
Appellation: AOC Cheverny
Age of Vines: Planted 1967-1977

Vinification: Direct press before fermenting and then aged in amphora until bottling in September 2021.

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2021 Petit Pinot

Soil: Clay, sand and silex.
Grape: Gamay & Pinot Noir
Appellation: AOC Cheverny
Age of Vines: Planted 2011

Vinification: Whole cluster semi-carbonic maceration before press and fermentation at low temperature. Malolactic fermentation took place. Aged in satinless steel tanks on the lees until bottling in May 2022.

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2021 Haut Madon Rouge

Soil: Clay and silex.
Grape: 90% Pinot Noir & 10% Gamay
Appellation: AOC Cheverny
Age of Vines: Planted 2009

Vinification: Whole cluster semi-carbonic maceration before press and fermentation at low temperature. Malolactic fermentation took place. Aged in concrete and fiberglass tanks on the lees until bottling in May 2022.

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