Clos des PLANTES

After 10 years as a salaried employee in South East Asia, Olivier changed his life to study viticulture at the University of Auckland in New Zealand. After graduating, he went to work at New Zealand's famous Winery , Felton Road. Felton Road is located in Central Otago, New Zealand, the world's most southerly wine-growing region. Since its first vintage in 1997, Felton Road has earned a formidable reputation worldwide, with praise from leading wine critics. Biodynamically grown with minimal intervention in the cellar, the wines capture the essence of the sites and express their unique personality.

Olivier Lejeune returned to France in March 2017 (with wife and child!) with the ambition of taking over vineyards. Meeting Mark Angeli was a trigger and also a great opportunity to learn how to make natural, input-free wines in a terroir as rich as Anjou.

After visiting several vineyards, Olivier was able to take over plots ideally situated on the Montbenault hill, bordering Richard Leroy's plot. In fact, it's Richard who testifies to the colossal task Olivier Lejeune undertook to breathe new life into vines that were almost fallow. 1 year of pickaxes, manual weeding, uprooting...but the result is there.

The vines are full of life and Poësis, his 1st cuvée of chenin, was an immediate success, proof of a winemaker who has mastered his art. To this 1st cuvée have been added Pelo (cabernet franc) and WakaPiripiri, another chenin cuvée. These wines are already of the highest quality.

An endearing winemaker to keep an eye on!