A 75cl bottle of Richard Leroy Les Noels de Montbenault 2015, label and capsule in excellent condition. Bottled at the château. Shipping via UPS. About the estate: Richard Leroy, whose background gave no indication of becoming a winemaker (he has no winemakers in his family and studied economics and worked in banking), was driven by passion—he was, in fact, a member of a wine club in Paris—started his winemaking journey with his wife Sophie in 1996, buying two hectares of Chenin Blanc vines in Rablay-sur-Layon from a farming couple who produced grapes for the local cooperative winery. With these two hectares of vines, he embarked on a radical life change, becoming a new winemaker. He learned the trade on the job and with the help of winemaking friends: Joël and Christine Menard, at Domaine des Sablonnettes. Formerly produced as sweet wines under the Coteaux du Layon appellation and as dry wines under the Anjou appellation, the wines are now produced as Vin de France (VDF) following profound disagreements with the INAO (National Institute of Origin and Quality). Yields are very low, and only the best grapes are selected. The vineyard has been farmed organically from the outset (and certified organic in 2002), and the harvest is done by hand. The amount of sulfur used has been significantly reduced, vintage after vintage. In 2000, the estate was slightly expanded by acquiring 70 ares (0.7 hectares). The estate is fortunate to have some very fine terroirs, notably Clos des Rouliers and Noël de Montbenault. Here, one can perhaps find one of the finest expressions of Chenin Blanc. It's an open secret, in fact, as the wines are now sought after by enthusiasts worldwide. The publication of the graphic novel "Les Ignorants" by Etienne Davodeau in 2011 contributed to this. About the wine: Les Noëls de Montbenault is a saline and precise wine. It's an exceptional Chenin Blanc, perfect for seafood. One of the finest expressions of Chenin Blanc. Starting in 2008, Richard Leroy decided to label this wine as a Vin de Pays (VDP).