Anjou Orion Sigma Pierre Ménard 2024

The son of a family of winegrowers in Anjou, Pierre Ménard first undertook agricultural engineering studies before working in vineyards in Portugal (Ramos Pinto), Hungary (Disznókő), New Zealand (Cloudy Bay), and even Canada, finally returning to his home country and settling in Faye d'Anjou in 2013. There, he took over 0.2 hectares of century-old Chenin vines on a very beautiful terroir of green and grey schist, phtanites, quartz, and tufa above the area of Layon, which he only works on evenings and weekends; the rest of the time is devoted to the family vines. Then, over the years, he bought parcels from his family, carefully chosen: a few square metres of Sauvignon Blanc here, some Cabernet Franc there, until reaching a total surface area of 6.5 hectares and settling permanently in 2018.
The vines have been cultivated organically and certified since 2019 and biodynamically (herbal teas, sowing) by this astronomy enthusiast (which explains the name of some vintages, a nod to planets or stars), and the majority of the work is done by hand. This natural approach is also evident in the winery, where the wines ferment for a long time in barrels, thanks to the action of indigenous yeasts. Adept at what he does, Pierre Ménard does not neglect any aspect, designing his own labels, and waxing and numbering each bottle by hand.
He now offers several wines, produced in limited quantities, which are highly successful among a public of discerning enthusiasts.