Brendan Stater-West Saumur Rouge La Ripaille, Loire, France 2020
Brendan Stater-West is an American-born winemaker (from Eugene, Oregon) who has become one of the most exciting young names in the Loire Valley, Saumur—especially for Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc from top limestone sites like Brézé and La Ripaille. He didn’t come from a wine family. Brendan moved to France initially to teach English, then had a “lightbulb moment” after tasting the wines of Domaine Guiberteau in Paris. That experience pushed him to relocate to Saumur, where he essentially pursued Romain Guiberteau until he became his apprentice and assistant winemaker.
Saumur Rouge “La Ripaille” 2020 is one of the most exciting modern expressions of Loire Cabernet Franc—crafted by a young American winemaker who has quickly become part of Saumur’s new elite. His wines are known for their purity, precision, and limestone-driven intensity.
La Ripaille comes from a prized parcel in Breze, one of Saumur’s greatest terroirs, planted on limestone-rich soils that give the wine its structure and lift. It’s a strict selection of older vines, fermented with a gentle, infusion-style extraction and aged in neutral barrels to preserve finesse rather than weight.
