Etienne Bodet hails from the Saumur region where his family owns a domaine in Montreuil-Bellay. He has undergone training under the guidance of experienced winemakers such as Sylvain Pataille, Aurélien Gerbais, Bernard Baudry, François Dal, and Romain Guiberteau (who is his stepfather) and is currently one of the winemakers at Clos Rougeard.

Apart from his work with Maison Bodet-Herold, a sparkling wine project he founded with his wife Kim Herold, Etienne has taken over the 1.3 hectares of land in Clos Durandière from his family. Cabernet Franc is grown on this land, which is characterized by hard Jurassic limestone - a rarity in the Saumur appellation that is primarily known for the soft Cretaceous limestone called tuffeau.

The wine-making process at Clos Durandière involves fermenting the wine with ambient yeast and no added SO2. Partial whole cluster inclusion (up to 35%) is used, and there are no punch-downs or pump-overs. La Durandière is aged for two years in barrels, with 5% new oak in 2020 and the remainder coming from the used barrels of the Le Bourg cuvée from Clos Rougeard, followed by 6 months in vats and another 6 months in bottles.

The resulting wine is complex and layered, with each breath of air bringing out new characteristics. It is dark and brooding, with texture but svelte. The wine is powerful yet refined, with powdery tannins. It has defining notes of black pepper, lavender, wet soil, and a rocky mineral edge. An impressive and compelling wine.

Grape: Cabernet Franc

Viticulture: organically and biodynamically pursing certification

Soil: hard Jurassic limestone