Jérôme Lambert tends a few hectares near Rablay sur Layon, in one of Anjou’s storied and much sought bits of land.

A local through and through, Jérôme did not come from a winemaking family. His relationship with wine developed naturally. As a teenager, he would gather leftover grapes, stomp them underfoot, and watch as the juice slowly fermented. For more than ten years, he farmed less than a hectare, guided largely by instinct and the occasional advice of neighbors such as Richard Leroy.

Today, Jérôme farms four and a half hectares spread across small parcels in Thouarcé, Faye d’Anjou, Rablay sur Layon, and Champ sur Layon. He has worked organically from the beginning and has been making wine without additions for decades.

He is best known for achingly pure Chenin Blanc from old vines rooted in schist soils. These wines are taut and focused, offering a precise expression of place and rewarding those who allow them time in the cellar