Bodet-Herold, Aerlinn (sparkling rosé)

Bodet-Herold, Aerlinn

Grolleau

Loire Valley, France

“Etienne Bodet is a native of the Saumur region, where his family owns a domaine in Montreuil-Bellay. He trained with Sylvain Pataille, Aurélien Gerbais, Bernard Baudry, François Dal, Romain Guiberteau (who is also his stepfather), and he is currently one of the winemakers at Clos Rougeard.

In parallel to Maison Bodet-Herold, the sparkling wine project he founded with his wife Kim Herold, Etienne took over the 1.3 ha Clos Durandière from his family, with Cabernet Franc planted on some of the only hard Jurassic limestone found in the Saumur appellation that otherwise lies almost entirely on the soft Cretaceous limestone known as tuffeau.

His first release, 2020, is extraordinarily compelling. The gorgeous nose mixes potpourri, banana bread, the lavender and noble vegetal of whole clusters, and a cornucopia of other things, mostly savory. The fluid yet geometric palate is driven by bright acidity, powdery, fine-grained tannins, and the mineral cut of his terroir’s hard limestone.” -Becky Wasserman