Maïté and Warren are among those who left everything behind for new projects, closely connected to life.

In Paris, Maïté worked in public relations in the artistic field, while Warren was in consulting. Their love for natural wine grew through tastings and encounters.

In 2016, Warren embarked on viticulture and oenology studies. Initially, not necessarily with the goal of becoming a winemaker, the project matured through his internships and connections.

He trained with Aymeric and Mélanie from the Mélaric estate in Saumur, and later with Thierry Germain from the Les Roches Neuves estate.

In 2018, an opportunity arose: vineyards from Joël Ménard of Les Sablonettes estate in Rablay-sur-Layon were for sale. These vineyards, cultivated in organic agriculture for over ten years, were on schist soils. Thus, Les Errances (meaning wandering) domain was born.

Among the grape varieties are mostly Chenin, along with Grolleau, Grolleau Gris, and Pineau d'Aunis.

What inspired you to become winemakers?
We mainly wanted to change our lives and leave Paris to pursue a profession connected with nature. We were also wine enthusiasts. We were quickly charmed by vineyard work, and many encounters during our travels in the Loire region convinced us to take the leap.

How did you choose the name of your estate? And that of your cuvées?
"Errance" is the title of a book by the photographer Raymond Depardon whom I (Maïté) had the chance to meet numerous times during my years at the Fondation Cartier as a press officer. In 2018, we started making wine with grapes we bought and created "Errances" in reference to our travels and encounters with winemakers who made this trading project possible. Then in 2019, we found a cellar and vineyards and kept this name for the estate.

What is your estate's favorite cuvée?
We really like "Quand Fond la Neige" 2019 and 2021, years of frost that brought a beautiful tension to these two vintages.

What is your favorite wine color (red, white, orange, rosé)?
We have no preference and do not choose wines based on their color. Each color has its own specificities.

What is your favorite grape variety in general?
We particularly like Chenin. It's one of the reasons why we decided to settle in the Loire.

How do you know the wine you're drinking is good?
It's a holistic experience, ultimately quite subjective. We love natural wines but also appreciate wines with a sense of place. Sometimes it takes years for a vintage to reach its potential.

What is the most memorable bottle of wine you have ever drunk? With whom did you drink it? It's too hard to answer ;)

What are your favorite restaurants/wine bars near you?
We are just a short distance from the city of Angers (30 minutes). We recommend the restaurant Fricot, run by two wonderful friends, Louisa and Margot, with a great wine list. The bar/cellar Chaussette also has very nice references in Angers. And the Cercle Rouge has been recently taken over and we really enjoy going there. Otherwise, the Canon Canon bar in Rochefort sur Loire is always a good idea.

What work by a winemaker do you currently appreciate? What should one drink right now? It's too hard to answer, there are so many.

How do you decide on the optimal time for bottling your wines?
The schedule is drawn up based on aging or not. We have roughly two main periods: bottling in spring, and at the end of the year for wines with longer aging. We choose the days according to the lunar calendar.

What are your future plans and experiments planned for your estate?
We are committed to developing biodiversity in our vineyards. Since grape cultivation is a monoculture, every year we try to develop various projects: planting hedges and trees, setting up nesting boxes for wild bees and birds, creating ponds, eco-grazing in winter with a roaming shepherd. We are fortunate to be particularly well supported by the LPO and the Cab Pays de la Loire. In addition to that, we would love to organize an Open House day with a dinner in the evening prepared by a chef we appreciate.