Mai & Kenji Hodgson

The History of Domaine Mai & Kenji Hodgson

Nothing seemed to point this Canadian-Japanese couple toward becoming winemakers in Anjou. Kenji Hodgson first trained in Japan, at a small estate where he discovered natural wine, then returned to Canada to work at a larger operation, still unable to realize his dream of growing his own vines. In 2009, Mai and Kenji left Vancouver for France with working-holiday visas in hand and one question on their minds: why are French wines so good?

They went looking for the answer in the vineyards. They worked the harvest with Mark Angeli, a pioneer of biodynamics in Anjou, and then with Benoît Courault. These two formative experiences convinced them that organic farming was the very least they should practice. In 2010, the couple acquired their first hectare of chenin, grolleau and cabernet franc in Faye-d’Anjou, then added three more hectares in 2011, including an exceptional parcel called Clos des Grands Champs. They set up their cellar in the heart of Rablay-sur-Layon, right next to their home. Fifteen years later, their cuvées have become benchmarks for Anjou natural wine, and their neighbors include Richard Leroy and some of the region’s most accomplished winemakers.

Terroirs and Vineyards of Domaine Mai & Kenji Hodgson

The vineyard covers around four hectares across Rablay-sur-Layon and Faye-d’Anjou, two historic communes of the Coteaux du Layon. Its geological diversity is remarkable: Anjou Noir schist, sandstone, clayey sand, veins of quartz and, above all, spilite—the volcanic rock that makes up the soil of Clos des Grands Champs and recalls that of the nearby, celebrated Noëls de Montbenault. Each soil type leaves its mark on the chenin, from saline tension and mineral depth to vibrant energy.

Chenin blanc dominates the plantings, with parcels of old vines often more than forty years of age alongside younger vines. Cabernet franc and grolleau noir occupy the remaining area. All vineyard work is done as naturally as possible: no synthetic chemicals, cultivated soils, careful pruning, low yields and entirely manual harvesting, with grapes sorted in the vineyard. Mai and Kenji are devoted to grape quality, convinced that wine is made in the vineyard long before it reaches the cellar. One look at their thriving, balanced parcels is enough to understand the energy later found in the bottles.

Winemaking at Domaine Mai & Kenji Hodgson

In the cellar next to their home in Rablay-sur-Layon, they follow a deliberate hands-off approach. Fermentation starts spontaneously with indigenous yeasts alone, without added yeast, enzymes, chaptalization or any other winemaking additives. The whites are pressed slowly, the reds ferment in tanks with very little extraction, and the juice is handled as little as possible.

The wines are aged in used oak barrels and large casks for anywhere from twelve months to two years, depending on the cuvée, often on fine lees to develop texture and complexity. There is no fining or filtration, and sulfur additions are kept to the bare minimum—or omitted entirely for certain cuvées—which demands impeccable hygiene and great patience. The result is wine that remains an expression of pure grapes: precise and alive, mineral and saline, never showy. The wines almost always benefit from decanting and have far more aging potential than their apparent lightness suggests.

The Cuvées of Domaine Mai & Kenji Hodgson

Faïa is the estate’s signature dry chenin and often the best introduction to Mai and Kenji’s wines. Aged in barrels, it opens with delicate aromas of quince, linden blossom, cut hay and white flowers, followed by a palate of great purity, both textured and taut, with fine acidity and a saline finish. Its precision and drinkability make it an ideal match for fine fish, lobster, chicken in cream sauce or aged goat cheese.

Les Aussigouins is the estate’s flagship chenin, from the renowned schist terroir of Montbenault in Faye-d’Anjou. Its roughly forty-year-old vines grow right beside some of the area’s most celebrated parcels. The cuvée is aged for two years, generally twelve months in barrels followed by twelve months in a large cask, most often without added sulfur. Its remarkably precise nose goes well beyond quince and honey: yellow nectarine, white peach, pear, mirabelle plum and white flowers play off a finely etched mineral backbone. Complex and radiant on the palate, this wine confirms its status as an iconic cuvée built for long aging.

Clos des Grands Champs is the estate’s most distinctive parcel. Acquired in 2011, its volcanic spilite soil recalls the finest terroirs of Anjou Blanc. Chenin produces a dense, profound wine here, with an almost smoky minerality, ripe yellow fruit, floral notes and pronounced salinity. Vinified and aged like the estate’s other cuvées, without the slightest artifice, it perfectly embodies Mai and Kenji’s ambition: to let the rock speak through the grapes.

Mont Jeunes Vignes comes from the estate’s young chenin vines and is intended as the most immediately approachable cuvée in the range. Made with minimal intervention and aged for a shorter period, it emphasizes crisp fruit, citrus and flowers, with a fresh, easy-drinking, lightly saline palate. An enjoyable white to drink young with shellfish, a salad or a charcuterie board.

O Galarneau is the estate’s principal red, a pure cabernet franc blended from several parcels. It ferments naturally in tanks without heavy extraction, then ages for about twelve months. The wine charms with its balance of generous fruit and freshness: vibrant red fruit, raspberry and red currant, silky tannins, and a characteristic spicy note on the finish. Serve lightly chilled with poultry, grilled meats or vegetable dishes.

La Grande Pièce showcases grolleau noir, an Anjou grape long overlooked and beautifully revived here. Made entirely from grolleau noir and aged in barrels, it offers a bright color, aromas of fresh red fruit and gentle spice, and a fresh palate with fine tannins and a pronounced mineral character. A delicate, wonderfully easy-drinking red, perfect with fine charcuterie, grilled fish or summer dishes.