Loire
VINCENT BERGERON
Before becoming a Montlouis winegrower, Vincent was a child from the Loire, who grew up in the Loir-et-Cher and who always lived and grew up within sight of this river. Today and for several years, it is in Husseau, in the heart of the Montlouis-sur-Loire appellation, that Vincent, Christine and their children have settled down. However, before arriving there, the road was long... The experiences were diverse and varied before the arrival of Vincent in the wine world at Frantz Saumon for the 2012 harvest.
For 5 years, Vincent will accumulate experiences and refine without knowledge, until the acquisition of his first plots in 2017. In 2021 Vincent doubles his surface to reach a size of 3.5 hectares, which means more work but also more pleasure for our taste buds.
NICOLAS RENARD
Nicolas Renard is a special being: complex, passionate, exciting and always up and down the hills.
He returns to the N.F.O. (National Forestry Organization) as a conscientious objector then left a few years later with a passion for plants and the desire to observe and work with them throughout the seasons.
He began growing vines in his native region, Sarthe. From the old school, combining self-teaching as well as advice from elders, Nicolas became familiar and became familiar with Chenin.
A great adventurer, he moved from the Loir to the Loire and vinified among others at Clos Baudouin (at Prince Poniatowki), then at Domaine Lemaire-Fournier, and thus participated in vinifying among the greatest wines of these two historic houses.
After this Loire period, Nicolas left for Ardèche in Saint-Péray and developed a passion for Chardonnay before finally returning to settle a few meters from the Loire in Amboise.
With always the same energy and ethics, Nicolas today cultivates vines (Chenin and Chardonnay) on both sides of the Loire, in Rochecorbon (AOC Vouvray area) as well as in Saint-Martin-le-Beau on Montlouisian lands. At the harvest and then in the cellar, a point of honor is always given to the picking of beautiful, very ripe grapes which will be transformed into wine after a few years of long aging (without input obviously).
CHATEAU DE LA BONNELIÈRE
It is Pierre, the father of Marc who acquires this magnificent estate in La Roche Clermault on the left bank of the Vienne River in 1976. Pierre replants the vineyard and revives the wine history at Château de la Bonnelière. From the banking sector, Marc began a reconversion and took over the estate in 1999. The evolution towards the organic farming starts at his arrival. Today, Marc grows the vines on a surface of 30 hectares with a typical panel f rapes varieties from the “lands of Francois Rabelais” with Cabernet Franc, Chenin and Sauvignon Blanc
JULIEN PREVEL
Julien Prével is a figure we could talk about for hours! An atypical journey that begins in Brittany in Saint-Brieuc where he was born. Then, he will gradually approach the Loire to land in Montlouis-sur-Loire, and thus move from the status of future history professor to the life of a winemaker.
In 2010, Julien began his wine apprenticeship at the Amboise wine high school, like many new Loire winegrowers. During this training, he will complete his internship at Frantz Saumon in Montlouis-sur-Loire. Frantz will train this young thirty-year-old and also help him in his desire to settle down. “Juju” will therefore vinify its first bottles in a “very artisanal” way in 2012 before really settling in in 2013 at the Moulin Rouge, the former cellar of the late Stéphane Cossais.
Since then, the most Punk of Montlousians has continued on his path, always cultivating the same ethics of organic viticulture and natural winemaking (oh, never any inputs).
So, Julien vinifies everything he can get his hands on: white, red, rosé, bubbles, piquette, Elderberry, Vinosureau... The results are the most unique and confusing drinks that never leave you indifferent.
DOMAINE MIKAEL BOUGES
Mikael is in his early 40’s and took over the 7 ha from his parents 15 years ago. The vineyard is almost one single plot in a rounded hilltop and two « clos » on the Northern aspect of the hill. Mikael produces mainly Côt and Sauvignon also a little bit of Chenin exclusively using organic methods.
DOMAINE DES BÉGUINERIES
This vineyard is located in the village of Saint Louans in the heart of the appellation Chinon. The estate is 29 acres of vine overlooking the Vienne River with 27 acres of Cabernet Franc and 2 acres of Chenin Blanc. The Pelletier family has been producing wines for several generations. Jean Christophe started working at the family domain as soon as 1979 and became a cellar master between 1987 to 2001. After this experience, in 1995 Jean Christophe acquired his own vineyard which became Domaine des Béguineries. Over the years, concerned and thoughtful about producing authentic and unique wines, Jean Christophe has seen the importance and the effect of running his vineyard under organic farming method. Then in 2009 he decided for the Environment, the consumers, his wines and himself to convert his entire vineyard throughout the organic european standard.
DOMAINE DÉSORMIÈRE
Family estate was created in 1974 by Michel & Marie-Jo. There sons, Éric et Thierry join the adventure in 1996 and brought with them there youth and new eye on viticulture and winemaking. Today, the estate is 16 ha where Gamay, Chardonnay are expressing them into delicate wines.
DOMAINE DE BABLUT
Christophe is the perfect gentleman farmer ! Based in the village of Brissac-Quincé, at the edge of the Anjou white and Anjou Noir, Christophe is a humble and spirited man producing wine with a strong terroir print.
DOMAINE DES GUYONS
Frank Bimont’s family has been producing wines since 1634 ! With his oenologist background, Franck took over the 16ha in 2006. Like him, his wines are delicate, generous and upright. Indeed, his philosophy pushes him to produce very clean wines always with tension and finesse.
DOMAINE BENOIT MERIAS
After 10 years teaching grade-schoolers, Benoît changed careers and in 2000 went to study the Lycée Viticole d’Amboise where he fell in love with the Chenin grape. Benoît later earned his stripes at Domaine de la Taille aux Loups in Montlouis before taking over 6 ha of Chenin (bet. 40 to 60 years old) in Saint Martin le Beau. At Benoît’s, different soils mean different cuvées; from sand to siliceous, siliceous to flint on clay bedrock soil his wines are always sharp and mineral.
DOMAINE DU PETIT BONDIEU
At Domaine du Petit Bondieu, the Pichet family have been producing wines since 1976. Jean-Marc started and was succeeded by Thomas in 1995. 18 hectars of Cabernet Franc organically since 2010 and only one appellation: Bourgueil. The vines are from 20 to 80 years old and planted on: • Gravel • Tuffeau stone • Clay-linestone. 2017 Hachette: Grower of the year
DOMAINE PIERRE CHAUVIN
Paul-Eric is the 5th generation winemaker in the family estate created in the middle of the 19th century. Located in the heart of the Black Anjou, in the small village of Rablay-sur-Layon on the bank of the Layon River, the vineyard covers 9.3 hectares. The vines of Paul-Eric are located on soils of the Armorican Basin composed mainly of clays and schists with also gravels and sands. Here, the local grape varieties are highlighted: the Chenin reigns on almost 6 hectares and makes from dry white wines to botrytized and sparkling wines. The reds and rosés are produced with Cabernet Franc (2,6 ha), Grolleau (0,5 ha) and Cabernet Sauvignon (0,3 ha). All these grapes have been cultivated since 2005 thanks to a biological (and biodynamic) approach that is applied to the vines as well as to the cellar. Indeed, Paul-Eric tends to always limit the inputs to produce, when nature allows “natural wines” without any inputs.
DOMAINE LANDRON CHARTIER
Located in the North-East of Nantes, on the right bank of the Loire River, Bernard and Françoise were the second generation of winegrowers into the Landron family. Today, Benoit represent the third generation! Humble, delicate and with strong values, Benoit took over and produces a new style of wine; organic +. ….Indeed concerned to go further into a purer wines Benoit is very close to the natural wine movement. The domaine is still spread onto 32 hectare of wines into the appellation Muscadet Coteaux de la Loire for the whites et Coteaux d’Ancenis for the reds. Melon de Bourgogne, Gamay (a jus blanc or de bouze), Folle Blanche and even Malvoisie and Pinot Gris are vinified in a natural way at the domaine.
CHATEAU DE LA ROCHE EN LOIRE
After a career in the communication sector in Paris, Louis-Jean buys this magnificent estate in 2002. With a sumptuous 16th century manor, the estate has 35 ha of land bordered by the forest of Chinon and located in the village of Azay-le-Rideau. The estate dates back to 1580 and some even say that the estate’s wines were served at the court of Versailles and Paris … This long history and tradition, Louis-Jean wishes to cultivate it. This is why the polyculture and Rudolph Steiner’s vision for Biodynamics is applied at the domain; 6 hectares of vines only to give way to the culture of fruit trees (pears and apples), wheat and even livestock. The vineyards of Chenin (4ha), Grolleau (1ha), Côt (0.5ha) and Cabernet Franc (0.5ha) are between 10 and 80 years old and they enjoy magnificent brown or red clay soils with flint and also sand. In the end, Louis-Jean produces micro-cuvées of precise and singular wines with often big potential of guard.
CHATEAU DE VEILLOUX
The family is originally from Brittany and has settled in Fougères-sur-Bièvres since the 16th century. Pierre Quenioux bought the estate in 1789, then a few generations will pass before the arrival of Michel in 1975. On this date, Michel begins to work with his father, and he already decides to stop using chemicals! In 1984 Michel definitively replaced his father, and the estate became certified organic with the beginnings of biodynamic practice.
The estate has no less than 23 ha of vines as well as 140 ha of cereals. To take care of these cultures, no less than 8 people are needed! On the vine side, the grape varieties are typical of the area with Sauvignon (10 ha), Orbois (3.80 ha) (the largest producer in the world!), Chardonnay (1.65 ha), Romorantin (2.7 ares) , Pinot noir (4.5 ha), Gamay (2.2 ha), Côt (1 ha).
DOMAINE PERRAULT JADAUD
Domaine Perrault-Jadaud was born from the meeting in 2009 at the Lycée Viticole d'Amboise of a Tourangelle, oenologist who returned to her roots after 10 years of experience in the south of France and became professor of oenology, Anne-Cécile Jadaud, and a Breton philosophy student converted to viticulture for a decade and viticulture trainer, Tanguy Perrault.
It was in a small valley in the commune of Chançay (AOC Vouvray) that the couple settled in 2010. Their installation lasted 10 years, as plots were taken over. Today, the couple pampers the Chenin on 8 hectares, cultivated in organic farming. He in the vineyard and she in the cellar, the strength of this couple is their complementarity and their mutual respect.
ANNE-CÉCILE JADAUD
It is the desire to produce her own wines, and in particular reds, from which germinated the project to carry out a qualitative trade in grapes. A nice addition to the range already produced with Tanguy Perrault from the Perrault Jadaud estate (Vouvray). Due to his convictions and the work already done at the estate, the choice to buy grapes naturally fell on organic production. Anne-Cécile works in partnership with local organic winegrowers, and in particular with Julien Moreau (Francueil-41) with the guarantee of finding the same plots each year to vinify her cuvées.
LES VINS DE LA MADONE
It was in 1997 that Gilles returned to Champdieu, his native village. In the extreme south of the Loire Valley, in the Côtes du Forez, it is parallel to his commercial activity that he will start his winemaking activity. Gilles begins by renting a few vines then the finger is in the gears..
The road will be long before arriving at this surface of 11ha; organic farming certification in 2001 then biodynamic in 2004, including the construction of a cellar…
Today the passion and projects are always more beautiful and the desire to produce good wines always greater.
DOMAINE DE LA ROULETIÈRE
The Gilet dynasty has reigned over the Domaine de la Rouletière for more than ten generations. Jean-Marc was born in 1980, and since 2003 he has been at the helm of this charming estate. Today, this experienced winemaker manages the estate in the same way as his ancestors: as a family. Accompanied by his wife Theodora and his young children; Constance, Camille and Louis, the estate has no less than 26.6 hectares cultivated organically since 2013. Jean-Marc and Théodora like wines that keep freshness and vivacity, and it is with great humility and a lot of generosity that they practice each year to produce wines tattooed with an identity with the imprint of the vintage.
DOMAINE VALLÉE MORAY
It was in Montlouis-sur-Loire that Hervé and his family settled in the early 2000s. Born in Charente at the end of the 1960s, Hervé made a career as a meteorologist/researcher before moving from the sky to the Earth.
Hervé will roll his bump as an autodidact. Gradually learn the basics, the right gestures, and finally a job and thus develop your own philosophy and sensitivity.
In 2016, Hervé made his first vinification on 4.5ha, with mainly old vines (for an average age of 60-70 years). Chenin takes the lion's share of this grape variety (3.2ha) then there are the grapes for red wines with 1ha of Pinot Noir and 30 ares of Gamay. In the vineyard as in the cellar, great care is given to the grapes and then to the juices. …We must not suddenly let time and nature act.