WINE | FRANCE

Jasnières and the Coteaux de la Loir are one of the two least known winegrowing appellations in the Loire Valley, both located north of the Touraine region, along the Loire tributary called, the Loir – not to be confused with the Loire River. Both appellations were nearly wiped up by major frost in 1956, and now only grow 80 hectares of vineyards, miniscule compared the other winegrowing regions of the world. 

In 1995, Eric Nicolas, and his wife Christine founded Domaine De Bellivière, making Chenin Blanc their focus, with a small amount of old-vine Pineau d’Aunis (an indigenous red grape cousin of Chenin), Côt, Cabernet Franc and Gamay. They started with only 3.5 hectares of old vines in Coteaux de Loir, and have slowly acquired a varietal of scattered parcels over 5 villages. Farming now a total of 15 hectares across 65 different small sites between Coteaux and Jasnières. The soils of their vineyards are rich in tuffeau (a soft sedimentary limestone) adding a zesty acidity that are found in the wines. Farming has been organic from the start and are converted to biodynamic in 2011. 

The wines are cellared in a natural cellar carved out of the hillside tuffeau behind their home, giving the cellar a consistent temperature and humidity that is favorable in the growth of native yeast and fermentation that happens all naturally. Eric approaches each vintage with purity and precision, allowing for each vintage to showcase it’s nuances, resulting in Chenin’s that vary from year to year in residual sugar, level of botrytis and concentration. 

Rootstock Selections Offering

Available Now

2018 Les Rosiers (CHENIN BLANC)

2016 Vieilles Vignes Eparses (CHENIN BLANC)

2018 Rouge-Gorge (Pineau D’aunis)

2018 Les Giroflées Rosé Moelleux (Pineau D’aunis)

2018 Raisins Migrateurs  (grenache)

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