2020 Domaine de Bellivière Coteaux du Loir L'Effraie

WINEMAKER: Christine, Clément & Eric Nicolas
REGION: Loire Valley, FR
VARIETAL: Chenin Blanc
VITICULTURE: Organic/Biodynamic

L`Effraie or "the owl”--in reference to local vineyard inhabitants--is a Coteaux du Loir from 11 Bellivière parcels scattered across 3.5 hectares and two villages. The gobelet-pruned vines range from 10 to 30 years old and are planted on flinty clay soils over tuffeau with pebbles and sand to varying degrees. They are farmed biodynamically and tended and harvested by hand. The bunches are pressed and barrel-fermented with native yeasts and without sulfur; fermentation stops naturally in the cold cellar, always leaving some residual sugar. Each parcel is vinified separately. The wines are aged on their fine lees in mainly used barrels for a year and then blended. The final wine is bottled with a light filtration and with a minute dose of sulfur.

"With less exposure to the south, the aromatics are slightly reductive at the moment with a pear-skin character emerging and distinct salinity, cool and reticent. The palate follows this aromatic cue, showing an incisive structure, with reserved, confit lemon, grapefruit, quince and green tea notes laced with minerals and charged with a thrilling acid freshness and quite electric finish. Simply beautiful. This 2020 finished with 16 grams/liter of residual sugar." - Andrew Guard

All vineyard treatments are organic, careful plowing is done to protect soil fauna and minimal organic composts are applied. New plantings are by massale-selection from their old vines, vinifications are in barrel with wild yeasts, and their new cuverie permits all handling of the grapes and wine by gravity without pumping. Bellivière wines are made in a very natural manner but are meticulous and fine. The cellar is carved out of the hillside tuffeau and maintains consistent temperature and humidity (thus there is zero temperature control of any kind).