Domaine Saint-Nicolas - Les Rives 2021
92/100
Bettane & Desseauve
90/100
Robert Parker
“Fruity and classic!”
With its lovely pale ruby color, Les Rives offers a bouquet of delicate fruity and spicy notes. On the palate, this red wine is refined and crisp, embodying the elegance of the Loire Valley, with freshness and plenty of regional character. A charming and captivating wine! (Wine shipped without a capsule).
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Eye
A beautiful ruby color with violet highlights
Nose
Fruity aromas of blackcurrant and cherry, with subtle smoky notes
Palate
Refreshing and rich, with a beautiful balance between fruitiness and spice
Serve
Between 15 et 17°C
Open
1 hour before
Guard
7 years
Food and wine pairings
Enjoy it with a country-style terrine with porcini mushrooms, Basque-style chicken, or grilled red mullet; or as an aperitif paired with tapenade...
Bettane & Desseauve
Wine rated (2023 guide) 92/100 (2020 vintage)
Rated estate (2024 guide) 3 stars (High-quality production, setting the standard in its sector)
About the estate:
Thierry Michon, ably assisted by his sons Antoine and Mickaël, is a leading figure in the Vendée wine region. A pioneer of biodynamics in the area since 1993, he continues to showcase his 42 hectares of clay, schist, and quartz soils, located on the Atlantic terroir of Brem, in the Pays des Olonnes, nestled between marshes and forests. The oceanic influence lends the wines a unique, briny freshness. This exemplary estate offers a warm and welcoming experience.
Guide des Vins Gault & Millau
4-star rated estate (Very high-quality production)
About the estate:
The Michon family has been growing grapes on the Île d'Olonne since 1960. Their vineyard has gradually expanded and now covers nearly forty hectares. Thierry is the driving force here, and with him there’s no resting on one’s laurels: biodynamic farming has been practiced since 1993 across a wide range of grape varieties (Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc, Négrette, Chenin, Chardonnay, and Grolleau...). It’s as if the entire French wine-growing world had gathered on a small island...
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Wine rated 90/100 (2020 vintage) (An outstanding wine)
Estate rated "Recommended" (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Rated estate (2024 guide) 1*Star (Up-and-coming stars or quality winemakers producing wines of a high standard—you won’t be disappointed when tasting the wines from these estates)
About the estate:
Thierry Michon, supported by his sons, Antoine and Mickaël, runs the only winery of international stature in the Vendée region. On the little-known terroir of Brem, he owns vineyards cultivated entirely using biodynamic methods, though yields have unfortunately been low in recent years. Influenced by the ocean, the vineyard produces whites made from Chenin and Chardonnay (yellow stone fruits with a salty finish), and reds made from long-aged Pinot Noir (Jacques, La Grande Pièce), as well as Gamay, Négrette, and Cabernet Franc. We are enthusiastic about these finely crafted, briny whites, but we have reservations about the reds, which are harshly structured by very advanced ripeness and heavy extraction. The wines are now classified as Vin de France because the Fiefs Vendéens regulations prohibit lieu-dit and single-varietal cuvées. How sad to see this appellation fail to recognize its leading producer!
Customer rating
3/5
based on 2 reviews
Review by Ms. CLAUDINE S. Posted on July 20, 2025
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Review by Mr. ERIC P. Posted on 11/03/2024
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