Domaine de Bellivière - L'Effraie (sec) 2004

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Clément Nicolas has now fully taken the reins of the estate inherited from his parents, Christine and Eric, and is making the most of the new gravity-fed winery. This estate sets the standard for wines from the Sarthe region, continuing to elevate them to the highest level. Their management of the 15-hectare vineyard, cultivated using organic and biodynamic methods, is impeccable. These distinctive wines are well worth their prices, which range from 20 to 42 euros.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

In the mid-1990s, Éric and Christine Nicolas were the first to take up the long-extinguished torch of Sarthe wines with great panache. With the same sensitivity and rigor, their son Clément joined them at the family estate in Lhomme. Their wines showcase the immense potential of these understated terroirs. The reasons for their success are the same as elsewhere in France: an elite, biodynamic approach to viticulture, and winemaking that is as natural as possible, yet meticulous. The Coteaux-du-Loir Vieilles Vignes Éparses perfectly illustrates the unique, elegantly austere character of these wines, which develop an extraordinary saline quality after a few years in the bottle. Calligramme, made from 70-year-old vines, is another masterpiece, ranging from dry to off-dry depending on the vintage, that every lover of great Loire whites must have in their cellar. With their high level of concentration, the reds from Pineau d’Aunis are among the most accomplished of this variety, though there is a notable exception this year.