Domaine du Bel Air

Pierre Gauthier from Domaine du Bel Air is considered one of the pioneers of the Loire Valley and a champion of Bourgueil. The estate has been the flagship estate in Bourgueil since 1979, when Pierre took over his father's lands in their home village, Benais. Pierre was among the first to gravitate towards organic farming as early as 2000 for his 18 hectares of vines.

His winemaking techniques were also considered ahead of their time in the Loire Valley, as he was already introducing long élevage for his Cabernet Franc and natural yeast selections in his winemaking process. In 2016, the baton was handed over to his son Rodolphe, but Pierre remains active in winemaking and vine management.

This family affair is making some of the most exciting wines in the Loire. From the entry-level Jour de Soif to the iconic Clos Nouveau, Domaine du Belair’s Cabernet Franc range perfectly represents the diversity and quality of the Bourgueil terroir. Clos Nouveau is a fairytale story of a vineyard, once an iconic vineyard in Bourgueil, which was unfortunately left abandoned; Pierre jumped at the chance to buy and restore this one-hectare clos in the early 2000s. With similar terroir profiles to a certain Le Bourg from Clos Rougeard, Clos Nouveau has received many accolades from critics and is considered one of the best Cabernet Francs in the world.

Still a dormant beast compared to its neighbour Chinon, the Bourgueil appellation has much going for it and is one to follow closely.