Terra Vita Vinum

Located just south of Angers in Mozé-sur-Louet, the Anjou Noir part of Anjou-Saumur, Terra Vita Vinum boasts 30 hectares of vineyards planted on dark schist and granite soils. Bénédicte Petit and Luc Briand took over the estate from the Richou family in 2019, from which point their sole focus was to make some of the most terroir-expressive Chenin Blanc wines.

All farmed biodynamically (Demeter certified), Terra Vita Vinum’s philosophy is low interventionist winemaking to allow the vineyards to speak for themselves. “We do everything possible to produce terroir wines with the greatest transparency to deliver unique emotions.” Only natural yeast found on the grapes are used for fermentation, conducted in many different types of vessels ranging from demi-muid, concrete egg, and amphorae. Very little use of SO2 and no filtering or fining completes the winemaking. Their top cuvées are only released three years after harvest, half of this time spent maturing in the bottle.

The estate has three ranges of cuvées intertwined with many grape varieties ranging from age-worthy Chenin Blanc to Grolleau, Gamay, Savagnin, Cabernet Franc, and others. Their Selections Parcellaires range is the focus today, with Chenin Blanc being their flagship varietal expressed through five different cuvées – Bigottière (Savennières AOC), Grandes Rogeries, Pavillon, Le Réau, and Grand Vau, all four in Anjou Blanc AOC. Cabernet Franc and Gamay are the stars for their red cuvées. It is a young project that already has a cult following and is becoming a favourite for sommeliers worldwide.

Vin de France

Vin de France is a wine classification in France that was introduced in 2010 to replace the former Vin de Table category. It represents a more flexible and modern approach to French wine production, offering winemakers greater freedom in terms of grape sourcing, blending, and winemaking techniques.

Unlike wines with controlled appellations such as AOC Alsace or Vin de Pays, which are tied to specific regions within France, Vin de France wines can be sourced from grapes grown anywhere in the country. This gives winemakers the freedom to experiment with grapes from different regions, allowing for greater creativity and innovation.

Winemakers can blend grape varieties from different regions or even different countries to create unique flavour profiles. This flexibility enables the production of a wide range of wine styles, from traditional varietal wines to innovative blends.

While Vin de France wines offer greater flexibility in production, they still must adhere to certain labelling requirements. The label must include the designation "Vin de France," along with the producer's name and the volume of alcohol. Additional information such as grape variety, vintage, and specific geographical origin may also be included on the label.

Vin de France wines may not have the prestige or strict regulations of wines from controlled appellations. However, they can still offer excellent quality and value. Many producers use Vin de France as a platform for experimentation and innovation, resulting in a diverse range of wines that cater to various tastes and preferences.

Vin de France wines are often positioned as versatile, everyday wines that are accessible and easy to understand. They can offer a good balance between quality and affordability, making them popular choices for everyday consumption.

Cabernet Franc

Cabernet Franc is widely planted in Bordeaux and is the most important black grape grown in the Loire. In the Médoc, it may constitute up to 15% of a typical vineyard – it is always blended with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot and is used to add bouquet and complexity to the wines. It is more widely used in St Émilion, where it adapts well to the cooler and moister clay soils.

Cabernet Franc thrives in the Loire, where the cooler growing conditions serve to accentuate the grape’s herbaceous, grassy, lead pencil aromas. The best wines come from the tuffeaux limestone slopes of Chinon and Bourgueil.