Domaine de Bellivière

The appellations of Jasnières and Coteaux du Loir are known almost exclusively to wine-world insiders. Small in size, they are hidden away around fifty kilometers north of Tours, on the slopes of Loir in the Loire basin. Getting there is a form of pilgrimage for oenophiles. Just ask Eric Nicolas. Originally from Paris, Nicolas and his family settled there twenty years ago to become a vigneron—and one with convictions.

The Nicolas family work with thirty plots spread over five communes. They farm and work biodynamically. Also, the vines are plowed, cropped, and harvested manually. The Nicolas’ are seriously hard workers. And they’re equally visionary: they now enjoy a reputation that is inversely proportional to the size of their AOCs. To put it bluntly: the Domaine de Bellivière make fantastic wines.

Bellivière’s chenins are among the most interesting delights of the entire Loire region. There is something infinitely alluring to their minerality and general disposition. Their Vieilles Vignes Éparses and Calligramme must be put in the cellar for several years before being opened.