Domaine Nicolas Reau

Nicolas Réau was first introduced to wine by his grandfather at the age of eight when he would sneak him small tasters in secret from his grandmother but Nicolas went on to train as a professional pianist instead of following his love for wine. It was only after seeing an advertisement in a newspaper for a degree in viticulture and oenology that he made the decision to pursue his dream and begin his adventure in wine.
After finishing his studies he took over a 28 hectare estate in the north of the Deux-Sèvres department, not far from Thouars and 30 minutes south of Saumur located at the geological crossroads of the Armorican, Central and Parisian Basins mountain ranges. One of the plots is actually situated on a rift. After three years he decided that to let go of 23 hectares and focus on the remaining five which were the best of the estate and were surrounded by a wall. He chose organic farming and natural winemaking. No to machinery. No to chemicals. No sulphur in reds and only a tiny bit in whites. He practises biodynamics but doesn’t seek certification. Instead he farms conscientiously and aspires to make wines that are clean, distinct and honest. By picking the grapes in a small window (2-3 days) of phenolic ripeness, slightly lower potential alcohol and with minimal intervention in the cellar, the wines express terroir, freshness, natural acidity and individuality.