The Wines of Marie-Lise & Thomas Batardiere
We first met Thomas Batardiere in 2014, shortly after he released his first wines. A native of Angers, Thomas is not from a wine-making family, but he became fascinated with natural wines and pursued a career in wine after studying anthropology and film-making. After spending several years working with Mathieu Vallée at Château Yvonne (Saumur), Thomas started his own project in 2012, with 2 hectares of vines, and a shack on the side of the road in Rablay-sur-Layon. Mostly working with Chenin Blanc, Thomas slowly added to his holdings, planting some vines while learning about different sites in the area from fellow winemakers, including his neighbor Richard Leroy. His partner, Marie-Lise helps out with many of the responsibilities at the winery, and the two are some of the sweetest people you'll meet in the Loire (which is saying something!). We're happy to have their Chenin Blancs in the shop, all from the exquisite and balanced 2022 vintage, including a new wine called "Grand Clos," which is dry Chenin bottled only in Magnum, from the first harvest of a plantation in Rablay, "on an atypical terroir that is very eroded and isolated." The whites are the draw with the Batardieres, and clearly their focus, but the 100% Grolleau "Amor Fati," also on offer today, is bright and delightful in 2022, with less pronounced reduction than in previous years, ready to drink with a light chill!
[Marie-Lise and Thomas Batardiere (3rd and 4th from top left) with the harvest team]
Farming at the estate is now certified bio-dynamic for most parcels, and wine-making is low-intervention, with small doses of SO2 used before bottling.
Grand Clos is a new Chenin from Marie-Lise and Thomas, from young vines they planted in Rablay on eroded soils. Their first bottling of the wine, available only in Magnum, is a lovely introduction to their style of Chenin Blanc, which balances a chiseled, mineral profile with stone fruit and medium weight.
L'Esprit Libre is from 3 parcels in the village of Rablay from vines aging from 15-90 years old, with plateaus of sandy soil and gravely soils of quartz over schist. The blend is assembled in stainless steel tanks before fermentation. Fermentation occur naturally, without the use of temperature control. The 2022 is in a lovely place, very inviting, direct and mineral-driven but with soft edges. At times there are hints of pear and lime flower, then it unfolds into sharp minerals and crispy acidity, and these two elements of fruit and stones continue to intermingle.
Les Cocus comes from a single parcel planted in 1958, which sits atop a hillside comprised of clay schist soils with good wind exposure. The wine undergoes primary and malolactic fermentation in used 500L barrels with no fining and only a small amount of sulfur is added at bottling. The 2022 has a wonderful balance of depth and freshness, with a bit more density than L'Esprit Libre but still full of energy. Subtle pear fruit mingles with layers of minerality that really come through as the wine opens up. On day two it was still precise and racy with some added texture, showing good aging potential but delicious now! A versatile pairing wine and has the potential to age gracefully if you can tuck some away.
Les Noels de Montbenault is a famous site in Anjou, mostly associated with the Richard Leroy cuvée of the same name. It is a unique parcel that is essentially a volcanic site, rich in Rhyolite, and distinct from the Cocus vineyard or the other parcels that Batardiere works. The vines here were planted by Thomas in 2014, so this is a relatively new wine, but has already impressed us immensely in recent vintages. Undoubtedly a wine for the cellar, it is also a superb Chenin Blanc to enjoy now with a decant. Due to the tiny quantity we received, there is a 2 bottle limit per customer.
Amor Fati is an ethereally light red from a small holding of Grolleau vines. Often a bit reductive on opening, these notes blow off with some air, revealing a floral and high acid Grolleau, perhaps the lightest one we've ever had. As mentioned, the 2022 is the most open and least reductive vintage we've had. Flavors of red berries and redcurrant, with floral notes, and very fine acidity.
