Nicolas Grosbois

While most of the current generation’s parents moved away from mixed farming ‘polyculture’ to concentrate solely on vines, the Grosbois boys are turning back the clock. The domaine is now home to biodynamically grown wheat, fruit trees, vegetables, forest-dwelling pigs, and cattle as well as vines. Brothers Sylvain and Nicolas Grosbois now run the organic estate in a rather remote part of the Chinon appellation. They’ve both travaled extensively from Chile to New Zealand and Oregon but have finally come home. It’s hands off here – hand picking, wild yeast, no SO2 in ferments, coolish red ferments (25-28˚C) to preserve the fruit, long macerations but with few pump overs. Oak is not favored – concrete is the order of the day. The result is fruit-filled, succulent wines that have masses of drinkability. Montet is the only cuvée where barrels are used at Grosbois and even then it's second fill for 18 months. It is a more conservative style in terms of oak ageing and its classical structure but isn’t as much fun as its other wines.