Côt

Bertjan, as the name implies, isn't a Frenchman, but was born and raised in the Netherlands. Hence his presence smack bang in the middle of the Loire Valley could seem a bit odd, if it weren't for the fairytale of a certain natural wine movement and one man's love of said wines, coupled with an offer from one of Bertjan's favorite biodynamic winemakers, Bruno Allion, to buy a parcel of vines to go and have fun with.

So he did, and the rest is actually history in the making. 

Maison Brûlées (lit.Burnt Houses) is named so because of a fire that destroyed several houses in the village. It's infamous vineyard and winery have recently passed hands from longtime vigneron Michel Augé to Paul and Corine Gillet who have been making wine there since 2013. Michel was head of one of the first biodynamic coops in France, and he still hosts meetings in Maison Brûlées where the members gather to make their biodynamic preparations together (the estate was officially certified Biodynamic in 1994).

Thierry and Jean-Marie Puzelat enjoy making wine, which is a good thing as they produce a lot of them, sometimes close to 30 different cuvées a year. They feel so many of their parcels offer something unique worth exploring in its own right. Some of their cuvées are made from rare local varieties on the verge of extinction such as Romarantin, Grolleau and Menu Pineau (a natural mutation of Chenin Blanc). Wines made from these grapes rarely gain AOC recognition and so are labelled Vin De France, one of the biggest disappointments of modern winemaking laws.

A protegée of the great Olivier Cousin and avid devotée to horse ploughing, Simon Busser farms 5 ha of Malbec, Merlot and Tannat on the Lot River, outside Cahors. The influence of his mentor is clear in Simon's biodynamic rituals. In lieu of copper, he applies fermented teas and local plant extracts such as garlic, willow and nettle on the vines. The vineyard is relatively flat and benefits from free draining soil, long warm days and cool nights which give the wines the complexity they deserve under the guidance of such a talented vigneron.