Gamay

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. 

François is determined to put Ontario on the world wide wine map as a serious player in the cool climate wine game! Learning his craft at some highly regarded domaines in Burgundy, he came home to Niagara and began making wine the way he believed it should be made. Everything is organic, although not certified, and the wines are allowed to flow with whatever nature throws at us. But that doesn't mean lazy winemaking - the physical processes are keenly monitored, and no flaws or impurities make it past François into the cellar.

On any given day, you can see Louis-Clément and his mother tending the family vineyards.

The good news is that you can do this all day if you like, since the domaine also serves as a lovely bed-and-breakfast!

But Clément didn't set out to be a winemaker; he studied commerce and engineering (and sold sliced bread?!) before realizing that the vineyards at his family's house were his true calling. The domaine, including the 4 hectares of vineyards, was bought by his grandfather after having sold off their land in Algeria by the end of the independence war.

In the mid-90's Mathieu Coste went to South America to work on a scientific study in the rainforests of French-Gyuana. In charge was the french botanist and biologist Francis Hallé, and the expereince was eye-opening for Mathieu's way of thinking about plants and plant life.
As a young man Mathieu studied agronomy, and later biology in Tours. One of his firsts jobs was at the Coop of Pouilly-sur-Loire, where Mathieu was in charge of the vinification. Alot of people sold grapes to the Coop, and one of them was vignerons Alain Paulat, who only sold parts of his harvest. 

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).

Phillipe Tessier took over 21ha from his father in 1981, 20 years after the domaine was first established at the centre of the Cheverny and Cour-Cheverny AOCs. His vinification demonstrates his admiration for the grapes and their capabilities, opting to use neutral casks and indigenous yeasts. He would rather it is the land that speaks, and not the winemaker.

One cannot, or should not, speak of natural wine without mentioning Olivier Cousin. He is a beacon and a pioneer in the natural wine movement which took root and flourished in the Loire Valley in the 1990's, and he has helped many, many newcomers in the region.

The family domaine of Mas d'Intras has been farming grapes for four centuries, but it wasn't until the 1980's that Robert's family stopped selling their grapes to the local coop, which the family had helped establish. With that decision, Domaine Mas d'Intras was born. In the late nineties they recognised that their soil was suffering and they began to turn their attention to organic farming, acheiving Ecocert organic status in 2009.

Once a region covered in vines, Domaine St Nicolas is now one of the few remaining winemakers in the lesser known Region of Brem, situated south of the city of Nantes and nestled under the Fief Vendéens appellation. Vigneron Thierry Michon started working biodynamically in 1993 and hasn’t looked back since. He describes his approach to biodynamics as going far beyond the absence of chemicals in the vineyard, rather creating a deeper connection with the soil leading to an amplified expression of terroir.

Husband and wife duo Bruno and Isabelle Perraud make wine under their domaine 'Côtes de la Moliere' in the northern corner of Beaujolais. Their 8.5ha of vineyard cover Moulin-á-Vent, Morgon, Fleurie and a few plots outside of the appellation. Also, they rent a few parcels just north of Beaujolais, in Pouilly-Fussé and Saint-Véran. In 1989, Bruno accidentally poisoned himself with insecticide and decided to remove it from his vineyard practices after observing the effects on his body. In 2002 the domaine was certified organic.