Nicolas Joly
On the steep schist slopes of Savennières in the Loire Valley, Nicolas Joly shapes one of France’s most distinctive wine stories. At its heart lies the seven-hectare Coulée de Serrant, planted by Cistercian monks in 1130, continuously under vine ever since and now a family monopole with its own AOC. Clos de la Bergerie in Savennières-Roche-aux-Moines and Les Vieux Clos in Savennières complete a collection devoted entirely to Chenin Blanc.The vines root in shallow soils over red schist, with quartz and occasional sand marking individual parcels. The whole estate has been farmed biodynamically since 1984, combining horse work, low yields and several selective picking passes spread across weeks. Cellar intervention remains deliberately restrained: wines are raised in wood or tank, while Coulée de Serrant chiefly matures in 500-litre barrels with only a very small share of new oak. Ancient provenance and a radical trust in living terroir define every decision.
