Located just south of Angers in Mozé-sur-Louet, the Anjou Noir part of Anjou-Saumur, Terra Vita Vinum boasts 30 hectares of vineyards planted on dark schist and granite soils. Bénédicte Petit and Luc Briand took over the estate from the Richou family in 2019, from which point their sole focus was to make some of the most terroir-expressive Chenin Blanc wines.

All farmed biodynamically (Demeter certified), Terra Vita Vinum’s philosophy is low interventionist winemaking to allow the vineyards to speak for themselves. “We do everything possible to produce terroir wines with the greatest transparency to deliver unique emotions.” Only natural yeast found on the grapes are used for fermentation, conducted in many different types of vessels ranging from demi-muid, concrete egg, and amphorae. Very little use of SO2 and no filtering or fining completes the winemaking. Their top cuvées are only released three years after harvest, half of this time spent maturing in the bottle.

The estate has three ranges of cuvées intertwined with many grape varieties ranging from age-worthy Chenin Blanc to Grolleau, Gamay, Savagnin, Cabernet Franc, and others. Their Selections Parcellaires range is the focus today, with Chenin Blanc being their flagship varietal expressed through five different cuvées – Bigottière (Savennières AOC), Grandes Rogeries, Pavillon, Le Réau, and Grand Vau, all four in Anjou Blanc AOC. Cabernet Franc and Gamay are the stars for their red cuvées. It is a young project that already has a cult following and is becoming a favourite for sommeliers worldwide.

Designation – PDO (AOC) Anjou blanc

Geology – Plot located in the commune of Mozé and cultivated on volcanic rhyolite and sandstone schist. Exposure: South.

Grape variety – Fermented Chenin juice from a manual harvest (1 row tray of 8 kg only).

Growing method – Our vines are cultivated in a traditional and selective manner. Soil maintenance is done mechanically without chemical weeding and our vines are protected using preparations made from natural products, in the respect of biodiversity.

Winemaking – Fermentation and aging in demi-muid for 12 months without stirring, fining or filtration. 25 mg/L sulphites added at bottling.

Analysis

Sulphites: total 62 mg/L;
Alcohol: 13% vol;
Residual sugars: 0,4 g/L;
Complete malolactic fermentation.

At Terra Vita Vinum, “we cultivate the vines with respect for biodiversity and do everything possible to produce terroir wines with the utmost transparency to deliver unique emotions“. Let’s remember that our wines are as close as possible to what nature gives us. Each cuvée is therefore a unique work, never before made, and never again.

The fact that no sulphites are used from the moment the grapes are picked means that the wine has a broad, complex range of aromas, with a strong emphasis on ripe fruit. On the palate, the wood blends with the wine’s luscious structure to give way to a fresh finish. Ageing will allow the more complex characteristics of the terroir to express themselves.

Jancis Robinson – 17.5/20

Serious stuff. Deep colour in the glass, rich, plump yet bone dry on the palate. Concentrated and luscious with baked-apple character and a very long mineral finish.

Drink 2024-2029