Terra Vita Vinum

With the takeover of Domaine Richou in 2019, Luc Briand and Benedicte Petit fulfilled their dream of realizing their passion for wine. South of Angers, they are now opening a new chapter with Terra Vita Vinum and have become a real insider tip in just a few years.

Luc is a child of the land. It is the terroir and the soils that strongly influenced the choice for this vineyard. The proximity of the Loire, the Aubance and the Layon as well as the different slate and volcanic rocks in this part of the Anjou Noir region appealed to them.

Although the domaine is anything but small with its 30 hectares of vines, Luc and Bénédicte strive to fully express the unique qualities of their sites. In order to do better justice to all these differences, the two want to gradually separate themselves from certain parcels in order to better develop sites and thus increase quality.

In contrast to the calcareous region of Saumur, known as "white Anjou", Anjou Noir is characterized by dark rocks such as schist, gneiss, rhyolite and granite - the DNA of Terra Vita Vinum's natural wines.

Luc and Benedicte produce world-class Chenin Blancs and Cabernet Francs on it, and it's no wonder, considering that the two cultivate top sites in the Anjou Noir and in Savennieres (next to Joly). Single plot wines come from the Grand Vau, Grandes Rogeries, Pavillon, Gabouchons and Bigotterie sites. The Anjou Blanc and Anjou Rouge wines are produced from younger vines from these sites.

In the vineyard, Luc and Benedicte rely on a creative combination of tried-and-tested methods and innovative thinking. They are inspired by nature and rely on practical approaches such as targeted pruning and gentle soil cultivation, counting on their animal helpers such as horses and sheep. Their aim is to use biodynamic practices to promote biodiversity and produce vibrant wines.

In the wine cellar, they take a cautious approach in order to develop the full potential of the grapes. They rely on minimal intervention, spontaneous fermentation and gravity to produce authentic natural wines from the Anjou region. The choice of different containers such as tonneaux and amphorae allows them to emphasize the unique characteristics of each wine.

At Terra Vita Vinum, transparency is paramount. The blue wax indicates unsulphurized wines in good years, while yellow wax signals minimal use of sulphur - a rational approach, we think.

Their dedication to perfection is evident in every step of the production process, from the careful harvest to the maturation of the cuvées, which reflect the unique personality of the Anjou Noir region. Lovers of purist Chenin with subtle reduction and elegant smoothness will find what they are looking for here. Bernadeau and Leroy fans should get their corkscrews ready.