Product images are for indication purposes only. Label might vary
depending on current vintage.
Les Cocus VdF, Thomas Batardiere 2023
Thomas Batardière
DUE TO THE EXCLUSIVITY OF THIS WINE, WE LIMIT THE PURCHASE OF 3 BOTTLES PER CUSTOMER. THIS WINE IS NOT SUBJECT TO ANY FURTHER DISCOUNT.
Thomas Batardière is a doer and does not stand still – born in 1980 in Angers, he studied anthropology and got bitten by the wine bug in 2008 while working as a cinematographer. Switching career path he worked as a sommelier first but being drawn to winemaking he decided to join Château Yvonne (Saumur, Anjou Blanc). Voluble, passionate and not afraid of a challenge he quickly became Mathieu Vallée’s right-hand man whilst studying viticulture in Beaune.
He finally struck out on his own in Rablay-sur-Layon (Anjou Noir) in 2012, buying a couple of hectares of his beloved chenin but without any equipment or cellar. He built the latter as well as his house right next door to Richard Leroy with whom he has become close. The two exchange a lot, so much so that there are talks about buying and operating a brand-new press together.
The Clos des Cocus is a climat neighbouring Montbenault on the coteau of Faye d’Anjou – the prestigious Layon’s right bank. Thomas’ 0.6ha plot (planted in 1968) is at the top of the hill therefore exposed to drying and cooling winds – perfect to prevent diseases and preserve acidity – a gentle south-west facing slope with hardly any topsoil (20-30cm) forcing vine roots to get deep into the schist bedrock. An austere terroir which makes for age-worthy, characterful and complex wines. Fermentation and ageing in 1-6yo barrels for 10 months, transfer to stainless steel for a few more months before bottling in October with low SO2. Cocus tends to naturally reduce therefore decanting does the wine well in its youth.
Alive, deep, multi-layered and almost chewy. This is simply a stunning wine – soil to glass transfer showcasing the power of schist. For drinking now to 2029.
Producer Thomas Batardiere
Origin Rablay-sur-Layon, Maine-et-Loire, Loire, France
Grapes Chenin blanc
Vintage 2023
Alcohol 13.5% ABV
Style Medium body white
Bottle size 750ml
Winemaking Manual harvest, gently pressed, fermented in oak with indigenous yeast, Unfiltred, unfined, little so2 added at bottling.
Notes Natural, Organic, Biodynamic