Domaine du Bel Air

Run by father and son Pierre and Rodolphe Gauthier, this 20 ha estate is based in Benais which lies to the east of the town of Bourgueil. Here the village is situated on a limestone plateau as distinct from the gravel soils which Bourgueil mostly finds itself on. The limestone plateau sits a little higher than the sand and gravel soils which are located close to the Loire River. It is arguably the combination of clay and limestone which give wines of Benais, and other areas of Bourgueil, more structure and ageing potential. There is of course even more limestone below the sand and gravel of the Loire River, this is usually chalk of the Lower Turonian as distinct to the Upper or Middle Turonian limestone more typical of Benais.

At any rate the wines of Benais on the middle to upper slopes have great ageing potential, indeed some decades ago I imported the wines of J-P Druet whose wines are still showing beautifully even though his estate has since been sold and split up. Part of his holding in Grand Mont now makes up a small portion of the Gauthier family holding in this excellent vineyard.

Perhaps the most notable part of this estate is the work in the vineyards which has been certified organic since 2000. There are no plans to buy or expand the family vineyard holdings as Pierre feels the current 18 ha are ideal to enable them to work the vines themselves by hand. They plow the soil, maintain a cover crop between vineyard rows, use bud-pruning and green harvests to limit their yields to under 40 hl/ha, and thin the canopy three weeks before harvesting. This level of attention to detail is part of the secret to their success. Pierre’s father was the last person in the village to still plow the vineyards by horse swapping the horse for tractor in 1985.

All the fruit is picked by hand, and after being transported to the cellars above Benais it is destemmed and sorted over a table de tri manned by four people led by Rodolphe. Thereafter the vinification and the style depends on the cuvée in question. All wines are vinified with natural yeast with elevage with NO SO2 (small amount added at bottling) and NO press wine added for any of the wines. These wines are utterly distinctive with remarkable purity and texture showing ample fruit without any heaviness making these wines seem weightless in the mouth making them incredibly moreish and remarkably fine.

The following notes are from Chris Kissack, thewinedoctor.com

“Pierre Gauthier represents the fourth generation to till the land of the family’s holdings in Benais. In the traditional Ligérian manner Pierre’s parents were polyculturalists, looking after cattle, cereals, asparagus and vines. During his parents’ time they began to concentrate on the vines, reducing the area of land dedicated to asparagus, while they expanded the vineyard. Pierre started working alongside his parents in 1979, when he was 14 years old. He recalls that at the time his father still worked the vines in a very traditional manner, as evinced by him having been the last in the village to still own a horse.

Today Pierre Gauthier has been working on the domaine for about forty years, and for about twenty of these the domaine has been organic, with certification. Today he is assisted by his son Rodolphe, who returned home after finishing his studies at Montreuil-Bellay.

Pierre and Rodolphe have approximately 20 hectares of vines. Pierre believes this is the maximum they can manage while continuing to give the wines the attention they deserve, his self-stated philosophy being to look after his vines “as if they were a garden”. Of these parcels, many are blended together to produce the domaine cuvée, but a handful are vinified apart. These include parcels of vines in noteworthy lieux-dits including Les Marsaules, where the Gauthiers have 3 hectares, and in Le Grand Mont, where they have 1.3 hectares. And, of course, there is the Clos Nouveau.

The Clos Nouveau, as already noted in my history of the estate, originated with the nearby Château de Benais, the two separated at the time of the French Revolution. Today the Clos Nouveau is in the possession of Pierre Gauthier, who purchased it in 2005, making this family only the third owners of this small vineyard since the Revolution. It was not in perfect condition and required some replanting, Pierre replacing at least 25% of the vines. The work meant that he made no wine in 2006, his first vintage here being 2007. These days the vineyard, all 1.2 hectares of it, surrounded by many espalier-trained fruit trees along the walls, is in great condition.”

Dry reds

All wines are vinified with natural yeast and NO SO2 during elevage (small amount added at bottling) and NO press wine added for any of the wines.

2023 Bourgueil Jour de Soif
From younger vines averaging around 20 yo vines on gravel and mid-slope clay. Fully de-stemmed this has cold maceration for 4 days and is vinified in concrete vat with a focus more on infusion of the skins rather than active extraction and temperature not exceeding 25c. The alcoholic and malolactic fermentations run concurrently enabling an early bottling in April after 6 months of elevage on fine lees. Made as an earlier drinking cuvee this also has the structure to carry the wine for several years but it is so delicious now good luck keeping your hands off it. Very perfumed and lifted aromatics of red fruits, with floral and herbals hints and a juicy very approachable sapid finish with feather light tannins. A perfect wine for summer and warmer weather.

The Jour de Soif cuvee is a delightful red, youthful, juicy, full of fruit, the archetype of the Loire red. 90 points, Le Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France 2025.

2021 Bourgueil Les Vingt Lieux Dits
An assemblage from numerous parcels of vines planted on clay and silty soils (“no limestone”), on south-facing slopes. The vines are aged 40 years on average. The fruit is vinified in cuves, with what Pierre regards as “a gentle extraction”, although in truth it lasts for 15 to 18 days, with regular pumping over and pigeage. The élevage is in a mix of third-fill and fourth-fill barrels and demi-muids, for 12 months. No SO2 added during elevage with a small safe amount at bottling. Dark colour and richness of fruit on the nose and palate this shows very attractive deep rich aromas with perfect clarity and balance on the palate. Made as an earlier drinking style this is very hedonistic and gives great joy already.

Pierre and Rodolphe Gauthier make some of the most sophisticated and age-worthy Cabernet Franc in the Loire, so this is scandalously good value. The 2021 is a delicate, polished rendition that focuses on the mineral side of Les Vingt. I love the peppery counterpoint to the glossy red fruit. It's deliciously moreish already, and further complexity will emerge with age. 

The 2021 Les Vingt Lieux Dits is sourced from 20 different parcels on the clay mid-slopes of Bourgueil. It is a young, juicy, red-fruited style. It's light in body but has a bit of flesh on the mid-palate holding that line of acidity. This is perfect for early drinking, akin to a good Beaujolais. 88 points, Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous Media, December 2023

2020 Bourgueil Les Marsaules
This comes from a parcel on the Bourgueil mid-slope. The soils are clay with silty elements, the vines aged sixty years on average, the fruit vinified in open cuves for 24 days with some pigeage to aid extraction. The élevage is three years in barrels, not too old (NO new oak used in this cuvee). Fabulous aromas and intoxicating red fruits on both aromas and palate with very fine tannins and mouthfilling generous fruit on the palate. This is very attractive already – pure seduction. Try to keep your hands off this.

Les Marsaules is the most pulpy and seductive lieux-dit. 93 points, Le Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France 2025.

2020 Bourgueil Grand Mont
This is famed terroir, situated high up the slope, with soils of clay and limestone. Always the last vines to be picked, this will see three years of élevage in small volume barrels, using fairly new oak, perhaps second-fill, before bottling. From vines aged 60-80 years old. Aged in 70% older demi-muids and 30% new oak.

A superb florality emerges from Grand Mont, a 2020 with an extraordinary concentration which combines a powerful structure while promising a savoury note. It has a promising and bright future. 94 points, Le Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France 2025.

2020 Bourgueil Clos Nouveau
Historically owned by the Château de Benais, a fortress dating to the 13th century, or earlier. The most notable of Chateau de Benais’ vineyards was the tiny 1.2ha Clos Nouveau located a couple of minutes walk away behind its imposing 3 metre-high walls. Realising a childhood dream Pierre Gauthier purchased this vineyard in 2005 in a run-down state and set about renovating the clos and replanting about 25% of the vineyard into what is now one of the most immaculate vineyards which he tends like a garden. So that he can keep the closest eye on these vines and tend them to perfection Pierre purchased the house across the road and set about restoring it so he has not more than 10 feet to travel to unlock his prized clos. Having walked past this vineyard every day on his way to school and hearing the stories of the older vignerons who spoke of the best wines and vineyards of the village, they always said that the very best wine came from this tiny clos. Now after tending this clos, and vinifying it grapes, for more than 15 years it is clear to see Pierre has realised the full potential of this beautiful clos producing a breathtaking wine of remarkable finesse and texture that is unlike any wine I have tasted. From vines mostly aged 40 years old. Aged in 30% older demi-muids and 70% new oak.

Here there is intensity of flavour, yet at the same time having a weightless feel in the mouth with flavours ricocheting around the palate like pinballs giving the most remarkable sensations and incredibly long finish. Perfectly balanced and not marked by the new oak. It is a wine which really seems to defy description and logic. How can it carry so much flavour with such a light and perfect texture. A remarkable wine with a great future which seems to be ample testament to a great farmer, and winemaker.

95 points, Le Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France 2025.