Thomas Batardiere, L’Esprit Libre, 2024

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. Applying biodynamic principles from the get-go, Thomas continued to expand to reach 4ha (currently 3.3ha in production), just enough he believes to be independent and express himself. Most of his vines are south of the Layon river, in Rablay, on sandy and stony soils with clay over schist. Chenin and cabernet franc are grown here as well as grolleau, a grape well-suited to the area. His best parcels of chenin, including the Clos des Cocus planted in 1968, are found up the stunning coteau of Faye d’Anjou (north of the Layon) clinging into the schist bedrock. Thomas has a very individual take on chenin. He loves