Vin de France Alchimie Passionnelle Nicolas Barbou 2021

Lot presentation

Vin de France Alchimie Passionnelle Nicolas Barbou 2021

The wine

Alchimie Passionnelle is another wine by Nicolas Barbou which showcases his creative and audacious philosophy. It’s through this Chardonnay that this expert winemaker wishes for people to enter his universe. The grapes come from vines that are over 50 years old and cared for using methods that respect the environment as much as possible. The rows, which are covered in grass, are planted on sand and quartz on clay soils. Once the grapes are harvested, they are taken to the cellar where they are turned into wine and undergo a Burgundy-style ageing process which is more precise and with as little intervention as possible. Very little sulphur is used throughout the process and the wine is matured for about 20 months in oak barrels.
When tasting this wine, we are taken aback by the vivacity of this fresh, energetic and lively wine. A pleasure to drink, this wine would go well with monkfish with buttery beurre blanc sauce.

This domain is one of the best kept secrets from the Tours region. But who is the winemaker? That would be Nicolas Barbou, son of Dominique and Véronique Barbou who own Domaine des Corbillières in Touraine. After having been taught by Jean-Yves Bizot up until 2021 (who has had a strong influence on how Nicolas makes his wines), Nicolas then travelled to New Zealand for work before deciding to start his own vineyard in his home region of Touraine in the Loire Valley.
Artist or winemaker? Nicolas’ idea is to produce wines that evoke great emotions from various varieties such as Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Chenin, Gamay and even Pinot Noir. The name of his first cuvée, Utopie Créative, created the tone for the rest of the range, enthralling and daring. His decisions both at the vines and in the winery are precise and showcase the talents of this highly skilled winemaker who is only at the beginning of his career. One to watch very very closely!