FFW 2021 Wine Catalogue

LOIRE

MEET THE GROWER Domaine Filliatreau

Domaine Filliatreau sits above the city of Saumur in the village of Chaintre. A pioneering Loire domaine, Frédrik Filliatreau is the fourth generation to run the estate. Frederik’s father Paul was revolutionary in that the Domaine started bottling their ownwines in the late 1960s, as opposed to 99% of Loire growers who sold their fruit off, either in bulk or to co-operatives. With this new approach, his wines were an instant hit in smart Parisien bistros. Paul tookmuch inspiration fromcelebrated Chinon vigneron Charles Joguet in cellar and vineyard, including beginningmassale selection for all vines’ replanting. Together, Paul and Frédrik tilted farming gradually in amore natural direction; today, Filliatreau is fully organic & biodynamic. The Domaine consists of 43 hectares, mainly Cabernet Franc, with a smattering of Chenin Blanc (all centred around Breze). The vines range in age from25 to 110 years old and are planted on sandy clay soils rich in the soft local limestone tuffeau. The fruit is hand- harvested and fermented with wholly natural yeasts. Almost all the wines are bottled with theminimumof filtering. Despite the wondrous bright fruit & crunchy acidity that make these just so drinkable in youth, they also age brilliantly at a decade old. The Le Clos fromDomaine Fouquet is reminiscent of amature Cabernet Franc driven claret. Despite the quality & history of the Domaine, prices remainmodest and embody the evolution of winegrowing, which this family estate truly helped shape in the Saumur region.

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WINE CATALOGUE