Alexandre Bain

The iconic Alexandre Bain

Have you ever heard of Alexandre Bain, for his exceptional wines? Or have you ever heard of Alexandre Bain, for his fight against those who no longer wanted to see him in the great Pouilly-Fumé appellation? A fervent defender of clean wines, an authentic character, Alexandre Bain works Sauvignon Blanc in the most natural way possible. Epi-curieux.com is happy to share with you this contagious passion of a great lover of the earth.

The story of the estate

It was in 2007, in Tracy sur Loire, where Sauvignon Blanc grows afloat, that Alexandre Bain settled down. No, it's not a family story, there has been no father in the vineyard since he was very young, but there is his grandfather who transmitted his love for farming to him. On leaving school, and after many trips to winegrowers working in the movement of nature, Alexandre Bain embarks on his 5 hectares of vines. From its start, it is obvious; attracted by the cultivation of soils since he was young, Alexandre Bain wants to take care of what nature offers him. It is therefore quite naturally that he embarks on organic farming and biodynamics.
This lover of the land has known this from the start, he wants to make clean, filter-free wines, Pouilly-Fumés that taste like Sauvignon Blanc, not Pouilly-Fumés that have a processed taste, a chemical taste.
In the most respectful way possible (in the vineyard, as in winemaking), Alexandre Bain launches his first vintage in the AOC Pouilly-Fumé, in the Loire Valley.
But there is an issue! This does not please the great dictators of the appellations. Alexandre Bain does not fit in the right box, Alexandre Bain does not make standardized wines, so why be Pouilly-Fumé certified? It was therefore in 2014 that it was deprived of the appellation. A fight begins, and thanks to his lawyer Eric Morain (great defender of many natural winegrowers), he can once again write Pouilly-Fumé on his wines.
By tasting the wines of Alexandre Bain, perhaps you will be destabilized, surprised, because you are no longer used to feeling the true flavors of Sauvignon blanc. Bye bye “cat pee”!

The soil of Pouilly-Fumé

Aware of this cultural heritage, and of what nature can give, Alexandre Bain will use all possible techniques for one purpose: to respect the environment.
He works his great white wines on two different terroirs. There is the Portlandian soil and the Kimmeridgian soil. Everything is done in the traditional way. Marked by his time at Olivier Cousin, but also by his own convictions, he launched himself from the start into organic and biodynamic cultivation (certified).
A work with no chemicals added to the vine, a respectful work until the plowing of the land. Lover of the land but not only, he is also a lover of animals, especially horses. Second evidence for Alexandre Bain; the work of the vine by animal traction. He therefore forms his team with two Percherons that he pampers as well as his vines. If you know this winemaker, you also know his horses, which are an integral part of his story.

The wines of Alexandre Bain

Its objective has always been to “ bottle wines that are 100% natural pure grape juice, without sulphites ”. He wants to make wines that have emotions, wines for sharing. And you can feel it. The juices of Alexandre Bain have a crazy personality thanks in particular to ripe Sauvignons, with bewitching aromas.
Wines with an atypical, exuberant, gourmet character, wines that are off the beaten track.
Like its L. D'Ange Sauvignon Blanc, which is a parcel-based, from vines around fifty years old. The soil is composed of limestone and marl (little soil, soil rather difficult to work), and the plot is located at 200m of elevation. The grapes are picked at full maturity, a direct pressing to keep all the intensity, and 24 months of aging in oak barrels to embellish this wine in the image of his daughter, Luce. An exceptional 100% Sauvignon blanc, a wine from Alexandre Bain.
Alexandre Bain also surprises us by buying and working Gamay (as we like at epi-curieux.com , are you still surprised?) in the Pierres Dorees in 2017 for the bottle N°69. What does a Gamay made by the Maestro of Sauvignon Blanc give? A well-balanced wine with thirst-quenching acidity. Not to be missed for fans!
In the world of natural wines, there are winegrowers and winemakers not to be missed. Alexandre Bain is one of them. As much for its exceptional wines as for its fight to have these clean juices recognized, these juices that respect nature.