Le Clos des Treilles, Nicolas Réau

Outstanding pianist and winemaker

Nicolas Réau was meant to have a career as a pianist, but he is now a maestro of natural wine. It is on centuries-old land in Anjou that he works 7 hectares of vines at the Le Clos des Treilles estate. His patience and his passion have allowed Nicolas to produce generous, sincere and authentic wines just like the man, who is simply adorable. He now produces white wines with very little sulfite and completely sulfur-free reds. A beautiful harmony between vines and juice, contained in its pretty bottles!

The story of Clos des Treilles

Nicolas Réau, a former professional pianist, decides to change his paths. He goes from love for music to love for wine. He began to train by doing a bachelor degree in viticulture and oenology near Bordeaux in 1994. Following this training, he returned to his native land and cultivated plots of Cabernet Franc, in Chinon for a few years.
In 2002, Nicolas moved to Anjou, following the loss of his vines in Chinon. It is therefore in Sainte-Radegonde that Nicolas Réau takes over the estate Le Clos des Treilles in the Loire Valley. A set of living lands, surrounded by greenery where he likes to work his 7 hectares of vines.
Nicolas discovers the beauty of natural wines by meeting winegrowers and discovering the importance of soils. His work in the vineyard and in the cellar is transformed, he then thinks of organic farming above all. We find in its white wines and red wines, minimal doses of sulfur, totally non-existent on the reds elsewhere. Nicolas' philosophy has evolved over time but always with total respect for the environment. He turns to nature to listen to his vines and take the time to obtain healthy grapes. He will be certified in organic farming in 2012 but Nicolas has been working this way since 2005.
Over the years, he learned to analyze nature, his landscape, he learned to know his vines, his grapes, and this gives a very particular expression to his wines. Nicolas Réau is now a maestro of natural wine and helps some Loire winegrowers to move towards clean and sulfur-free wines. He produces white wines with very little sulfite and completely sulfur-free reds, natural wines to be discovered to understand his philosophy.

The lands of Nicolas Réau

The Le Clos des Treilles estate is planted on soil with different minerals: limestone, pink schist, quartz, sand, silt... This diversity in the soil allows the grape varieties to fully find their happiness. He uses Chenin and Folle Blanche for which it will be a question of vivacity and Cabernet Franc in red wines. Nicolas Réau opts for manual harvesting without the use of machines to promote know-how. During the harvest, the plots are divided into several parts to make completely different bottles.
He favors quality over quantity, being as close as possible to the nature and respecting what it offers him every day. These vinifications and aging are sometimes long and this justifies the depth and intensity found in his wines. The fermentations are done thanks to the natural yeasts which ensure a work of a high quality and respectful of its environment. Patience is the key word to become a winemaker respectful of his land.

The wines of Clos des Treilles

Almost all of Nicolas Réau's wines are in the Anjou appellation. The wines are aged in barrels, concrete vats or conical trunks. These vinifications and aging are sometimes long and this justifies the depth and intensity found in his wines.
Its Folle Blanche 2020 bottle is a white wine made from the Folle Blanche grape variety, rare in the Loire Valley. It is a wine of great freshness and lightness with well-marked citrus notes.
Enlèvement demandé 2020 is a red wine, Anjou appellation, with an ultra gourmet expression of Cabernet Franc, guaranteed emotions! The vinification is carried out without any inputs and aged in concrete vats for 1 year.
Victoire 2020 is a 100% Chenin, Anjou appellation, by one of the maestros of the Loire, rich and fresh at the same time. The grapes are destemmed and macerated for 3 weeks. Aging takes place in non-new barrels without added sulfur or any synthetic product.
L'enfant terrible 2019 is a Cabernet Franc of great complexity, depth, finesse and elegance. It reveals notes of black fruits and slightly spicy. Great wine.
If you do not know the wines of the Loire yet, the wines of Nicolas Réau are simply unmissable. Wines of great finesse, with pure expression. Amateurs or novices, you have to discover these pretty bottles.