France, Loire
Domaine du Bel Air is a certified organic estate that has been creating traditional wines from Bourgueil for the past five generations. Pierre Gauthier, a master of Cabernet Franc, has farmed 18 hectares in the village of Benais since 1979. He was joined by his son, Rodolphe, in 2005.
Pierre believes that 18 hectares is the maximum they can farm without compromising the level of attention they feel their vines deserve. From their holdings, a fair amount of them are blended to make the flagship cuvée. A select few, however, are vinified separately. These include very special parcels of vines belonging to the Gauthiers in the lieux-dits (single sites) of Les Marsaules (3 hectares) and Le Grand Mont (1.3 hectares). Then, there is the Clos Nouveau which Pierre Gauthier purchased in 2005, making the family just the third owners of this 1.2 hectare vineyard since the French Revolution.
All Domaine du Bel Air wines are made within the Bourgueil appellation, and all are 100% Cabernet Franc: Jour de Soif, Les Vingt Lieux Dits, Les Marsaules, Grand-Mont and Clos Nouveau.
