Nicolas Joly - Savennieres Les Vieux Clos 2023
Price: $84.96
| Producer | Nicolas Joly |
| Country | France |
| Region | Loire |
| Varietal | Chenin Blanc |
| Vintage | 2023 |
| Sku | 603759 |
| Size | 750ml |
Nicolas Joly is the visionary behind the legendary Coulée de Serrant estate, a vineyard in use since 1130, so esteemed it holds its own appellation. After a career in finance, he returned to the family estate in 1976 and initially relied on modern agricultural methods. But noticing troubling changes in the vineyard, he turned to Rudolf Steiner’s writings on biodynamics. Intrigued, Joly began experimenting in the early 1980s and by 1984 had fully converted the estate to biodynamic farming—making him one of the earliest and most vocal proponents of the movement. In 2001, he founded La Renaissance des Appellations, an international group of over 140 biodynamic producers advocating for terroir-driven, chemical-free winemaking. Today, Joly remains a tireless advocate and daily presence at the estate, while his daughter Virginie continues the family’s commitment to biodynamic excellence.
Les Vieux Clos carries the Savennières appellation so it’s 100% Chenin Blanc and is sourced from vines averaging around 20 years of age. These vines come from massal selections from the cornerstone vineyard of the Domaine, Coulee de Serrant. The soils are predominantly schist, with occasional pockets of quartz and, more rarely, sand. Yields are intentionally kept low at 30–35 hectoliters per hectare (well below the 50 hl/ha permitted by the appellation). Vinification takes place in a mix of wooden barrels and stainless steel tanks. The Jolys recommend this wine with “white meat in sauce, fish with beurre blanc or even simply with a good cheese like goat cheese or Cantal.
