Clau De Nell

The producer

In Ambillou, in the Loire, the Clau de Nell story began in 2006 when Anne-Claude Leflaive and Christian Jacques met the owners of the estate and began to look after it. Realizing in 2008 that the estate was on the verge of bankruptcy, Anne-Claude and Jacques decided to develop the potential of the terroir's vines and biodynamic viticulture by buying the estate. In 2009, they met their estate manager, Sylvain, who was hired within minutes of taking a stroll through the vines!

When it was bought in 2008, the estate covered eight hectares of Cabernet Franc, Grolleau and Cabernet Sauvignon. These magnificent vines have an average age of 60 years, and some are a hundred years old. Subsequently, the estate will expand with the planting in 2012 of 1.5 hectares of Chenin, then 0.5 hectares of Grolleau in 2017 and finally a further 1.5 hectares of Chenin in 2018.

Today, Christian manages the estate with his daughter Claire, who is in charge of sales and communications, and Sylvain, who is still the steward.

Commitments

Le Clau de Nell is very committed to biodynamics. Christian and Anne-Claude bought it because they believed in the strength of this production system, and Sylvain, the steward, had gained extensive biodynamic experience in South America before being hired at the estate.

The estate's philosophy of life is to leave nature as it is, to consider it as a living organism and therefore to respect it. This commitment is reflected in the lives of everyone involved: Sylvain was hired on the spot during a visit to the vineyards.

The simplicity, but also the authenticity of this approach, shapes the identity of life at Clau de Nell. Letting nature express itself to produce the truest wines is the work of a team united by a love of the vines and of working together.

Terroir

The Clau de Nell estate is located in Ambillou, in the Loire region. Stretching over 1000 km along the Loire, from the Massif Centrale to Nantes, the Loire Valley vineyards are France's third largest wine-growing region.

Culminating at an altitude of 101 meters, the vineyards are located between forests and fields, providing good biological activity. The rich soils of silty sand, sandy clay and Tuffeau (fine-grained limestone) produce fine wines of Chenin, Cabernet Franc, Grolleau and Violette (a blend of Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon).

The wines

The wines produced on this estate offer tones ranging from red fruits to cooked fruits, showing soft, voluptuous tannins as with Grolleau and Cabernet Franc or more elegant, powerful tannins with Violette.

Le Clau de Nell Groleau, although Grolleau is often vinified as a rosé, is a beautiful, fruity, deep red wine. Full of freshness and vivacity, its lightness and red fruit notes are lifted by a touch of spice that draws a delicate structure on the palate with a long, precise finish.

The Clau de Nell Cabernet Franc, made from the emblematic Loire grape variety, occupies 5 hectares of the estate. Characterful but above all elegant, this wine offers a nose of red fruits, spices and a floral bouquet that invites gourmandise. Its complexity is reflected in a velvety texture and silky tannins.

Le Clau de Nell Cuvée Violette blends Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon to blend the spiciness and licorice touch of Sauvignon with the freshness and vivacity of Franc. The result is a complex, elegant wine with great ageing potential, revealing notes of leather and undergrowth.