La Descente aux Amphores Blanc 2020 Clos des Treilles

🏷️ La Descente aux Amphores Blanc 2020

Vineyard Philosophy

Nicolas Réau is one of the most sensitive and uncompromising winemakers in the Loire Valley. His vineyards are managed using organic and biodynamic practices, aimed at preserving the purest expression of terroir. The Chenin grapes for this wine come from clay-limestone soils rich in life, cultivated with minimal intervention and maximum care.

Winemaking Approach

This wine is vinified in a most unique way: the Chenin Blanc grapes undergo twelve months of skin contact maceration in Georgian amphorae (qvevri). No additives, no corrections—only spontaneous fermentation with indigenous yeasts, no filtering, and minimal sulfur use. It’s a deeply natural expression that feels both ancient and strikingly modern.

Tasting Notes

The nose is complex and layered, with notes of dried hay, candied citrus, resin, and exotic spice, all underpinned by earthy and mineral tones. On the palate, it is broad, lightly tannic, structured yet vibrant, with the weight and tension of a fine red. A contemplative wine, wild yet focused.

Technical Sheet

• Producer: Nicolas Réau

• Vintage: 2020

• Region: Loire Valley, France

• Grape Variety: 100% Chenin Blanc

• Soil: Clay-limestone

• Vinification: 12-month maceration in qvevri

• Aging: Georgian amphorae

• Alcohol: 12.5%

• Bottle Size: 0.75 l

• Style: Orange wine, natural

• Contains Sulfites: Yes (minimal)

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Clos des Treilles: a return to the land in the heart of Anjou

Clos des Treilles was born from the dream of Nicolas Reau, a visionary winemaker who, after a career as a pianist, chose to leave music behind to fully devote himself to wine. Nestled in the heart of Anjou, within the Loire Valley vineyards, this domaine embodies charm and biodiversity. Nicolas bought his first plots in 1998 and started vinifying in 2002 with a clear goal: to craft pure, uncompromising wines that express the soul of each unique parcel. His working philosophy blends peasant tradition, independent spirit, and an artistic sensitivity that shines through every bottle.

A living vineyard: nature, biodiversity, and absolute respect

Clos des Treilles is run with total respect for nature. Nicolas works with certified organic farming, no herbicides or pesticides, and careful manual labour that protects soil integrity. The vines, rooted in clay-limestone soils, are mainly old plots of Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, and Gamay, thriving thanks to the Loire’s temperate climate. Biodiversity is safeguarded through hedgerows, wildflowers, and beneficial insects, while yields are kept deliberately low to produce healthy, concentrated grapes that mirror their unique terroir.

In the cellar: no tricks, only time as an ally

In the cellar, the approach is just as radical: natural winemaking, spontaneous fermentations with only native yeasts, no fining or filtration, and minimal to no added sulphur in some cuvées. Nicolas uses steel, concrete, and wood vats, choosing the best vessel for each wine to highlight its true character. The wines are alive, vibrant, sometimes unpredictable but always authentic: they capture Anjou in its purest form, with freshness, minerality, and a drinkability that never fails to charm.