La Descente aux Amphores Rouge 2014 Clos des Treilles

🏺 La Descente aux Amphores Rouge 2014

🌿 Philosophy in the Vineyard

Nicolas Réau tends his vineyards in the heart of the Loire with a biodynamic approach, respecting the environment and natural rhythms. His Cabernet Franc vines grow on clay-limestone soils, cultivated manually and without chemicals. The goal is to harvest healthy, expressive grapes that capture the purest voice of their terroir.

🍇 Approach in the Cellar

This cuvée undergoes a twelve-month skin maceration in traditional Georgian amphorae, embracing an ancient winemaking technique. Fermentation is spontaneous with indigenous yeasts, and no fining or filtration is performed. The extended amphora aging results in remarkable purity, gentle extraction, and a singularly textural wine.

👃 Tasting Notes

Deep, elegant, and distinctive, this Cabernet Franc opens with aromas of ripe red berries, graphite, earth, and subtle root spices. On the palate, it’s fresh and savory, with refined tannins and lingering mineral and floral notes. A red of great finesse that bridges tradition and modernity.

📝 Technical Sheet

• Producer: Nicolas Réau

• Vintage: 2014

• Region: Loire, France

• Grape Variety: 100% Cabernet Franc

• Vinification: 12-month skin contact in Georgian amphorae

• Fermentation: Native yeasts, spontaneous

• Aging: In amphora

• Format: 0.75 l

• Alcohol: 12%

• Contains sulfites: Yes (minimal)

• Style: Natural red wine

• Serving Temperature: 16°C

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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.