Aromas of quince, yellow apple, chamomile, beeswax, and crushed schist lead the nose. The palate is deeply concentrated and taut, with firm acidity, phenolic grip, and a long, saline finish.

Stéphane Bernaudeau trained for nearly twenty years under Mark Angeli at La Ferme de la Sansonnière before establishing his own domaine, with a first vintage in 2000 and formal independence in December 2015. He works in Martigné-Briand in the Layon, bottling as Vin de France by choice rather than under an appellation.

Les Nourrissons is a 0.7-hectare parcel planted in 1910 on a flat, west-facing plateau of schist and clay-limestone, and the vines are trained in gobelet rather than on wire. Bernaudeau farms biodynamically and works the parcel by horse. Fruit is hand-harvested and basket-pressed, fermented spontaneously in used 228-liter barrels with malolactic allowed to occur naturally, then aged twelve months on lees and bottled without fining or filtration.

Pairs well with roast chicken, grilled fish, veal, mushroom dishes, root vegetables, and aged goat cheese.

Serve chilled but not overly cold. Decant for full expression. Drink now or cellar long term.