Nicolas Bertin & Geneviève Delatte, winemakers
In the heart of Anjou, Nicolas Bertin and Geneviève Delatte produce wines that are very much like them. Simple, natural, authentic, like the region they've adopted forever.
"Chenin winemakers in Rablay-sur-Layon since 2008. "Nicolas Bertin and Geneviève Delatte display their identity without frills, with the self-assured simplicity of those who know how to do the right thing in the right place at the right time. He, a native of Anjou, had a head start in getting to know this welcoming region. She, from the Charentes region, had come from further afield, and yet she speaks of it today as if there had never been any other choice: " We quickly had the desire to create our own estate, and it was bound to be here, in Rablay-sur-Layon! "
After completing a BTS in viticulture and oenology in Blanquefort, near Bordeaux, followed by an internship with Médoc winemaker Marie-Laure Lurton, Nicolas Bertin and Geneviève Delatte set their sights on their first 1.5-hectare vineyard in 2008, in the village they would never leave. some twenty kilometers south of Angers, in the coteaux-du-layon appellation area, the village has fewer than a thousand inhabitants. geneviève Delatte continues:" It's mainly because of them that we wanted to settle here. They bring a dynamism that I've rarely seen elsewhere. The community grocery store, run by volunteers, has been up and running since we arrived. "
at Rablay-sur-Layon, the ethic of life also extends to the vineyards. All 18 winegrowers are certified organic. Domaine Bertin-Delatte is expanding without going overboard, acquiring a very old plot dating back to 1929, and reaching maturity in 2018 with a total of 4.5 hectares of chenin, its signature grape variety. " We still make wines we like to drink: frank, dry, taut. But we've built a fine cellar to enable us to age our wines for longer periods, up to two years, including one year in barrels," emphasize the winemakers.
The forty-somethings have mellowed out, but certainly not fallen asleep, planting pineau d'Aunis to produce thirst-quenching reds, and grolleau gris to produce a new natural sparkling wine. They have also carried out a massal selection of the micro-parcel (0.5 hectare) from 1929, to extract the exceptional plant heritage. at the time we bought it, it was going to be uprooted," says Geneviève Delatte. We saved it and, even though it's still productive, we now want to propagate it on another plot."The 100% chenin "Vingt-Neuf" cuvée will thus remain at the pinnacle of an ultimately eclectic range. In keeping with our philosophy, volumes are never large, and almost all references are sold to professionals, wine merchants and restaurateurs.
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Follow the chenin
The king of the Loire grape varieties, also widespread in South Africa, "ch'nin", as the people of the Loire pronounce it, has the extraordinary ability to produce dry white wines as well as semi-dry, sweet, syrupy and even sparkling wines, commonly known as fines bulles. Complex and demanding, it is nonetheless endearing.
Should we trust the medals on the bottles?
On a supermarket shelf, similar-looking bottles of wine are lined up at slightly contrasting prices. Without a salesperson, in a time-constrained food shopping area, a sticker placed like a jewel cuts through the act of purchasing. Gold, silver or bronze medals flash more brightly than a label that's not always easy to decipher. Award-winning wine, featured wine An award-winning wine is one that has been presented by the winery at one of the 127 competitions that award these precious badges (in 2024, according to the DGCCRF). The famous Concours Général Agricole, founded in 1870, the world's best Chardonnay or Sauvignon competitions, the Brittany or Mâcon wine competitions, the Millésime Bio challenge... There's an embarrassment of riches to choose from, with no limit on participation, but not without a heavy hand in the wallet. For each cuvée entered, you'll need to pay between 10 and 150 euros, depending on the competition, not including postage and packaging costs and the purchase of macaroons in the event of victory. Attractive spin-offs A potentially interesting calculation, given the commercial visibility these awards bring. In the year following the award, sales of the vintage tend to increase by between 20% and 40%. A boon for the estate, event organizers and supermarkets alike. All the more so as the medals are pouring in. In 2025, at the Concours Général Agricole, of the 12129 wines entered, 3361 were awarded medals, almost half of them gold. French legislation prohibits the awarding of more than a third of the samples presented. A quota with which most competitions flirt. Amateur jury Who awards these accolades? A volunteer jury, at their own expense. Mostly amateurs. The great need for people leaves little room for rigor or traceability. In 2025, at the Concours Général Agricole, over 7,000 people were needed to taste charcuterie, cheeses, jams and wines. At this year's Chardonnay du Monde competition, more than 300 jurors took part, with a limit of 20 samples per person. The most famous estates, which don't need to boost their sales, tend to neglect these competitions. Artisanal wineries, on the other hand, may shy away from these competitions as a matter of distinction, since the shiny stickers are associated with supermarkets. A place where it takes the place of good professional advice. A wine merchant, for example, capable of selling the uniqueness of a cuvée he has followed over the years.
Fabrice Pouillon: his champagne method
Fabrice Pouillon is the third generation to run the family domaine at Mareuil-sur-Aÿ in the Marne region of France, and he has an intrinsic respect for the heritage he has inherited: respect for the vines and for fine work. Constantly questioning himself, curious and eager to experiment, the Champenois celebrates his 26th harvest this September.
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