Introducing Lé Thio Noots

After a visit to the home of Romain Verger and his wife Lucie Faderne last September we are thrilled to now introduce the wines of their domaine, Lé Thio Noots.

A native of Anjou, Romain Verger has been farming the region in one manner or another his entire life. After first schooling in plant nursery he moved through various other forms of agriculture before setting on viticulture, along the way crossing paths with a number of outsiders in the wine world who worked without the use of chemicals in their vines. Intrigued by their philosophies and their wines he began helping them prune, and bit by bit turned to assisting them full time. His journey since then has brought him to work alongside some of the most iconically uncompromising characters in the region including Jerome Saurigny, Patrick Desplats and Didier Chaffardon to name but a few. His wife Lucie, once a psychologist, has moved to practising equine therapy and now assists with the horse work in their fields. Together they have two small children and a real menagerie of animals including sheep, ducks and a mule.

Only beginning their domaine in 2018, they are the custodians of 3ha of vines in and around Faye D’Anjou. With a mix of red and white varieties including a parcel of untreated Sauvignon Blanc and an 80 year old Cabernet Franc vineyard, the pair look to work their vines in a sensitive way, preferring herbal teas and tisanes to traditional treatments. Also utilising his past experience and knowledge of plantlife, Romain has sown between the rows different botanicals and vegetables known for their properties in improving soil health.

This intuitive sense is followed in the cellar where grapes are processed by hand, including de-stemming when desired. Macerations can be up to 8 months long with élevage mostly in barrique, for as much or as little time as needed to find balance and bottled with no additions at any stage.
The wines are compelling - gentle but expressive, with a depth and energy that really do make one reminisce on those of Romain’s mentors, whilst at the same time having a style totally of their own.