Domaine Belargus rocketed to fame after receiving a perfect score for one of its very first releases. The Anjou estate was created in 2018 by French financier Ivan Massonnat and is dedicated to celebrating the special terroirs of this special corner of the Loire through the lens of Chenin Blanc.
Ivan Massonnat grew up in the Savoie, where his grandfather farmed a small vineyard, but only came to wine in his 20s. He fell in love with Burgundy and the concept of terroir, developing close relationships with producers there. He bought a country house in the Loire and gradually learned more about the region, discovering its rich history of fine wine production and its unrealized potential.
After a decade spent learning about the wine business, in 2018 he bought legendary Loire producer Jo Pithon’s operation – then under the name Pithon-Paillé, including his prized Coteau des Treilles vineyard. Within six months he bought a parcel in Savennières and 10 hectares (equivalent to a quarter of the appellation) of Quarts de Chaume, the region’s only Grand Cru vineyards. He hired a young team including winemaker Adrien Moreau, formerly of Château Cheval Blanc, Roederer and Ch. Haut-Brion. Jo Pithon and the late Guy Bossard (a pioneer of biodynamic farming in Muscadet) worked as consultants.
There are around 24 hectares in total, averaging between 30 and 40 years old. The vines are all farmed biodynamically, with organic certification completed and biodynamic certification underway. The yields are low, around 25hl/ha, which the team
