Marie-Lise and Thomas Batardière

Loire, France
*Biodynamic Wine
Thomas Batardière is a passionate, unabashed winemaker. Born in 1980 in Angers, he studied anthropology, but in 2008 while working as a filmmaker, Batardière became deeply interested in natural wine. Not long thereafter, he decided to work with Mathieu Vallée at Château Yvonne in Saumur.
After three years of being mentored by Vallée, in 2012 Batardière finally began his own project in Rablay-sur-Layon (in Anjou) by purchasing a few hectares of his favorite variety Chenin Blanc. The winery was built in 2014, along with his house, right next door to Richard Leroy. Applying biodynamic principles from the get-go, Thomas continued to expand to reach 4 hectares.
His wine is full of his understanding and thinking about winemaking philosophy, natural and pure, and exquisitely expresses the local terroir.