Domaine Belargus, nestled in the heart of the Loire Valley, is a reference in Anjou, brilliantly magnifying all the subtleties of chenin blanc.
A fascinating history
Domaine Belargus is the fruit of Ivan Massonnat's passion, a former telecommunications engineer and true autodidact in the world of wine. Initially seduced by Burgundy wines, he then discovers the charm and still discreet potential of Loire terroirs and turns his attention to chenin blanc. He then poses an essential question: where are the greatest terroirs for this grape variety?
His quest leads him to Anjou Noir, a region shaped by the Armorican massif and its dark schists, offering a unique hilly landscape marked by geological chaos, some strata of which date back 600 or 700 million years.
An exceptional terroir
After long research, Ivan Massonnat takes over exceptional plots in 2018 from the emblematic winemaker Jo Pithon. He now runs a 24-hectare estate devoted exclusively to chenin, distributed across renowned terroirs: Savennières, the prestigious Coteau des Treilles, and also Quarts-de-Chaume Grand Cru. The vines are cultivated biodynamically, respecting biodiversity and soils. The name "Belargus" pays homage to a blue butterfly, symbol of the delicacy of local nature.
A plot-by-plot and demanding approach
The team, led by Ivan Massonnat and accompanied by estate manager Adrien Moreau, strives to reveal the singularity of each plot. Belargus thus establishes itself as a key player in the renaissance of great Anjou whites.
The estate's philosophy is based on pure expression of terroir and great demands, with rigorous control at each stage, particularly during long aging in large barrels. A delicate grape variety, chenin requires several selections during harvest to achieve optimal maturity.
Domaine Belargus, a unique signature
Domaine Belargus offers a precise reading of Anjou terroirs, mainly through dry white wines and, in great vintages, sweet wines. The dry wines are distinguished by their straightforwardness, their amplitude, their precision and mastered wood aging, while the sweet wines seduce through their frank expression and sublime concentration.
