Eric Nicolas, owner and winemaker at Domaine Bellivière, is consummately devoted to the wines of his appellation. Unfortunately for the world, that appellation is both small and obscure, and the wines of Bellivière are consequently difficult to find. Domaine Bellivière is located in the AOC of Jasnières, a sub-unit of the only slightly larger Coteaux du Loir, which is in turn a sub-unit of the vastly larger Loire Valley appellation. The Loir, a smaller tributary of the Loire (and that makes confusion clear, doesn’t it), is located on the northern fringe of the Loire AOC, in the direction of Chartres. It is entirely separate and distinct from the greater region in that it is distinctly colder and with much greater weather variance.

These are hand made wines in the extreme. Eric has established himself, however as the point of reference in this part of the valley and commands a serious and sincere following.