Flagship Monopole from a Cab Franc Master: 2020 Domaine du Bel Air ‘Clos Nouveau’

When Pierre Gauthier was a young boy growing up in the village of Benais, east of the town of Bourgueil, he used to walk by the three meter tall limestone walls of the historic Clos Nouveau everyday on his way to school. When he began his journey as a vigneron, the older vignerons in the village spoke of the great terroirs of Benais - Grand Mont, Clos Sénéchal, Beauvais… but they always said that the greatest of the great wines was Clos Nouveau.  It was always Pierre’s dream to one day become the caretaker of this very special clos.

The history of Clos Nouveau can be traced back to the 13th century, when the vineyard was once part of the holdings of the Château de Benais. The walls of the clos were built in the 1600s by the du Bellay family, descendants of the famed French poet Joachim du Bellay, and was planted with a mix of vegetables, fruit trees and vines.  Following the French Revolution, the vineyard was sold to a wealthy Parisian merchant, and in the early 1900s to a vigneron from Benais who planted the clos entirely to vine. The vineyard was later passed down to the vigneron’s grandson in the 1970s, who some years later went bankrupt, when the vineyard was subsequently put up for sale by vente à bougie (candlelight auction) in 2005. After a long process of bidding, Pierre managed to successful purchase Clos Nouveau, making Domaine du Bel Air only the third owner of the vineyard since 1798.

The 1.3ha clos is planted with 1.15ha of Cabernet Franc vines, which are on average about 40 years of age.  The geology is similar to Clos Rougeard’s famed Le Bourg vineyard, thin clay topsoil covers mother bedrock of tuffeaux limestone, the Gauthiers have even replaced the stakes with traditional slate pickets. 

Domaine du Bel Air comprises 20 hectares in total, 100% cabernet franc, 100% organic, all the vineyard work is done by hand.  Pierre has farmed the domaine since 1979, with his son Rodolphe joining in 2005, the same year they added Clos Nouveau.

“These are some of the best Cabernet Franc coming out of Bourgueil – and the Loire.”
- Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous

"Pierre and Rodolphe Gauthier's Domaine du Bel Air is one of the quality and style giants not just in Bourgueil but in the entire Loire Valley...The incredibly deep, concentrated and age-worthy Clos Nouveau is one of my personal favorites on planet Cab Franc. Not too bad as well, the wine doesn't cost a fortune...This is a producer each Cabernet lover has to check out."
- Stephan Reinhardt, Wine Advocate

2020 Domaine du Bel Air (Gauthier Pere et Fils) Bourgueil 'Clos Nouveau'
- 95 DC, 93 CT, 95 RV
"The flagship wine of Domaine du Bel Air comes from an historic 1ha walled vineyard (clos). It impresses immediately with a deeply complex and savoury nose of black cherry, smoke and black olives. The palate is equally intense, with black spicy fruit, dark plums, black pepper and a touch of raisined character. The tannins are full but not grippy or hard; the finish is long and juicy. There is no weight or excess here, just a silky profile of understated, fine fruit. Approachable now, but will be drinking very well in the next five to 15 years." - Beverley Blanning MW, Decanter

"Here there is intensity of flavour, yet at the same time having a weightless feel in the mouth with flavours ricocheting around the palate like pinballs giving the most remarkable sensations and incredibly long finish. Perfectly balanced and not marked by the new oak. It is a wine which really seems to defy description and logic. How can it carry so much flavour with such a light and perfect texture. A remarkable wine with a great future which seems to be ample testament to a great farmer, and winemaker."
- Le Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France 2025 (La Revue du Vin de France)

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