Grégory Leclerc

Before he was a winemaker, Grégory Leclerc was a historian by training, working stints in both marketing and wine journalism after graduating from his masters program. It was when he met a group of passionate natural winemakers in the Loire, however, that he knew he had found his calling. In 2007, Lelerc officially put his pen down and purchased 6.5 hectares and a cellar in Touraine.

The estate is located in Amboise, a waterfront town on the south side of the Loire Valley just down river from Vouvray. Lelerc cultivates Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon, Gamay, Côt (Malbec) and Grolleau. Planted to soils of mainly limestone and clay, the vines average 25 years in age, while the 60+ year old Grolleau vines are planted to flint and clay. Fruit is harvested by hand, farming is organic, and biodiversity is encouraged, including flora and fauna, as well as mustard seeds to increase the soil’s nitrogen levels. He shares his cellar with Anne Paillet, maker of the magnificent wines Autour de l’Anne. They aren’t just cellar partners, they’re partner-partners too, and treat the wines gently, not a lot of racking, no pumping, neither filtering nor fining.