Damien Laureau

The History of Domaine Damien Laureau

Damien Laureau’s story is that of an agricultural engineer who discovered his calling in winemaking through family connections. After working in Paris as the manager of a plant-waste composting company, he joined his uncle Jean-Louis Laureau in Anjou. His uncle owned pear orchards in Frémur and a small vineyard in Sainte-Gemmes-sur-Loire. Together, they established a small estate producing straightforward red and white Anjou wines. It was there that Damien’s passion for wine began. In 1999, he took over Clos Frémur in Sainte-Gemmes-sur-Loire, combining winegrowing with pear cultivation. But Savennières’ terroir gradually drew him in: in 1999, an opportunity arose when Madame de Vaulchier leased him 5.5 hectares at Moulin de Beaupréau, one of the appellation’s finest plots, after the previous tenant had filed for bankruptcy.

In 2006, Damien made a crucial decision: he gave up the pear orchards to focus entirely on winegrowing, establishing his winery in Epiré. In 2007, he expanded his vineyard by leasing a quarter-hectare in La Roche aux Moines and acquiring 1.3 hectares at Chambourcier (the Bel Ouvrage plot), planted in 1999 and 2001 and purchased from the Soulez family. In 2009, he began converting the entire vineyard to organic farming, with certification starting from the 2012 vintage. Today, Damien Laureau is widely recognized as one of the producers who challenged established Loire practices—high yields and chemical use in the vineyard and winery—and restored Savennières to a prominent place among France’s great white wines.

Terroirs and Vines of Domaine Damien Laureau

Domaine Damien Laureau’s 8.5 hectares are spread across several plots on the Savennières hillside, all on the right bank of the Loire between Epiré and La Roche aux Moines. The soils of the Savennières appellation are among the Loire’s most complex and distinctive: schist, sandstone and rhyolite (ancient volcanic rock) predominate, giving the wines characteristic saline and iodine-like minerality, natural tension and extraordinary aging potential. Soil type and depth vary considerably from plot to plot, accounting for the stylistic differences between the cuvées.

Les Genêts comes from the Moulin de Beaupréau area, on windblown sands over schist and rhyolite at the start of the plateau, producing wines that are fuller and fruitier in their youth. Le Bel Ouvrage, from the Chambourcier plot between Château de Chamboreau and La Roche aux Moines, grows on purer, poorer schist and rhyolite on a slope that provides better drainage, producing a more powerful, concentrated Chenin. La Roche aux Moines, from the terroir of the same name, renowned since the Middle Ages for its black schist and fine sandstone soils, yields the most mineral and austere cuvée in its youth, but also the one with the greatest aging potential. The entire vineyard is certified organic, with very low yields and hand harvesting.

Winemaking at Domaine Damien Laureau

Damien Laureau makes wine with an engineer’s rigor and the sensitivity of a passionate craftsman. Grapes are harvested by hand, with several passes through the vineyard to select them at optimal ripeness. Pressing is slow and gentle. Alcoholic fermentation begins with native yeasts and takes place in oak barrels, where the wines are then aged for approximately 18 months before bottling. Initially, Les Genêts was aged in fiberglass tanks, but Damien gradually moved all his cuvées to barrel aging. Only L'Alliance, the young-vine cuvée, remains in stainless steel tanks.

Malolactic fermentation occurs naturally and is not blocked, unlike the historical practice in Savennières, where it was often prevented to create a false impression of freshness. Damien prefers integrated, natural acidity, which gives the wines a full texture and an invigorating finish with refined bitter notes, true to the expression of his volcanic terroirs. The top cuvées are bottled without filtration, with particular attention paid to bottling dates and aging conditions.

The Cuvées of Domaine Damien Laureau

Savennières L'Alliance: An entry-level cuvée from young vines (ten years old), aged exclusively in stainless steel tanks to preserve the purity of the fruit and the freshness of Chenin in its youth. Expressive, floral nose; lively, taut palate; fresh acidity and a hint of minerality. An approachable Savennières that introduces the estate’s style, to be enjoyed within 3 to 5 years. Good value for the appellation.

Savennières Les Genêts: A cuvée from vines in the Moulin de Beaupréau area, at the start of the plateau, on windblown sands over schist and rhyolite. Aged for 18 months in barrels. This is the estate’s fullest and most immediately appealing Savennières in its youth, with aromas of white fruit (apple and pear), flowers and chalk, and minerality that emerges gradually. A rich, savory palate leads to an invigorating finish with refined bitter notes. Remarkable value for the appellation, cited as a reliable choice by many wine merchants. A wine with 8 to 15 years of aging potential.

Savennières Le Bel Ouvrage: A single-plot cuvée from the Chambourcier site, 1.3 hectares planted in 1999 and 2001 by the Soulez family and acquired by Damien in 2007. Situated between Château de Chamboreau and La Roche aux Moines on a slope of pure schist and rhyolite, it has a more powerful, concentrated expression than Les Genêts. Aged for 18 months in barrels. Orchard-fruit aromas (medlar, quince and apple pectin) with aromatic herbs and earthy root notes. A complete, food-friendly palate, with less oak influence than Les Genêts and greater fruit purity. A favorite at Wine Paris 2024. Comparable to a great Burgundy village wine in its character and tension.

Savennières Champ-Bourcier: A little-known single-plot cuvée from a precisely selected area of the estate’s vineyard, considered by some wine lovers to be its most complex and ambitious cuvée. Considerable concentration, robust structure, invigorating bitter notes and very long aging potential. Produced in tiny quantities, it needs several years to open up fully and reveal the depth of its schist and rhyolite terroir. Best left to age for 5 to 10 years before opening.

Savennières Roche-aux-Moines: An iconic cuvée and the pinnacle of the range, from a 25-are plot leased since 2007 on the legendary La Roche aux Moines terroir, an appellation within the appellation classified as a cru since 1966. Black schist and fine sandstone soils, southern exposure and a steep slope. Aged for 18 to 24 months in oak barrels. A wine of remarkable austerity and tension in its youth, with deep saline and iodine-like minerality and aromas of chalk, flint, dried flowers and candied citrus. The palate is exceptionally energetic, taut as a bowstring, with a finish of rare length and persistence. A fine wine built to age, ideally enjoyed after 10 to 20 years in the cellar. Described as a "stratospheric bottle" by the specialist press for the 2022 vintage. With age, it rivals France’s greatest white wines.