Claire et Florent Béjon

The history of Claire et Florent Béjon

The story of Domaine Claire et Florent Béjon began far from the usual path of family winemaking. Neither Claire nor Florent comes from a winemaking family. A lifelong wine enthusiast, Claire brings a thoughtful, discerning perspective. Florent spent more than twenty years traveling the Loire, helping leading estates bottle their cuvées without additives. This unusual experience brought him into contact with prominent figures in natural wine, including Mark Angeli, who passed on to him a love of sustainable practices and absolute purity.

Beginning in 2010, the couple gradually acquired their first plots, with patience and determination. Based in a cave carved into the tuffeau at Saint-Germain-sur-Vienne, they built their estate as an intimate haven. Even today, they refuse to expand excessively and work alone, without employees or seasonal workers. This humble, uncompromising philosophy has given rise to wines that tell a true story: the meeting of two passionate people and a forgotten terroir.

The terroirs and vines of Claire et Florent Béjon

Domaine Claire et Florent Béjon stretches along the left bank of the Vienne, between Candes-Saint-Martin and Seuilly, in the historic Chinon area. Its deliberately scattered, small plots reveal an incredible diversity of soils: flinty clay over limestone bedrock in the Picrochole plot, deep, heavy clay in Les Bournais, yellow and white tuffeau mixed with windblown sand in Pain Perdu, and ancient limestone slopes.

The vines, averaging 50 years of age and reaching 80 years in some cases, are farmed organically, though not certified, under exceptionally strict standards: sulfur and copper used in minimal doses, mechanically worked soils without herbicides, green manure, and permanent ground cover. All work, from pruning to harvest, is done by hand. This respectful approach preserves the vitality of the soils and the unique character of each plot, giving the wines of Domaine Claire et Florent Béjon incomparable minerality and freshness.

Winemaking at Claire et Florent Béjon

At Claire et Florent Béjon, winemaking begins with close attention to the vintage and the grapes. Harvesting is done by hand, with rigorous sorting in the vineyard. Whole grape clusters arrive at the cellar without destemming. Maceration is a long, very gentle infusion, lasting from 10 days to 3 months depending on the vintage, at low temperatures, with no pump-overs or punch-downs after the first day. Fermentation relies exclusively on native yeasts, with no chaptalization or added nitrogen or sulfites.

Aging takes place for at least 12 months in a natural cave carved into the rock, using stainless-steel tanks, used 600 L demi-muid barrels, terracotta amphorae, and jars. No new oak is used, preserving the purity of the fruit. The wines are bottled without fining, filtration, or added sulfites. The result: vibrant, authentic wines that evolve beautifully in the bottle and faithfully reflect the Loire terroir.

The cuvées of Claire et Florent Béjon

Every cuvée from Domaine Claire et Florent Béjon is either a single-plot expression or a meticulously crafted blend, always labeled Vin de France.

Saint Germain: The estate’s flagship red. Made from its oldest Cabernet Franc vines, aged 60 to 80 years, this cuvée offers rare depth and elegance. The nose reveals ripe black currant, violet, and graphite; the palate brings silky tannins, chalky freshness, and an exceptionally long finish. Perfect with duck breast or red meat.

Picrochole: A signature single-plot cuvée from a one-hectare walled vineyard in Lerné, on flinty clay and limestone. More structured and intense, it develops aromas of wild raspberry, pepper, and damp earth. The palate is full-bodied and mineral, with a saline finish that calls for game or aged cheeses.

Pain Perdu: The most approachable and joyful red. From the La Roche Bobreau plot, with its tuffeau and windblown sand, it charms with crisp freshness and notes of Burlat cherry, red currant, and a hint of mint. Light in alcohol, easy-drinking, and delicious, it is ideal as an aperitif or with light dishes.

Les Bournais: The most limited-production cuvée. From an isolated plot of deep clay outside the appellation area, this powerful Cabernet Franc reveals notes of blackberry, licorice, and humus. Velvety texture and concentration without heaviness: a wine for aging that gains complexity year after year.

Les Gruches: The estate’s only white, made from very old Chenin Blanc vines, some up to 80 years old. Aromatic and taut, it offers notes of white flowers, preserved lemon, acacia honey, and a hint of linden blossom. On the palate, chalky minerality, vibrant acidity, and a saline finish of crystalline purity. Perfect with seafood, goat cheese, or as an aperitif.