Domaine des Pothiers

Romain Paire and family are without a doubt the reference point for the Côte Roannaise. Domaine des Pothiers and the Paires family have been in the Villemontais for over 300 years, Georges (Romains father) inherited the domaine from his father Benoit Paire in 1974. Since 2005  Romain Paire joined his parents full-time and his passion has continued the progress of the estate.

The vineyards are set on hills overlooking the Loire on the foothills of the Massif Central at about 400-500 meters above sea level. With the help of his wife Denise, the vineyard went to 5 hectares of vines then continued.  Today, the estate has become mainly viticultural with about 10 hectares of vines while retaining a small herd of limousine cows. Romain Paire and family are without a doubt the reference point for the Côte Roannaise. The vineyards are all biodynamic, the fruit hand-harvested and the wine fermented with indigenous yeasts with a maturation in either tank or cement. In the case of the monopole ”Clos du Puy”, in old wood.

Although technically Côte Roannaise is a part of the Loire, with it’s unique granite soils this area is ofen considered the unofficial ”11th Cru of the Beaujolais” (even though it’s at least an hour drive from Brouilly, and the Gamay used here is a particular variety called Gamay Saint-Romain, which is distinct from the Gamay in the Beaujolais).