The BLUE LANDS

Xavière Hardy is aWinemaker based north of Ancenis who began planting her vineyards in 2013, as she was embarking on a career change.

For twenty years, she ran a consultancy firm specialising in environmental engineering, and assumed her role as a company director who was already very involved in biodiversity and environmental protection. She sold her company at the end of 2017 and could therefore officially start her reconversion as Winemaker at the beginning of 2018.

She’s starting from scratch in a village where no vines have been planted: no vines, no winery, no equipment… but land.

Her family is already involved in agriculture (livestock, crops, etc.), and she had the wine-growing regions unit conduct a soil analysis—and there was a pleasant surprise: “I realized I had plots of land where it was entirely possible to plant grapevines!” explains the Winemaker.

Terroirs and grape varieties of the Terres Bleues

“Geographically, I’m isolated, but I’m part of a network of winemakers on the Ancenis hillside, under the expert guidance of Jacques Carroget, winemaker La Paonnerie. There’s no Pays de Châteaubriant AOC, and since I’m on my own, it’s hard to claim it, but ‘Terres Bleues’ is really what it’s all about! On this plot, we’re on Angers schist. “It’s definitely sky-blue clay,” Xavière Hardy says proudly, pointing to an azure-colored stone that makes up the wall of her maison.

This soil isn’t suitable for just any grape variety, of course, so Xavière Hardy has chosen to focus on Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir, and Grolleau Noir to offer us two unique red wines and two unique white wines!

Organic and biodynamic wines

"I chose grape varieties suited to the terroir and planted the vines on stakes. Training the vines on stakes allows us to preserve the apices—the vine tips—which play a key role in the vine’s growth cycle and promote grape ripening. The vineyard is cultivated organically. I work as naturally as possible."

Xavière Hardy tends to his vineyard according to the lunar calendar, using nettle teas and decoctions made from horsetail, oak bark, willow, and many other plants.

“I also use biodynamic preparations. The goal is to help the vines build their own resistance to disease, as well as to improve the interaction between soil microorganisms and the vine’s root system.”

Finally, all Terres Bleues wines are free of “added” sulfites. This is a commitment by Xavière Hardy to offer us a natural wine that is as authentic as possible.

Petites Caves pleased to offer you two natural white wines and two natural red wines from Winery Terres Bleues Winery . Our top pick is the 2020 Pinot Noir HX2: a very elegant natural wine that you can discover here. Thank you, Xavière Hardy!