Le Haut des Clous Domaine Saint Nicolas Thierry Michon 2018

Les Clous, Domaine Saint-Nicholas, biodynamic Chenin Blanc blend, distinctive vin de terroir. Situated on a marshy island a stone’s throw away from the Atlantic. Fresh and lively, with light-weight floral, persimmon, green almond, apple and pear notes stretched over a bright, elegant frame. You can smell the marsh in the aromas present, manifesting as heather, lavender and almond. Good tight, crisp palate. The wine is biodynamic, hand harvested and undergoes wild yeast fermentation in steel tanks.

Thierry's father purchased the vineyard at Ile d’Olonne in 1970 to build the winery that Thierry now runs.

The wines of Saint-Nicholas are unique due to the vineyard's proximity to the ocean and resulting micro-climate: sea, woodland and the marshes of the Ile d’Olonne. They have a wide variety of grapes across this 37 hectare estate, and it is all farmed biodynamically. No easy task! For Thierry Michon, the schist and silex soils so close to the Atlantic are key to his success. His vineyards never see a non-organic product. He raises his own cows simply for the manure they produce which he religiously spreads between the vines. He has also slowly purchased buffer zones all around his property to prevent chemical products from other winemakers from seeping into his parcels.