CLOS KIXHAYA

Chinon, Loire Valley

Clos Kixhaya is a walled 4.5 hectare vineyard in Chinon consisting entirely of 55-90 year-old Cabernet Franc vines. In 2018, Béatriz Papamija and her husband Étienne Le Blanc took over the vineyard and attached cellar and farmhouse and began restoring the semi-abandoned property into a working winery and farm. Now, along with their young children and animals, the beginnings of a beautiful project are starting to coalesce. Their first vintage making wine was in 2020, and the couple have worked tirelessly to produce delicious natural wines that are entirely free of additives in the vineyard or cellar. The two do all the work in the vines and cellar, and as much as possible is done by hand. Since taking over, they have tried to limit working the soil to a minimum, in order to encourage biodiversity in the vines. Natural treatments, bottling, and other important steps in the winemaking process are done in accordance with biodynamic principles.

Beá and Étienne’s philosophy is rooted in sustainability and working primarily with what their farm provides, so for the wines this means a lineup consisting entirely of Cabernet Franc. However, this doesn’t mean they are only producing red wine. In addition to two “classic” red Cabernet Franc bottlings, there is also a still, direct press “white wine” bottling, the Blanc des Noirs, as we as a delicious and lively petillant natural rosé.

Clos Kixhaya are part of a new generation of growers in the central Loire Valley who respect the terroir of their adopted region, but hold no pretention about what wine should or should not be – their passion is born out of a respect for the land and creating wines reflective of the bounty it provides.