Sylvain Martinez

Sylvain and Manuela Martinez are based in Le Thoureil, Anjou, south of the Loire river about halfway between Angers and Saumur. The soil there is composed of sand and the classic black Anjou schist, which helps produce his mineral-rich, delicious wines.

Sylvain worked for some time with Marc Angeli, Xavier Caillard, Oliver Cousin, among others before becoming a vigneron of his own fields. He continues the legacy of his grandfather, who taught him from a young age to cultivate, love, and respect the natural terroir. He believes that prioritizing soil and plant health is the best way to maximize fruit quality, which is why he produces wines with low intervention.

Here, he grows Chenin Blanc, Pineau d'Aunis, Grolleau, Gamay, Sauvignon Blanc. Sylvain vinifies his wine in the basement of the Abbey of Saint-Maur, where Chenin Blanc has been planted since 845 AD. 

Sylvain ages all of his wine in barrel, giving them elegant structure. The soil of the region, in classic Loire fashion, lends the wine charming mineral notes on the palate. His white wines are bottled a year after harvest, and reds a little earlier. We love late bottling and find that it adds a deeper personality to the wine.