Romain Verger & Lucie Faderne

INFECTIOUS ENERGY
His upbeat, energetic, and infectious personality drew us to Romain Verger. He is one of those people that everybody loves to be around. We cannot think of anyone who meets Romain and does not fall 100% head over heels in love with him.
Romain is a passionate guy who works intensely, day after day, quietly inventing his winemaking style and dazzling anyone lucky enough to find his cellar. 
Romain's winemaking style is intense—it's incredibly awesome. The intensity makes you feel like you're about to go inside yourself, wondering if you have landed on a mysterious planet. In addition to making wine, Romain also grows aromatic medicinal plants and makes a delicious sparkling, non-alcoholic elderflower drink.

TREASURE
Domaine Lé Thio Noots is a treasure run by a lovely and inspiring couple. Their wines are out of this planet and are some of the finest in the Loire Valley. The experience of tasting their wines is not just unique, but also truly delightful. It's an experience that has earned rave compliments from family and friends, and from up-and-coming natural winemakers who come listening to their stories. The principle is to source wines that demonstrate a clear sense of place. They taste as if they come from somewhere rather than something.

MOON PHASE
Romain Verger's journey into winemaking is a testament to his unwavering dedication to natural wine production and sustainable practices. He never learned to make wine with chemical additives. He started as an arborist and has gained skills in beekeeping, cattle breeding, and vegetable gardens, but eventually, viticulture sparked his love for making natural wine. Romain was fifteen when he pruned for the first time. He was twenty-two when he learned to taste natural wine with Jérôme Saurigny. Jérôme introduced him to Patrick Desplats and Babass, where he worked alternately, and through Jean-Francois Chéné, he ended up with Didier Chafferdon, who taught him the tricks of the moon phase and the earth.
Romain and his wife Lucie are food and natural wine buffs, passionate about their work and craft. It is always great to see inspiring young people sharing the same mood. Last week, we had an epic tasting moment where time stopped just for a second. We loved the relaxing, pleasing, unpretentious atmosphere with Romain, Lucie, and the kids.

FARMER SENSUALITY AND HORSES
With a strong focus on his work, Romain plays a key role in the Loire, which includes spectacular wines that express his farmer's sensuality and mindful playfulness. This unique approach to winemaking, which Romain describes as a blend of his deep connection to the land and his playful experimentation with traditional techniques, is a testament to his commitment to producing wines that are delicious and reflective of the terroir. His wife Lucie, trained as a gerontopsychologist, learned something about science-based ecology with horses in the vineyards, and she knows what to do. The Loire is a great school full of positive influences.

ANGELS
We thoroughly enjoyed spending time in their cellar, tasting their wines like there was no tomorrow. There were so many glorious moments that it was hard to pick only a few. All the wines were so good that they became our angels. It was a truly satisfying and fulfilling experience.
Carré d'Astre, the white chenin just beautiful. The white gris was imaginative, tasty, and fun. Herbs and plants came to mind. It was challenging to decide on my favourite white. The Sauvignon Blanc was the winner, and it turned pretty magical when tasted. We were given the impression that we had won the jackpot.

ORGANIC REDS
We felt particularly inspired after spending the evening celebrating and debating the lovely wines of some of their organic reds. I remember I took my time to extract and distil the essence of that phenomenal cabernet franc. We sincerely enjoyed the Red Cox Knock and made a bow for La Dame Blue. It got under my skin. With all my heart and all the memories, I made it mine. To say... If you are looking for an all-day wine, Gamme Hénade is your wine. You will not find any better gamay Loire wine. Stop looking. 

HAPPY
It was fascinating and intriguing, but greedy thoughts took over us. It was our discovery of the year, and we could not be happier.