Like many in France, Thierry Germain of Domaine des Roches Neuves comes from a long line of winemakers and is known the world over for being a leader in biodynamic wine production.

Originally from Bordeaux, he moved to the Loire Valley in the early 1990s where he was mentored by Charly Foucault of the incomparable Clos Rougeard. Their friendship ultimately resulted in converting Thierry Germain’s entire domaine to biodynamic viticulture.

This biodynamic approach meant Thierry developed a deep passion for holistically listening to his vineyards, giving him an understanding of all the activity occurring from the soil to the fruit and everything in between. This is evident in every bottle of his wine produced.

La Revue du Vins de France awarded Thierry Germain’s 2012 and 2013 vintages a 3-star rating: one of just two wines in the Loire Valley to receive such recognition.

Shortly after receiving this accolade, Thierry suffered a catastrophic brain injury that left him with severe amnesia. He couldn’t recognise his own family or leave home for fear of losing his way. Thierry’s recovery was slow and when he was finally able to return to winemaking, he questioned the entire process. He now makes wine “with emotion”, meaning he feels every aspect of the land and plants that contribute to the magnificent end result. His approach is to ‘make wine on the vine’, meaning the hard work is done in the vineyard rather than during the winemaking.

His dedication to site specific wines from Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc has enabled him to produce some of the most exciting wines in the entire Loire Valley. 

"The elegance, precision and purity of Germain’s Cabernet Franc are something else entirely, almost Burgundian." - Jason Wilson, Vinous