Winemakers: Domaine du Balbuzard

Yohann Moreaux worked in French gastronomy in restaurants across France and Scandinavia for the early part of his career. Following a period of physical ailments, as well as a general fatigue of the industry, he found himself once again in his native Loire region, drawn by a profound desire to reconnect with nature. He began a significant career shift towards environmental management and protection, completing specified trainings which he funded by working in the vines. It was eventually the area of viticulture that inspired him the most, and which he eventually decided to follow, working for numerous domains in the region before taking over a small number of plots. He now works five hectares of Cabernet Franc, Chenin and Sauvignon Blanc on predominantly schist soils in the Val-du-Layon. All work in the vines and the cellar is done manually, with aging in fiberglass tanks and bottle. Certified organic, scientific approach, and nature first.