Thibaud Boudignon
Summary
Thibaud Boudignon operates a boutique 9-hectare estate across Anjou and Savennières in the Loire Valley, focusing primarily on Chenin Blanc grown in diverse schist, sandstone, clay and limestone soils. His meticulous organic farming practices, deliberately low yields, and minimal-intervention winemaking have rapidly elevated him from newcomer in 2009 to benchmark producer, exemplifying the innovative spirit driving the Loire Valley's contemporary renaissance.
Heritage & Leadership
Thibaud Boudignon established his eponymous domaine in 2009, following several years as the winemaker at Château Soucherie in Anjou. Originally from Bordeaux, Boudignon brought his viticultural expertise to the Loire Valley, where he began with just 3.5 hectares in the communes of Savennières and Anjou. The domaine remains independently owned and operated by Boudignon himself, who oversees all aspects of production from vineyard management to winemaking. In 2013, he expanded his holdings with the acquisition of parcels in the Savennières appellation, marking a significant development for the still-young estate. Boudignon maintains a hands-on approach, personally directing all vineyard and cellar operations from his winery in Soulaines-sur-Aubance.
Vineyards & Wines
The domaine encompasses 9 hectares of vineyards spread across the Anjou and Savennières appellations in the Loire Valley. In Savennières, Boudignon cultivates parcels in the Clos de la Hutte and La Vigne Cendrée sites, both characterized by schist and sandstone soils with varying proportions of quartz. His Anjou holdings include vineyards in Soulaines-sur-Aubance and Saint-Lambert-du-Lattay, featuring primarily clay and limestone soils. The vineyards are planted predominantly to Chenin Blanc, with small amounts of Cabernet Franc. Vine density averages 6,000-7,000 vines per hectare, with many parcels featuring vines between 25-40 years old. Boudignon produces a focused range of wines including Anjou Blanc, Savennières, and a small quantity of Anjou Rosé from Cabernet Franc. His single-vineyard bottlings include Savennières Clos de la Hutte and the Anjou Blanc "À François(e)."
Philosophy & Practice
Boudignon's vineyards are certified organic by Ecocert, with practices that include cover cropping, minimal soil intervention, and manual harvesting. Yields are kept deliberately low, typically between 25-30 hectoliters per hectare, achieved through rigorous pruning and green harvesting when necessary. In the cellar, Boudignon employs a gentle pressing protocol, with fermentation occurring primarily in 400-600 liter oak barrels using indigenous yeasts. The wines undergo complete malolactic fermentation and are aged on their fine lees for 12-18 months depending on the cuvée. Minimal sulfur is added only at bottling, and the wines are neither fined nor filtered. Boudignon's approach emphasizes precision viticulture and minimal intervention in the winery to express the distinct terroirs of his vineyards. His production remains deliberately small, with approximately 30,000 bottles produced annually across all cuvées.