Alexandre Bain
Alexandre Bain, a free voice from Pouilly-Fumé
Biodynamics, ripeness and living wines in Tracy-sur-Loire
A native of Pouilly, Alexandre Bain is an emblematic figure of living wines. He has been based in Tracy-sur-Loiresince 2007, at the heart of the Pouilly-Fumé appellation, just a few kilometres from Sancerre, in the Loire Valley. Starting out with no vines of his own, he launched his project with 5 hectares in the lieu-dit Boisfleury, producing a first vintage that immediately stood out for its promise. Today, Alexandre Bain farms around ten hectares, all worked according to biodynamic principles. His deep attachment to the land comes in part from his grandfather, a farmer, a foundational influence on his relationship with the living world.
A committed advocate of biodynamics, some of his parcels are ploughed by horse, a Percheron fittingly named “Phénomène.” From 2014 onwards, he was stripped of the Pouilly-Fumé appellation for various reasons, including the height of the grass between the rows. After a long battle, Alexandre Bain ultimately regained the right to claim the Pouilly-Fumé appellation.
Living wines, embraced ripeness and total freedom
The philosophy of the estate is clear: to bottle living wines, 100% grape juice. For some cuvées, this ideal is achieved every year; for others, it depends on the quality of the vintage. Overall, very few inputs or oenological products are used at the domaine, in order to preserve the most sincere expression possible of the grape and its terroir.
The style of Alexandre Bain’s wines runs counter to what has dominated Pouilly-Fumé for several decades. Where conventional viticulture often seeks extreme clarity and sometimes a form of under-ripeness, Alexandre Bain instead pursues optimal ripeness. He has thus become known for his out-of-the-ordinary Sauvignon Blancs, vinified with complete freedom and, in some cases, aged for several years. Wines often golden in colour, with heady aromas, sometimes marked by spices or exotic fruits, always surprising, and capable of combining freshness and ripeness with rare precision.
The living wines of Alexandre Bain deliberately depart from the classic and traditional style of Pouilly-Fumé, yet stand out for their purity and energy. We met Alexandre by chance — and for once, not in the vineyard, but at our place. A friend of friends, he came to meet us in the heart of summer on the Île d’Oléron, and we now look forward to visiting him soon on his Loire Valley soils.
