From the Pen to the Vine
Chahut et Prodiges is one of the Loire Valley's most compelling natural wine estates — a 6.5-hectare property founded by Grégory Leclerc in 2007 on the hills of Amboise, just downriver from Vouvray. Before he was a winemaker, Grégory was a historian by training, with stints in marketing and wine journalism in Paris. It was when he met a group of passionate natural winemakers in the Loire that he knew he had found his calling. He put his pen down, purchased vines and a cellar in Chargé, and never looked back. Today, he cultivates Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon, Gamay, Côt (Malbec), and Grolleau across clay-limestone and flint-clay soils, farming organically, encouraging biodiversity with mustard seeds for nitrogen, and treating his wines with extreme gentleness: minimal racking, no pumping, neither filtering nor fining, and zero added sulfur. He shares his cellar with Anne Paillet of Autour de l'Anne — they aren't just cellar partners, they're partner-partners too. The result is wines of great drinkability, freshness, and honest Loire character — alive, unmasked, and utterly charming.
From History to the Hills of Amboise
The Grégory Leclerc story begins not in a vineyard but in the archives — a historian by training, he spent his early career in marketing and then as a wine journalist in Paris. It was solid, cerebral work, but it was not his destiny. It was when he met a group of passionate natural winemakers in the Loire that everything changed. The exposure to their philosophy — minimal intervention, terroir expression, living wines — ignited something in Grégory. He felt the desire to stop writing about wine and start making it.
In 2007, Grégory officially put his pen down and purchased 6.5 hectares of vines and a cellar in Chargé, a commune in the Central Loire Valley, right on the riverbank. The estate is located in Amboise, a waterfront town on the south side of the Loire Valley just downriver from Vouvray. The vines sit on the hills above the town, with views across the river and the rolling Touraine countryside. It was a radical departure from his Parisian life — trading deadlines for harvests, tasting notes for tank samples, press trips for pruning.
The transition was not without its challenges. Grégory had no formal agricultural training, and the vineyards he acquired required patience and care. But his background as a wine journalist gave him a unique advantage: he had tasted widely, understood the market, and knew exactly the kind of wines he wanted to make — honest, drinkable, alive. He set about farming organically from the start, encouraging biodiversity, and treating the wines with the same gentleness he had once reserved for his prose.
Today, Chahut et Prodiges is a testament to what can be achieved when a curious mind meets a passionate heart. The estate extends over 6.5 hectares on the hills of Amboise, with vines ranging from 25 to 60+ years old. Grégory shares his cellar with Anne Paillet, the maker of the magnificent wines of Autour de l'Anne — they aren't just cellar partners, they're partner-partners too, and together they have created one of the most dynamic small cellars in the Loire.
"Like so many other natural winemakers, Gregory Leclerc left behind a different career in favour of grapes and cellars. Fortunately for Gregory though, his former job as wine journalist in Paris gave him a bit of headstart over some of the others who chose the same route."
— Rocket Wine Berlin
Clay, Limestone & Flint — Organic by Conviction
Chahut et Prodiges' vineyards are spread across the hills of Amboise in Touraine, with two distinct soil types that shape the character of the wines. The majority of the vines are planted to clay and limestone — the classic Touraine terroir that provides structure, minerality, and a firm backbone. A smaller parcel of 60+ year old Grolleau vines is planted to flint and clay, a rarer combination that lends a distinctive smoky, gunflint character to the wines.
The vines range in age from 25 to over 60 years, with the older Grolleau vines naturally yielding low quantities of concentrated, complex grapes. This mix of vine ages creates a palette of flavours that Grégory blends with intuition and precision — the younger vines providing freshness and fruit, the older vines providing depth and concentration.
Farming is organic, with a strong focus on biodiversity and soil health. Grégory encourages flora and fauna in the vineyard, creating a living ecosystem that supports the vines naturally. He plants mustard seeds between the rows to increase the soil's nitrogen levels — a simple, effective technique that reduces the need for external inputs and keeps the soil alive and fertile. All work is done by hand, from pruning to harvesting, ensuring that every vine receives individual attention and that only the healthiest fruit enters the cellar.
The Touraine climate is continental, with cold winters and warm summers, moderated by the proximity of the Loire River. The hills of Amboise provide good drainage and exposure, while the river helps to regulate temperature and humidity. It is a terroir that rewards patience and observation — and Grégory, with his historian's eye for detail, is perfectly suited to reading its signals.
The majority of the estate's vines are planted to clay-limestone soils — the classic Touraine terroir that provides structure, minerality, and a firm backbone. Good drainage, moderate fertility, and a distinct calcareous character that shines through in the wines.
60+ year old Grolleau vines on flint and clay. A rarer soil combination that lends a distinctive smoky, gunflint character. Low yields, concentrated grapes, and a unique mineral signature that sets the "Coup de Canon" apart.
Organic farming from the start. Flora and fauna encouraged. Mustard seeds for nitrogen. Living ecosystem over chemical intervention. Hand-harvested. Individual vine attention. Patience and observation over shortcuts.
Grégory shares his cellar with Anne Paillet of Autour de l'Anne. Partner-partners in life and wine. A dynamic, creative environment where two natural wine philosophies meet and cross-pollinate. Mutual respect, shared equipment, separate visions.
Gentle Handling, Zero Additions & Maximum Drinkability
At Chahut et Prodiges, the cellar philosophy is one of extreme gentleness and absolute purity. Grégory treats his wines with the same care he once reserved for his journalism — observing, listening, and intervening as little as possible. The mantra is simple: minimal racking, no pumping, neither filtering nor fining, and zero added sulfur. The result is wines that are alive, honest, and irresistibly drinkable — the kind of bottles that disappear before you realise you've opened them.
The techniques are precise and uncompromising:
Harvest: All grapes are hand-harvested and carefully sorted. Selection begins in the vineyard and continues at the cellar door. Only perfectly healthy, ripe fruit enters the fermentation vessels.
Vinification: Indigenous yeasts only. No commercial strains, no enzymes, no temperature control beyond ambient conditions. Fermentation proceeds naturally, reflecting the vintage, the site, and the season. Depending on the cuvée, Grégory may use whole clusters, semi-carbonic maceration, or traditional destemming — always with the goal of preserving freshness and fruit.
Ageing: Wines are aged in a mixture of old barrels and stainless steel tanks, with minimal racking to preserve their natural energy and aromatic purity. The focus is on drinkability and immediacy — wines that taste of the Loire, not of oak or technique.
Bottling: Unfined, unfiltered, zero sulfur. The wines are bottled as they are — alive, evolving, and honest. This requires impeccable hygiene and healthy fruit, as there are no chemical safety nets. The result is wines that may show a slight haze or sediment — signs of life, not flaws.
The portfolio is a range of vibrant, terroir-driven cuvées with playful, evocative names — each expressing a different facet of Touraine and Grégory's irrepressible personality:
"La Mule": The estate's most popular cuvée — a Gamay of great drinkability, fresh, juicy, and utterly charming. The kind of wine that defines the Loire natural wine scene: light, alive, and impossible to resist.
"Coup de Canon": Pure Grolleau from 60+ year old vines on flint and clay. Carbonic maceration, then 8–10 months of tank ageing. Deep, savory, and classic — with spicy cinnamon, violet, and pure juicy red fruits. A little earth, spice, and forest floor on the finish. The wine that proves Grolleau deserves respect.
"Les Groslocaux": A blend of Gamay, Grolleau, and Côt (Malbec). Deep ruby and garnet, mid-weight, fresh and spicy. Cherry flavours with a floral overlay. Nice long-lasting sharpness and tannins. Unusual but delicious — the kind of wine that keeps you guessing.
"Tête de Gondole": A fantastic Chenin Blanc — the white that captures the honeyed, mineral soul of Touraine. Pineapple and honeysuckle notes, deep golden hue, comforting round texture balanced by a perfect touch of acidity.
"Buzz": Silky Pineau d'Aunis — aromatic, peppery, and utterly distinctive. The red that showcases one of the Loire's most characterful indigenous grapes.
"Black Beat": Carbonic Pinot Noir at 14% — a departure from the estate's usual lightness, but no less compelling. Dark, brooding, and full of energy.
"Les Têtes Noires": Another red blend — lively, energetic, and full of the playful spirit that defines Chahut et Prodiges.
"Nid de Guêpes": A Loire white blend — fresh, floral, and full of the unexpected. Citrus, white flowers, and a saline mineral finish.
"Coup de Canon" — "A Cannon Shot of Grolleau from 60+ Year Old Vines"
The "Coup de Canon" is Chahut et Prodiges' most distinctive red cuvée — a pure Grolleau from 60+ year old vines on flint and clay soils that demonstrates what happens when ancient vines, carbonic maceration, and zero-intervention philosophy converge in a single bottle.
The grapes are hand-harvested from the estate's oldest parcel, where flint and clay soils lend a distinctive smoky, gunflint character that sets this wine apart from typical Loire reds. The bunches undergo whole-cluster carbonic maceration, allowing intracellular fermentation to extract vibrant berry flavours, soft tannins, and a juicy, approachable texture. After pressing, the wine completes fermentation with indigenous yeasts and ages for 8–10 months in tank to preserve freshness without adding oak weight.
Bottled unfined, unfiltered, and with zero added sulfur, "Coup de Canon" is a wine of pure, unmasked expression. In the glass, it is deep ruby with garnet reflections. The nose is a burst of spicy cinnamon, high-toned violet, and pure, juicy red fruits — cherry, raspberry, and a hint of wild strawberry. The palate is mid-weight and fresh, with a savory, classic structure, a little earth and forest floor on the finish, and tannins that are present but gentle. This is not a wine for power or heaviness; it is a wine for joy, for the table, for the moment when you need something that tastes like the Loire at its most honest. Serve at 14–16°C. Drink young to medium term. ~$22–$32 / ~€20–€28.
The Chahut et Prodiges Range
Grégory Leclerc produces a vibrant, terroir-driven portfolio from his 6.5 hectares of organically farmed vineyards on the hills of Amboise in Touraine, Loire Valley. All wines are hand-harvested, spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts, and bottled unfined and unfiltered with zero added sulfur. The portfolio spans juicy Gamay, elegant Chenin, characterful Grolleau, and distinctive Pineau d'Aunis — each expressing the freshness, drinkability, and honest Loire character that defines the estate. Prices are approximate and in USD/EUR.