Du Vin aux Liens
Vanessa Letort
Vanessa Letort is a passionate artisan vigneronne and négociante, whose work is defined by her profound commitment to natural winemaking and collaborative projects. Unlike a traditional domaine owner who cultivates their own vineyards, Letort's technical expertise lies in her ability to source exceptional organic and biodynamic grapes from trusted partners and transform them into pure expressions of their terroir, all under the banner of Du Vin aux Liens.
Education & Formative Experience
Letort's journey into wine was not a direct one but a natural evolution driven by a series of formative encounters. Her early career involved working in a social context, which led her to tasting workshops in Tours. This experience ignited her passion, prompting her to pursue a year-long marketing course at a viticultural high school. This is where she met Philippe Chigard, a key figure in the natural wine movement, who introduced her to a network of Loire Valley winemakers.
The most significant turning point in her career was meeting Christian Binner, a prominent figure in Alsatian natural wine. From 2015 to 2019, she worked with him on the collaborative project Les Vins Pirouettes, where she gained invaluable, hands-on experience in the cellar and vineyard. This experience solidified her dedication to a low-intervention philosophy and equipped her with the technical skills to launch her own project.
Technical Winemaking Philosophy
Letort's technical approach is rooted in the philosophy that "in a healthy grape, there is everything to make good wine." She operates as a négociante, meticulously selecting grapes from growers who are aligned with her ethos of organic and biodynamic farming. This allows her to craft a diverse range of wines from different terroirs across Alsace and the Loire Valley without owning vineyards herself.
In the cellar, her technical methodology is characterized by:
Indigenous Yeast Fermentation: She relies on naturally occurring yeasts to carry out fermentation, believing they are essential for expressing the unique characteristics of each vineyard plot.
Zero or Minimal Sulfur: Many of her cuvées are made without any added sulfites, while others receive only a very small amount at bottling. This requires impeccable cellar hygiene and a deep understanding of fermentation dynamics to prevent spoilage.
No Fining or Filtration: Letort generally avoids these processes to preserve the wine's natural texture, flavor, and aromatic complexity.
Focus on Terroir Expression: She uses various vinification techniques, including carbonic maceration for her light, juicy reds and skin maceration for her orange wines, to highlight the unique qualities of the grapes and their origin.
In a new and exciting venture, Letort has partnered with Naoufel Zaïm and her partner Farid Yahimi to establish their own domaine, Domaine de la Légèreté, in the Lorraine region. This project represents her transition from a pure négociante to a true vigneronne, combining her technical knowledge of low-intervention winemaking with the direct management of her own vines.