Vins-Clairs is an importer and distributor of French family owned vineyards, rooted in their land, with a deep respect for the environment and the local biodiversity, producing high quality pure and lifted wines.
Based in Bath, Somerset, and with over 20 years of experience in the hospitality industry and distribution, we are focused on high quality and attention to detail.
We work with all our producers directly and represent them exclusively in the UK. Distributing to the On Trade and Off Trade.
Vins-Clairs was founded in 2022 by Claire Thevenot MS.
After more than 20 years of experience in the wine industry, a clear understanding of the restaurant world combined with French roots all of these reflect on the rigorous selection of each producers in Vins-Clairs portfolio.
From grower Champagnes to Southern Rhone mavericks with a particular strength in Alsace and Loire Valley all 30 growers share the same vision of respect for the environment and making pure, lifted, precise wines that appeal to sommeliers, retailers and merchants.
The selection shown at SITT includes:
Champagne Jean Marc Charpentier, based in Charly sur Marne at the Western edge of the Marne Valley. Founded in 1855, now in the hand of Jean Marc Charpentier, the Domaine covers 24 hectares of vineyards in the terroir of Charly Sur Marne and Saulchery and is certified organic since 2021.
There are two distinct range of wines, tradition which is quintessentially Vallee de la Marne in style and Terre d'emotion which reflects the family love for Chardonnay, biodynamie and the terroir of Charly sur Marne with long ageing on the lees.
Domaine Valentin Zusslin, Orschwhir Alsace. 13th generations Domaine run by brother and sister duo producing the most exclusive, prestigious collection of wines in Alsace with a huge personality, bearing al the hallmarks of the greatest producers in France certified Organic and Biodynamic since 1997.
Domaine Barmes Buecher, Wettolsheim Alsace. Founded in 1985 and soon converted to organic viticulture, followed by Biodynamic farming. This family Domaine is at the top of their game and enjoy a fine reputation for their wines.
Christophe Pacalet, Cercie in Beaujolais. Christophe is the nephew of the famed Marcel Lapierre who has helped him set up his operations at the begining. Advocate of the purest natural wines, Christophe has kept the same ties with all his growers from the start. Although Fleurie les Labourons is his own property.
Thomas Rivier, Regnie Beaujolais. Thomas started making wines under his own name in 2019 having taken over from his mum in 2018. A year at Macon Davaye viticulture school and practice at Guillot Broux to retrain from his former landscaping job. He has adapted his 3.5ha vineyards in organic viticulture and natural vinification with a semi carbonic maceration.
Domaine de Creve Coeur in Seguret-Southern Rhone. Pablo Hocht grew up in the Hills above the village of Seguret in the Dentelles de Montmirail. First working as Maitre de Chais for Chateau de St Cosme in Gigondas, he started his own Domaine in 2010 using organic and biodynamic viticulture right from the begining. His wines are pure, elegant and full of reviving energy, not your typical heavy Southern Rhone wines.
Domaine d'Ourea in Vacqueyras. Adrien Roustan who took over his grandfather is an advocate of fresher reds especially in this part of France. To acheive this, all the vineyards are certified organic and are also cultivated with the use of biodynamic farming. Adrien summaries the Grenache revival in the region.
Chateau Terrasson in Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux. Gerald Standley used to be the gerant at Le Soula in the Roussillon for more than 10 years before relocating in 2015 to Bordeaux. 2020 mark the first vintage at Chateau Terrasson on the limestone plateau behind Saint Emilion. Gerald and his wife Alix aim to make wines like you were finding in the 70s and 80s. A welcome breath of fresh air in this opulent Merlot ocean of the right bank.
Domaine du Bouchot, Pouilly Fume. Antoine Gouffier is a native of Saint Andelain having spent his childhood tending vineyards, wanting to find his own path he travelled the world for 12 years before coming back to the region in 2018, taking over his neighbour vineyard in 2019. He has the freedom to express himself through his wines. He was named Discovery of the year 2022 by La Revue du Vin de France.
Vins-Clairs LTD Catalogue
Soil: : Clay-limestone and limestone marls Terroir: Marne Valley Varietal: 80% Pinot Meunier, 15% Chardonnay, 5% Pinot Noir. Assemblage and Reserve Wines: Blending with 20 to 40% of reserve wines depending on the nature of each vintage. Ageing: 36 months on the lees
Soil: Clay Limestone and Limestone marls. Terroir: Marne Valley. Grape Varieties: 60% Pinot Meunier, 25% Pinot Noir, 15% Chardonnay, 15% Red Wine Assemblage and Reserve Wines: Selection blended with red wine and up to 30% of reserve wines, depending on the character of each vintage. Ageing: 36 Months on the lees.
Terroir: Marne Valley. Crus of Charly-Sur-Marne and Saulchery. Geology and Soil: Limestone marls on soft limestone from the Lutetian era, together with millstones and silex. Varietals: 88% Chardonnay, 12% Pinot Meunier (red wine), no Pinot Noir! Assemblage and Reserve Wines: Assemblage using only first press wines and 100% Pinot Meunier from our oldest vines (65 years). Blending with reserve wines aged in old oak barrels, from Champagne and Burgundy, adds to the complexity. Ageing: 48 months maturation on the Lees.
Soil: Limestone marls on soft limestone from the Lutetian era. Terroir: Marne Valley. Crus of Charly-Sur-Marne and Saulchery. Varietals: 70% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Noir, 15% Pinot Meunier. Assemblage and Reserve Wines: Blending of plot selections from the first press juice with reserve wines aged in old oak barrels from Champagne and Burgundy. Ageing: 60 months maturation on the lees.
Terroir: Marne Valley. Crus of Charly-Sur-Marne and Saulchery. Geology and Soil: Limestone marls on a substructure of soft limestone from the Lutetian era. An abundance of millstones and silex. Varietals: 100% Chardonnay. Assemblage and Reserve Wines: Blending of plot selections from the first press juice with reserve wines aged in old oak barrels from Champagne and Burgundy. Ageing: 60 months maturation on the Lees.
Terroir: Marne Valley. Crus of Charly-Sur-Marne and Saulchery. Varietals: 80% Pinot Noir, 20 % Pinot Meunier Geology and Soil: Limestone marls on a substructure of soft limestone from the Lutetian era, together with millstones and silex. Assemblage and Reserve Wines: Blending of plot selections from the first press juice with reserve wines aged in old oak barrels from Champagne and Burgundy. Ageing: 60 months maturation on the lees.
Terroir : Vallée de la Marne. Cru Charly-Sur-Marne. Vineyard plot: Les Chauffours, a vine planted in 1961 inthe heart of Charly amphitheater.Traditionally cultivated, in part, in the blend of Terre d´Emotion cuvées. Geology and soil : Limestone marls on hard limestone subsoil. Atypical presence of millstones and silex. Varietals : 100 % Pinot Meunier. Assemblage : “Les Chauffours” plot, 2017 harvest only. This parcel, acclaimed for its unique expression, is one of the natural links with our reference champagnes Terre d´Emotion. Unfiltered wine, not fined. Disgorging : May 2020.
Terroir : Kimmeridgian Marls (white clay, limestone and fossilized oysters from a time the area was sea) Average age of the vines : 35 – 40 ans Orientation : South South-East Altitude : 190 – 230 m Ageing: 10% in barrels
Terroir: Limestone and Sandstone at the bottomof the Grand Cru Pfingstberg First vintage produced by the domaine.
Soils: Marly Limestone Exposition: South, medium to steep slopes Ageing: Aged 11 months on total lees in old demi-muids and casks
Soils: Pink Granit Vinification: Hand Harvest, Maceration Carnic in whole bunch with natural yeast and without Sulfur for 2 weeks. Maturation: In concrete vat on fine lees without Sulfur for 8 months.
Varietal: Gamay Soil: Granite Vinification: Hand harvest, semi-carbonic vinification with no Sulfur Ageing: 11 month in concrete vat.
Location: Village of Sablet and Seguret, combining altitude and plain vineyards Vinification: Fully destemend and semi-carbonic fermentation. Varietal: Mainly Grenache
Soils: Red Clay Gravels and Blue and Yellow marls Varietals: 85% Grenache, 5% Cinsault, 5% Carignan, 5% Mourvedre Vinification: 100% Whole bunch, Shorter fermentation, concrete tank for 12 months
Varietals: 80% Merlot 15% Cabernet Sauvignon 5% Cabernet Franc Terroir: Limestone plateau Vinification: Destemmed grapes, natural yeasts, maceration 15-20 days Ageing: 1/3 in wooden barrels , 2/3 in tanks for 20 months