Loïc Mahé

Loïc Mahé – Chenin Blanc in search of essence and balance

Domain name

Loïc Mahé

Wine region

Loire Valley – Savennières

Appellations and terroirs

The estate is located exclusively within the Savennières AOP appellation, on the right bank of the Loire River in Anjou. The vineyard covers 4.5 hectares of steep slopes with granite, schist, and sometimes sandy-loam soils, forming a mineral mosaic of rare complexity. The southeast exposure promotes slow and balanced ripening. The mild, windy Loire Valley climate limits disease while preserving the freshness essential to the finesse of Chenin Blanc.

Iconic grape varieties

Exclusively Chenin Blanc – the noble grape variety par excellence of the Loire, here presented in seven single-vineyard or experimental cuvées.

Philosophy and History

Established in 2000, Loïc Mahé founded his estate with the sole ambition of working in harmony with nature. Progress has been made with humility: gradually acquiring plots, abandoning others following the frosts of 2016–2017, and making constant adjustments. For over twenty years, he has been dedicated to revealing the terroirs of Savennières through production certified organic since 2011. The vine is seen as a living ecosystem, and the winemaker as its conductor. Loïc Mahé implements a philosophy where technical rigor, intuition, and patience create an authentic, contemplative, and vibrant wine.

Production specifics

Vineyard work aims to maintain soil health and biodiversity: sowing winter plants, total exclusion of chemical products, use of biodynamic preparations (horsetail, nettle, calendula, comfrey, arnica, etc.), essential oils, and very low doses of copper and sulfur. Wild and domestic fauna are encouraged, and soil cultivation remains shallow. The harvest is exclusively manual, carried out in several passes (up to four depending on the vintage) to ensure that only perfectly ripe berries are picked. Deliberately low yields guarantee excellent natural concentration.

In the cellar, the slow pressing (4 to 12 hours) is carried out without re-pressing, to respect the integrity of the grapes. Only the free-run juice is retained. Fermentation occurs using indigenous yeasts, without any added sugar or other inputs, except for minimal doses of volcanic sulfur. The wines are aged in a wide variety of containers depending on the cuvée: oak barrels, stoneware amphorae, demijohns, terracotta jars, or stainless steel tanks. Each cuvée benefits from aging on its lees, without forced stirring, to preserve the tension and expression of the terroir.

Recognitions

Loïc Mahé's wines appeal to discerning wine lovers and critics alike for their precision, their pure expression of Chenin Blanc, their vibrant texture, and their longevity. Several leading wine guides (RVF, Bettane & Desseauve, Guide Vert) praise his ability to express the complexity of the Savennières terroirs with minimal intervention, great finesse, and a keen sense of balance.

The estate has established itself as one of the most personal in the appellation, offering a sincere and vibrant interpretation of Chenin Blanc, without compromise or artifice. Its wines, far from being uniform, offer nuanced profiles, sometimes austere, sometimes radiant, but always underpinned by a strong mineral tension.

Why choose a wine from Loïc Mahé?

• A winemaker-poet committed to organic and biodynamic farming for over 20 years
• A single appellation: Savennières, explored with exacting standards and depth
• Natural winemaking, without additives, using indigenous yeasts
• A refined use of various containers (amphora, barrel, jar, vat)
• Limited-production wines praised for their purity, minerality, and elegance

Taste the vintages of Loïc Mahé and enter the sensory world of Chenin Blanc, carried by the grace of the terroir and the spirit of an inspired artisan-winemaker.