2021 Nicolas Barbou Utopie Creative

Nicolas Barbou graduated BTS Viti-Oeno in Tour & Licence Sciences la Vigne et du Vin à Dijon IUVV. He comes to wine naturally with his family owning a winery in Touraine Oisly. Aside from his family’s estate, he has gathered experience working extensively in the Loire region and Meursault as well as 6 months in New Zealand at Mahi Wines working with Brian Bicknell. Furthering his training in Burgundy, he became inspired by Jean-Yves Bizot and was able to benefit from Bizot’s tutelage and vision of ‘vines to wines’ from 2020-2021. Utopie Creative, his first solo production, comes from a miniscule 1.5 Hectare plot. Reflecting the respect for the land, minimalistic intervention, and passion for winemaking, Utopie Creative embodies his ‘making better with less’ approach of sustainability for the future. Bid on Nicolas Barbou wines on WineBid today!

Touraine AOC is a sub-appellation of the Loire Valley, one of France’s largest and most picturesque wine regions. Located around the city of Tours, the region is known as château country because of the many fairy-tale castles located along the Loire River, its tributaries and plains. Touraine was awarded AOC status in 1939 and it includes 13,000 acres and 70 communes. Red, white and rosé wines can be made in this AOC. Red grapes grown in Touraine are Gamay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Pinot Noir. The white wine grapes grown here are Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc. Red Touraines are tannic and sometimes fruity. Whites are dry and full-bodied. Wine writer Hugh Johnson notes that the best reds of Touraine “have all the fragrance and charm of Cabernet Franc.”

This crisp, dry white wine hails from France but is grown in wine regions around the world. In California, it is sometimes called Fume Blanc; while in Sauternes, it is a component of their famous dessert wines.