After dropping out of high school, Pierre-Olivier Bonhomme, a Loire Valley local, found himself working for none other than Jean-Marie and Thierry Puzelat at Clos du Tue Boeuf. The... Read More

After dropping out of high school, Pierre-Olivier Bonhomme, a Loire Valley local, found himself working for none other than Jean-Marie and Thierry Puzelat at Clos du Tue Boeuf. The Puzelat Brothers and their family domaine are foundational in the now large and vibrant natural winemaking community of the Loire Valley. 

Initially Pierre just helped out with harvest work but that soon transformed into an opportunity to start a winemaking project with Thierry. This was the early nineties and Clos du Tue Boeuf, after some terrible harvests, had fallen on some hard financial times and Thierry was looking for ways to bring in revenue from outside of the Domaine

With Pierre by his side Thierry founded the Negociant, Puzelat-Bonhomme. The two worked together, with Thierry mentoring Pierre, and it took no time for the wines to find an audience. Their uniquely delicious interpretation of Loire Valley classics became standard in Paris' burgeoning natural wine bar scene as well as all manner of more adventurous wine shops and lists. In 2011 Pierre took over winemaking duties and in 2013 he took over the project fully as Thierry shifted his focus back to carrying on the family Domaine with his brother. 

Pierre decided to keep things much as they were before Thierry’s departure. With the exception of some recently released macerated whites, almost all of the white wines are direct-pressed, then fermented and aged in old barrels. The reds see a whole-cluster, semi-carbonic fermentation and then elevage in the old barrel. He did not want to mess with what  made the wines so wildly popular and distinct to begin with. He continues to make many of the same cuvees that he and Thierry developed, most notable the infamously mouthwatering Telquel and in Cot We Trust. He has been able to work with growers over the many vintages so that they are now producing the best biodynamic and organic fruit for his wines. He continues to hone his skills which is evident in these phenomenal 2020’s. 

Not all is the same though. As well as those skin-macerated amphorea whites, he now bottles the wines under the Pierre-Olivier Bohnomme. They have however remained one of the best values around. They are pleasure bombs, perfect any night of the week but there rarity, distinctivness, value and aformetioned delciousnes make them a perfect last minute gift or an unusually large stocking stuffer. We’ve made your decision a little easier by discounting their already great prices.