Meet Jér?me Houssin from Domaine des Tilleuls

Domaine des Tilleuls is a fifth-generation winemaking estate rooted in tradition yet embracing innovation in the heart of the beautiful Loire Valley! Located in the very centre of the Muscadet region, this 32-hectare estate is more than just Muscadet; they’re pioneers in producing IGP Val de Loire wines like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.?

We had the pleasure of speaking with Jér?me Houssin, who after living abroad for many years, returned to his ancestral home and embraced the family business of winemaking, working passionately to elevate their Domaine to new heights! His time abroad taught him the value of the international wine industry, and how important it is to have a presence in other markets. Join us in discovering their remarkable journey, as we delve into their recent foray into the Australian market!

Loire Valley Wines (LVW): Could you begin by telling us about the history of the estate?

Jér?me Houssin (JH): Domaine des Tilleuls is situated in the heart of the Muscadet region, in a community called La Regrippière. The estate was founded by my great-great grandfather in 1905, which makes me part of the 5th generation of winemakers! But what really sets us apart is that today, about 90% of our wines are dry whites, and we’re not only producing Muscadet, but also IGP Val de Loire wines, like Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Recently, we have also planted Sauvignon-Gris and Pinot Gris, on our estate-based schist soil.?

I would say that my journey in the industry really starts in England. I lived in London during my 20s, and quickly fell in love with the diversity of wine from all over the world I’ve tried there. This is where my interest in the industry developed, and also where I gained knowledge on the international wine market. I considered working for an importer in England, but eventually decided that the right thing for me to do was to return home and work for my family’s winery. Today, our Domaine has gone from strength to strength as I develop the export side of the business, something that was important to me as I wanted to keep that international connection strong.

LVW: Is there anything that you are particularly proud of as a wine producer?

JH: That's a tough question! I think what truly fills me with pride as a winemaker is the daily fulfilment of my craft, especially through the creation of new blends of wine! I'm equally proud of the journey we’ve taken to elevate our estate’s reputation. Over the past decade, we’ve been part of the “Cru Vallet” initiative, which is part of the “Crus Communaux” or village appellations in the Nantes vineyards, which has allowed us to offer a range of premium wines, particularly in the Muscadet appellation.

LVW: What are the main challenges you have faced as a wine producer?

JH: From evolving landscape and environmental standards, to recent global events like the COVID-19 crisis and the Ukraine conflict, this is a profession that naturally has a lot of challenges, and we almost reset the clock at every harvest.?

The main challenges that we’re facing are tied to climate change and the unpredictability it creates. Spring frosts have become recurrent in our region, which is a significant concern, and we have also battled heatwaves, which affect the grape ripening process, and by consequence the alcohol content and balance of acidity in Muscadet wines.?

LVW: Do you have a particular approach to sustainability and environmentally friendly practices in your estate?

JH: Our estate has been certified as High Environmental Value (HEV) since 2018, which has guided our sustainable practices. As part of this certification process, we are monitored by independent organisations to ensure we limit inputs, manage water resources, and treat wastewater effectively. I’m also very interested in learning more from the practices of organic farming, in particular disease-resistant grape varieties, which I think could be really valuable for vineyards in urban areas. At the moment it’s not feasible to be entirely organic - I think many people do not understand the cost and manpower involved in making such a transition. However, we do the absolute best that we can to use sustainable practices, seeking balance between economy and ecology by drawing inspiration from certain practices in organic farming and to adopt biocontrol solutions in order to limit the impact that our production may have on the earth wherever possible.?

LVW: What does the exporting side of your business look like?

JH: About 20% of our turnover comes from exports! Which is a lot, considering that when I started that number was 0%! Most of our exports go to Europe and North America, in particular the UK, Belgium, the Netherlands, Italy, the Czech Republic, Canada and the USA. However we’re looking very seriously into expanding our presence into the Australian market, and we are actively looking for more importers.

LVW: Which typical Loire varieties do you believe will have the most success in the Australian market?

JH: We recently started working with an importer in Adelaide, who has shown us that Australia is following the same trends as many other countries that we already export to. Australians are interested in dry white wines, that are not too high in alcohol, and are on the fruitier side. That’s why Muscadets have been quite successful, but also other more well known grape varieties like Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Another thing that we must consider is that most of Australia’s population lives on the coast. What does that mean? Seafood! Which traditionally pairs best with white wines and especially Muscadet. We were told that our wines were well received last September at Loire Valley Wines’ Trade Tasting in Sydney, which was very encouraging to hear!

LVW: Have you made any adaptations to meet the preferences of different markets, including the Australian market?

JH: We partner with importers who really get what we’re about - our philosophy and our wines. So we haven’t needed to make changes to the wines themselves, for example, we’re not going to make our Muscadet wines super sweet, just so that it appeals to international preferences. Instead, most of our adaptations have come from how we present our wines, especially through labels. We’re also adapting to accommodate screw cap bottles, which deviates from the more traditional corked method in France, but is very popular in international markets like Australia, the US, Canada and the UK.

LVW: Do you have any future projects or ongoing innovations in the field, and what are your long-term goals?

JH: I’m really interested in looking into how we can expand our capacity for tourism. We already accommodate that, for example through our tasting room, however I am keen to expand this further, to include a full touristic experience! For example, hosting themed tastings, or offering tours of the Domaine. In fact, we’ve received many emails from tourists who are fans of our wines, wondering if they can visit the vineyard, so we know that the demand is there! This will take some time, but I’m really excited about what experiences we can provide visitors to the region.?

Along with this, I’m also revitalising our vineyards by planting new grape varieties, and we’ve acquired brand new state-of-the-art technology including stainless steel tanks and improving insulation for our buildings, to modernise our production processes, and make them even more efficient!