Devant Le Jeu is a new cuvee and one of the most forward-looking cuvées in Thibaud Boudignon's cellar — a wine rooted quite literally in the future, and a project that speaks to his long-term vision for Savennières.

The Clos Devant le Jeu vineyard sits just below the Clos de Frémine, and the two parcels could hardly be more different underfoot. Where Clos de Frémine offers finer, sandier soils, Devant le Jeu is dominated by grey schist with a noticeably darker, denser profile — a terroir that promises structure, grip, and a distinct mineral personality as the vines mature. Thibaud began planting this 2-hectare site in 2020, completing the remaining half in 2023, which means the oldest vines are still finding their footing.

Every vine was established through massal selection drawn from some of the finest estates in the Loire Valley — a deliberate choice that favors genetic diversity, small berry size, and naturally low yields over the uniformity of clonal planting. It is a patient investment, one whose full payoff lies years, perhaps decades, ahead.

In the cellar, Devant le Jeu is guided by the same principles that define all of Thibaud's work: gravity-flow pressing, indigenous yeast fermentation, aging in oak without malolactic fermentation, and an unwavering commitment to letting the terroir lead. What emerges is a wine already showing real character — taut, mineral, and quietly intense — with every indication that the best is still to come.