Patrice Achard from Domaine des Barres is a grower's grower. At the helm of the local winegrowers association in AOC Coteaux du Layon, he is a constant source of help and support for younger growers in the region. Farming using sustainable, organic methods on land that has been in his family for generations, he works with 40-year-old vines to make complex, structured and beautifully balanced wines that are a true representation of the terroir. His attention to detail is exemplary, including carrying out three separate hand harvests to select every grape at optimal maturity and selecting different casks for ageing, according to the harvest and the plots on which they were grown.