Brendan Tracey

Brendan Tracey lives in Sainte-Anne, south of Vendôme, in Loir-et-Cher. Of American origin through his father and French through his mother, Brendan arrived in Blois at the age of 15, then settled permanently in France in the 1980s. Although his beginnings were marked by creation and the management of one of the first free French radio stations, "Radio Plus FM", nothing seemed destined for him to launch into the world of wine. As a punk singer and music enthusiast, he formed his first band, "The Insults", and released a record in 1979. Encouraged by winemaker friends such as Thierry Puzelat of Domaine le Clos Tue Bœuf, Jean Pierre Robinot, or Pascal Simonutti, Brendan Tracey began trading and vinifying natural wines in 2010.
Brendan is a winemaker who prefers to entrust viticulture to winegrowers. He buys grapes grown in organic or biodynamic agriculture, from grape varieties such as Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Côt, Romorantin, Cabernet Franc, Pineau d'Aunis and Grolleau, to produce his own wines. Among them, Pineau d'Aunis, also known as Chenin Noir, a grape variety mainly planted in the Loire Valley, particularly in the North, in Loir-et-Cher.
Brendan's trading activities cover approximately 5 hectares of vines. Its wines are vinified with native yeasts, and most of them undergo semi-carbonic maceration. The influences and energy of punk are found in its wines, which shake up conventions and challenge traditional values, offering aromatic power and a strong character. His wines are intended to be free, uninhibited and imbued with indomitable energy. In addition to his famous Pineau d'Aunis, Brendan vinifies grapes from little-known and rare grape varieties such as Romorantin, Orbois, Sauvignon, Pinot and Gamay. It produces around 30,000 bottles per year, “UFOs” (Unidentified Viticultural Objects), each one more original than the last.
Brendan creates the labels for his vintages himself, including “Rue de la Soif,” “Pour une Poignée de Bouteilles,” and “Gorge Sèche,” thanks to his skills in graphic design and cinema. His artistic approach is reflected not only in his wines but also in the aesthetics of his bottles, adding a touch of originality to his passionate work.