Address
316 West Geer St, Suite A, Durham, NC 27701
Hours
Mon. Closed
Tue. - Thu. 11am - 9pm
Fri. & Sat. 11am - 10pm
Sun. 11am - 8pm
Downtown Durham's neighborhood bottle shop and wine bar offering curbside pickup, local delivery, and shipping to 43 states.
Free Delivery throughout the Triangle
with a $89.99 Minimum Order
Durham, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, Hillsborough, and Cary
We cannot ship to ND, NH, UT, MS, AL, VT, or KY. email info@louelladurham.com for shipping
The Mabileau family has been cultivating vines since 1620. Inspired by his father Jean-Paul, Frédéric planted his first Cabernet Franc vines in 1988 and 1989 in Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil, on a parcel owned by his wife Nathalie and called “Rouillères”. His first vintage was 1991, with the Rouillères cuvée, followed by Eclipse in 1996. Frédéric first shared the winery with his father. They exchanged their observations, sometimes disagreed, but they had in common the desire to make great wine. In 2003, when his father retired, Frédéric combined the two domaines into one – the two heads on the label represent the filiation. He kept the cuvée Graviers and created new ones to express the diversity of the terroir: Coutures from the oldest vines and Racines from a small parcel planted by his grandfather Armand. Today, the domaine spreads over 28 hectares of vineyards in 4 appellations: St-Nicolas de Bourgueil, Bourgueil, Saumur and Anjou.
Farming/vinification practices: Certified organic by Ecocert since 2010 and certified Biodynamic by Biodyvin since 2012. The wines are unfined and lightly filtered.
“A sumptuous yet tangy barrel-fermented 2016 Chenin du Puy that is starting to shed its primary fruit and head into a more savory, secondary phase... it is rich and concentrated and distinctly salty. You can expect nectarine skin, a whiff of toasty smoke and secondary, lanolin characters developing. There’ masses of citrusy acidity on the lengthy finish. Drinking window 2021-2027 ”
-- Rebecca Gibb MW, Vinous March 2021 – 92 pts
SOIL TYPE
A single parcel of 2.5 acres on the small hill of Le Puy at 300 ft altitude. Soil composed of Jurassic chalk and sandy-clay of the Turonian.
From The Estate
My village
Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil is located in the heart of the “Loire Valley”, a natural park classified as World Heritage by UNESCO. I grew up here and I still live here. This is my life.
My Wines
At Vignoble Frédéric MABILEAU, the fruit is our most precious treasure. The grapes are handpicked and carefully preserved from the vines to the bottle. Every year, we look for the true expression of the vintage by only using natural yeast for the fermentation.
Our land
I’ve always known this large alluvium terrace between the Loire river and the forest. The soil is composed of gravel and sand eroded by the river. Cabernet Franc has taken root here from more than 1000 years. It is a wonderful grape but we sometimes need to deal with its capricious character.
My Values
Our method of working is organic and biodynamic. This is not an end in itself but rather a way to let the terroir speak with authenticity. Our approach follows the rhythm of nature and is respectful of life. We do it for us, for you and for the planet.
LouElla is Downtown Durham's neighborhood bottle shop, bar, and event space offering curated wine, craft beer, and fortified selections from family operated producers. The business takes its name and mission from owner and proprietor Campbell Davis's Great Aunt LouElla who was much beloved for her warmth, hospitality, and generous spirit. Whether we are serving you at the bar or helping you pick that perfect bottle to host your celebration, our mission is to share LouElla's hospitality with the community.
Campbell Davis
Owner & Manager
For Cam Davis, LouElla is the culmination of more than 20 years of experience in the hospitality and beverage industry. Cam has successfully managed some of Durham’s finest locally and nationally recognized establishments, including Hutchin's Garage, Guglhupf, Rue Cler, and Durham Catering Company. He brings a wealth of wine and beverage knowledge, not only from his extensive restaurant experience, but also from his tenure as Durham Sales Manager for wine distributor Bordeaux, Fine and Rare.
Hours
Mon. Closed
Tue. - Thu. 11am - 9pm
Fri. & Sat. 11am - 10pm
Sun. 11am - 8pm