Intention is a common thread among the young makers we’ve found ourselves drawn to at Small Victories. Some choose to challenge the way things have always been done, while others find purpose in carrying traditions forward. Either way, the best ones share a certain thoughtfulness. Nothing is done recklessly. Every decision has a reason behind it. Chai Berteaud Manceau is a case in point.

When Celia met Pierre and Kevin in Paris in the winter of 2025, what struck her most was how deliberately the two childhood friends had approached building their winery. Rather than acquire vineyards of their own, they created a micro-négoce based on the urban chai model, producing their wines at a winemaking facility in La Roche-sur-Yon. In a region increasingly feeling the effects of climate change, the flexibility to work with different parcels each vintage is a considerable advantage. Their model allows them to respond to the conditions of each year, following the best fruit rather than being tied to a particular piece of land.

The thinking behind it makes sense given their respective backgrounds. Kevin spent seven years as a viticulture consultant in Bordeaux, developing an eye for exceptional terroir and the people capable of bringing it to life. Pierre took a more international route, gaining experience at Château Latour, Opus One, and Cloudy Bay before spending two and a half years as winemaker for M. Chapoutier Australia. Together, they bring a combination of vineyard knowledge and winemaking experience that allows them to identify promising fruit and realize its potential in the cellar.

Their approach to sourcing is just as considered. Kevin and Pierre seek out growers who share their commitment to environmental stewardship, high standards, and collaboration. These are people who know their vineyards intimately, and the relationships are built on an exchange of knowledge and ideas rather than simply a transaction for grapes. Their current selections come from parcels across the western Loire Valley, which they monitor closely throughout the growing season to better understand each site and anticipate the character of the vintage. Working this way gives them access to a range of grape varieties and terroirs, with each new vintage offering the opportunity to make something different.

In the cellar, the same restraint carries through. They harvest at optimal maturity and ferment with native yeasts, using only the inputs they consider essential. Stainless steel, concrete, and old oak provide a neutral backdrop, allowing the fruit, vintage, and place to speak for themselves. The goal is not to make wine according to a formula, but to produce authentic, balanced expressions of the terroirs they’ve chosen to work with.

For Pierre and Kevin, the point isn’t to make the same wine every year. It’s to pay attention, make thoughtful decisions, and let each vintage lead them somewhere new. In a region where the conditions are changing, that kind of flexibility isn’t just practical. It’s an opportunity.