Christian Chaussard lived many lives before becoming one of the Loire’s most influential natural winemakers. After overcoming paralysis from Guillain-Barré syndrome, he shifted from public works to viticulture, eventually teaching in Amboise where, alongside Thierry Puzelat, he promoted organics, native yeasts, and minimal sulfur. An accident in Vouvray led him to rediscover and popularize pétillant naturel (“pét-nat”), a style that has since spread worldwide. After hardships forced him to leave Vouvray, he and Swiss actress-turned-winemaker Nathalie Gaubicher founded Domaine le Briseau in Jasnières/Coteaux-du-Loir in 2002, focusing on Chenin Blanc and Pineau d’Aunis grown organically and later biodynamically. Together they also launched Nana, Vins & Cie, sourcing grapes for natural winemaking. By 2007 the estate grew to 11 hectares, but tragedy struck in 2012 when Christian, having just survived cancer, died in a tractor accident. His legacy as a pioneer and former AVN president endures, while Nathalie continues the work at Briseau—now a smaller 6.3-hectare domaine—balancing her life with husband Emile Hérédia in the Languedoc, and carrying forward the natural, low-intervention philosophy she shared with Christian.
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