Wines

Champagne R. Dumont & Fils

The Champagne house of the Dumont family is situated in Champignol-lez-Mondeville, a village in the southern Champagne region of the Aube, some 90 miles southeast of Reims and Epernay. Characterized by forested hills, streams and vineyards, it is a natural and reflective environment that has attracted people such as Saint Bernard (Clairvaux) and Renoir (Essoyes). The Dumonts have owned vineyards in this area for over two hundred years and today Bernard Dumont, along with his cousin and his nephew, work together to produce champagne exclusively from their own 22 hectares. The soils are a geological extension of those in Chablis, namely kimmeridgian chalky clay. The vineyard is planted with 90% Pinot Noir and 10% Chardonnay. As Bernard Dumont says with amusement, “we grow grapes on the same soils as the vine growers in the Chablis region. There, they produce white wine from white grapes and here we produce white wine from red grapes.”

The Dumont estate is certified both organic and bio-dynamic.

Read Bernard’s comments in the Champagne Vintage Reports

Dekeyne & Fils produce Champagnes from their five hectare estate in Bethon, a village in the southern end of the Côte de Sezanne. The Dekeyne family settled on their farm in Bethon in 1919, in an area known as “La Voglonière.” In 1962, The Dekeynes were the first in the village to replant vineyards after phyloxerra, a date that reminds us of how recent most vineyards are in this part of Champagne. The Dekeyne estate is now run by the brothers, Gael and Baptiste, who have taken up the work of their parents. They are creating a farm with a self-sufficient ecosystem and have received certification for both organic (AB) and bio-dynamic (Demeter) production. They produce their own tisanes, mostly from plants grown on their property and use fertilizer made only from plant material. They have decided to produce champagnes from a single vintage and from a specific plot/s.

The brother and sister team of Jean-Rémi and Melanie Drémont came on the scene in 2016 and they are creating some waves along the Marne river’s “grand meandre.” Jean-Rémi and Melanie are the fourth generation to work the family farm in Charly-sur-Marne, and although their grandmother planted a hectare of vines in 1945, it was their parents who patiently over the last 25 years increased the vineyards from 1 hectare to 7.5 hectares. During this period, they sold their fruit to negociants. Jean-Rémi and Melanie produced the family’s first wine in 2018 and released their first Champagne in 2021. The estate was certified organic in 2022. Jean-Rémi and Melanie bring a lot of thoughtfulness and energy to everything they do. In the vineyard, they use a variety of cover crops to re-balance the soil, they partner with bee-keepers who install hives in the vineyards and they bring in local flocks of sheep to graze in the vineyards. They do a lot of vineyard work manually and work some plots with their Boulonnais draft horse. In the cellar, they vinify individual parcels separately using a variety of containers including stainless steel, cement eggs and foudres. They take only the juice from the first press known as “la cuvée” and vinification is with indigenous yeasts. The wines stay “sur lie” for ten months before bottling.

In early 2024, we were lucky to meet Juliette Gest at a large tasting of organic Alpine wines where her wines stood out for their purity and energy. Only later did we discover that the name of her winery is Vins Vivants. Juliette worked for 20 years as a judge in Paris. In 2020, overwhelmed by confinement and the anguish in the city caused by the COVID epidemic, Juliette left Paris and began a new chapter in her life by moving to the Alps and studying agriculture and oenology in Chambery. After finishing her studies, she worked for several organic and biodynamic producers in the Savoie. Quickly, she found four hectares for sale in the village of Andert et Condon, which is in the southeast corner of the Bugey appellation, very close to Savoie. In 2023, Juliette planted a couple of hectares in the Bugey hills with nearly a dozen different varieties and converted an existing barn into a winery. While her vines are coming of age, she is buying organic and biodynamic fruit from her friends and former employees in Bugey and Savoie.

All of Juliette’s grapes are hand harvested and fermented with their natural yeasts. She doesn’t use SO2 until adding a small amount before bottling.

 

José Michel made his first vintage in 1955 and thanks in part to his cellar of very old bottles of Pinot Meunier, he developed a cult following for his Champagnes. José passed away in 2019 and this “Maison de Tradition” which began in 1847 is now, seven generations later, run by José and Nicole’s grandson, Antonin. Antonin is brilliantly refining the work that José accomplished over six decades and developing his own ideas. As he says, “José and I agreed on practically everything”.

The Champagne house is located in Moussy, a small village just south of Epernay. The 7 hectares of vineyards are spread throughout a number of villages, both in the Cotes D’Epernay and in the Vallée de la Marne. The vineyard sights with a richer clay soil are planted to Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. The slopes which have a calcareous soil are planted to Chardonnay. José Michel was the first in his family to plant Chardonnay which he did beginning in 1958. Fermentations are carried out in old oak casks or enameled steel vats and the wines go through a malolactic fermentation. José Michel is certified “Level 3” the top level of certification in Haute Valeur Environmentale. The Michels are a founding member of the group, “Tresors de Champagne” known as the “Special Club”.

Rémi Georgeton returned to his family’s 3.5 hectare domain in 2006 after finishing his studies and doing a number of apprenticeships. The Georgeton-Rafflin domaine had been certified HVE3 in 2014 and then certified organic and biodynamic in 2021. Rémi marked this milestone by producing champagnes under his own name that express his passion for terroir focused wines and mimimal intervention. He ferments with indigenous yeast and has reduced total SO2 in his champagnes to under 20mg/L. Rémi favors fermentations and aging in old barrels and large foudres and leaves his wines unfiltered and unfined. He has inherited the family’s vineyards which are 1er Cru within the villages of Ludes, Chigny-Les-Roses, and Rilly-la-Montagne, and Grand Cru in the village of Verzy. The vineyards are predominantly Pinot Noir with a complement of Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier.

The Georgeton-Rafflin domaine consists of 3.5 hectares. The majority of the vineyards are 1er Cru within the villages of Ludes, Chigny-Les-Roses, and Rilly-la-Montagne. They also have a few small parcels of Grand Cru in the village of Verzy. The vineyards are predominantly Pinot Noir with a complement of Chardonnay and Pinot Meunier. The domaine has been certified HVE3 since 2014 and certified organic and biodynamic since 2021. Remi Georgeton returned to the family domain in 2006 after his education and some apprenticeships. His passion and quiet persistence is evident in the brilliance of his recent cuvées.

Perseval-Farge is a 4-hectare estate in the 1er Cru village of Chamery which is in the northern part of the Montagne de Reims, known as the Petite Montagne. The Perseval family traces its roots in the village back to the early 18th century and today it is Benoist and Isabelle Perseval who carry on the tradition. Benoist farmed in a manner he called “viticulture integrée” a commitment to taking care of the land for future generations and when Benoist and Isabelle’s son, Henri, joined the family full time in 2020, they officially entered into conversion for organic certification. The four hectares are planted with 40% Pinot Noir, 35% Chardonnay, 15% Pinot Meunier and with 10% Arbanne, Petit Meslier and Fromentot (Pinot Gris) combined in a small parcel planted in 2004. The Perseval’s four hectares are divided among six parcels, all in the village of Chamery, with the greater portion being on the mid to upper slope with calcerous-clay soils and the smaller part on the lower slopes with sandy-clay soils. Besides his commitment to sustainability in the vineyard, Benoist has worked to decrease the use of SO2 in his winemaking and at 26 to 35mg per liter, he uses one fifth of the norm. Nothing with Perseval-Farge is entirely systematic and so the notes below are general rather than detailed. Benoist and Isabelle have a cellar (two actually) filled with vats of different sizes, made of different materials along with barrels and foudres of different ages. All are used in the patient maturing of their wines and may contain a single variety, a blend of varieties from a single parcel, a single vintage, a blend of vintages or any combination of the above. They provide a palette from which Benoist paints his Champagnes.

The Fresne Ducret domaine consists of 6 hectares of 1er Cru vineyards divided among 25 parcels, which are, with one exception, all in the village of Villedommange. According to the champagne authority, Richard Juhlin, Villedommange, along with the village of Sacy, has the best vineyards in the northern part of the Montagne de Reims, known as the Petite Montagne. The Fresne family have lived and farmed in Villedommange for 180 years and since 2007 it has been Pierre Fresne and his wife Daniella writing the current chapter. Losing little time, Pierre and Daniella began estate-bottling their champagnes with the 2008 vintage. In 2018, after a decade of working towards organic farming, they officially entered into conversion for organic certification.

Notes from a conversation with Pierre:

“Regarding my philosophy, I think of myself as a farmer who makes wine rather than a winemaker who grows grapes. That’s because of my family history (we were grape growers long before we started to make champagne) and also because it’s impossible to make good wine with bad grapes!

Now, this year has taught me a lesson in humility: at the end of the day it’s the weather that makes the harvest, not the man….

The way I make wine is in constant evolution year after year, and I don’t like to shut doors unless I think I have explored all of the options a particular technique or tool can offer…

SO2

As far as I’m concerned the use of sulphites is a necessary evil, and I try to use as little as possible. I find sulphites are necessary in order to preserve the freshness of the grape must and to prevent oxidation when reserve wine is transferred from one tank to another, but the closer we get to bottling, the less I use them (they would interfere with the prise de mousse), and no more sulphites are added afterwards (i.e. disgorging). I have to confess that I have yet to taste a white wine “sans sulphites” that would make me want to stop using them altogether. In the few that I have tried, I found “foxy” notes that wouldn’t work for our champagnes.

This choice to use less and less sulfites means that all of our base wines now undergo malolactic fermentation, which was not always the case in the past.

Regarding yeast, my opinion is not so definite. Our move towards organic grape growing has led me to try and vinify without adding selected yeast in the last couple of years. Two months ago, we bottled our very first single plot “wild” yeast fermented Blanc de Blanc, “Le Mont Teigneux”.

But I am a champagne maker! I need selected yeast in order to guarantee the prise de mousse. So, if I am going to use them later in the process, why not use them from the beginning, and avoid potential dangers of wild yeast fermentation stops?”

David Bourdaire farms 8 hectares situated in and around the village of Pouillon. Pouillon is one of a dozen, or so villages in the Massif Saint-Thierry, a group of undulating hills and forests that slope off toward the vast plain, northwest of the city of Reims. This Massif is the northern most part of the Champagne appellation and is home to some 900 hectares of vineyards which are spread throughout the dozen villages. Due to the challenging climate, it is the late budding Pinot Meunier which is the favored grape type. The soils have a large portion of sandy clays which offer a distinguishing expression to the area’s champagnes.

David’s family began estate bottling their champagnes in 2001 when they left the coop that David’s grandfather founded in 1951. The vineyard is comprised of 85% Pinot Meunier, 10% Chardonnay and 5% Pinot Noir. The vines have an average age of 43 years with a few rows of Chardonnay planted at 11,000 plants per hectare that date back to 1923. David farms organically and is in conversion to obtaining certification. The vineyard is planted on low yielding root stocks and David cultivates natural grasses between the vine rows to further limit yields. He vinifies each parcel separately according to the specific rootstock “porte-greffe”. After years of adjusting the dosage level with each disgorgement, David has settled on finishing all of his Champagnes with a dosage of 0g/l.

Read David’s comments in the Champagne Vintage Reports

The Delaunay estate is in the village of Vertou, the village where the archdeacon of Nantes, Martin de Vertou, founded a monastery in the 6th century and planted extensive vineyards. It was as obvious then, as it is now, wine helps with any conversion.

Fast-forwarding some 1,400 years on this same land, Antoine Delaunay is the fourth generation in his family to carry on this tradition. Muscadet, like Beaujolais, has within its appellation construct, 10 Cru Communaux. The Delaunay vineyards in Vertou are part of the Cru Château-Thebaud. Their 22- hectare estate is certified organic and has vines ranging from 1 to 90 years old. Most of the vineyard is planted to the variety, Melon de Bourgogne, a grape that was grown in the region beginning in the 17th century, but really took hold after 1709 when it showed its resilience to the severe frost of that year.

All wines ferment with their natural yeasts and Antoine doesn’t use SO2 until adding a small amount before bottling.

 

The vineyards of Pernand-Vergelesses have a particular charm and magic. The village is nestled into gently undulating hills that eminate a feeling of calm while at the same time putting the hill of Corton into a magnificent relief.

Patrick Giboulot is the third generation of his family to farm in Pernand. After a career in the French Air Force, Patrick returned to his family’s vineyards and in 2017 began producing wine. For a few years in between, he worked with Philippe Pacalet where he was able to hone his skills in minimal intervention winemaking. Patrick does not use herbicides or pesticides in his vineyards and he works the ground with a small and light tractor to avoid compacting it. Harvesting is done by hand and Patrick does a double triage of grapes; first in the vineyard while harvesting and then again before the grapes enter the vat house. All wines ferment with their natural yeasts and Patrick doesn’t use SO2 until after the malo-latic fermentation is finished.

For his whites, Patrick gently presses whole bunches, and for his reds, he puts whole bunches in stainless steel tanks for fermentation with macerations lasting 10-12 days.

The Domaine du Chétif Quart is a family domain of six hectares in the Côte Chalonnaise region of Burgundy. The family home and winery are in the small hamlet of Cercot at the foot of Mont Avril, just south of the Givry appellation.

The majority of the domain’s vineyards are on the slopes of Mont Avril between 300 and 400 meters in altitude. Lucas D’Heilly Huberdeau took over his family’s domain in 2019 and with the vintage 2021 changed the domain name from D’Heilly Huberdeau to Chétif Quart, reflecting the domain’s “lieu dit”. Lucas’s parents, Pierre D’Heilly and Martine Huberdeau, both professors of Ecology at the Sorbonne in Paris, arrived in Cercot in 1978 to, as one says, ‘practice what they preached’.

Since the beginning, Pierre and Martine farmed organically, making their estate one of the earliest organic estates in Burgundy. Lucas divides his time by working half of the day in the vineyards and winery before going for the afternoons to his medical practice, as a general practitioner. He has carried on his parents work in the vineyards and after creating 50 bird shelters in the vineyards, he has received certification from the government as a protected bird sanctuary. The harvest is gathered by hand and the fermentations occur with indigenous yeasts.

Many in the wine profession have been called rather unexpectedly to the metier, and that is certainly the case with Johann Widmer. While in medical school, Yohann took a summer job at the wine cooperative in Arbois where his parents had recently moved. The experience proved transformational and propelled Johann to leave medical school and get a degree in viticulture and oenology at Beaune. Afterwards, he worked for four years in Etoile at the Domaine Montbourgeau. In 2003, he began assembling his mosaic of small vineyard plots in and around Arbois and continued this for the next decade while working for the Arbois cooperative and selling his grapes to them. In 2018, it was time for Johann to produce his own wine and he created the Domaine 5WY. With only a few vintages behind him, Johann continues to evolve a winemaking style that is rooted in minimal intervention. He is filled with ideas and projects, and it is going to be a joy to watch this domain develop.

In 1599, Oliver de Serre listed the main grape varieties of the Kingdom, including Chatus and Picardan….

Since 2007 Elise Renaud and Benoit Salel have been doing patient work as ampelographic archivists to find and replant old varieties which were once grown in the Ardèche Cévennes.

Like many of the more rural areas of France, the indigenous and ancient grape varieties of the southern Ardèche fell into oblivion. Along with the more familiar varieties that are found in appellations throughout the Rhône region, Elise and Benoit have patiently cultivated varieties such as Chatus, Dureza, Raisaine, and Picardan.

For them, these indigenous grape varieties are the soul and identity of the Cévennes Ardéchoises.

 

As Elise and Benoit have said, “There is nothing to invent, the future is simply what has been forgotten.”

 

Sylvain Liotard farms 5.7 hectares in the village of Chapareillan, along the slopes of the famous Mont Granier. He began in 2014 and pursues a viticulture that is both organic and biodynamic. The domaine is now certified by both Ecocert and Demeter. Sylvain produces wines in the appellations of Abymes, Apremont and Roussette de Savoie, as well as a white blend and two reds from Mondeuse and Gamay.

The vineyards of Cahors lay an equal distance from the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean and the Pyrenees. They are planted along the banks and hills of the Lot River valley. As a result of its millennia of work carving through a limestone plateau, the Lot River left a narrow band of hills ideally suited to the vine. The soils vary according to their proximity to the river, with the lower terraces having more alluvial deposits and the upper vineyards having more exposed rock. The vineyards date back at least two thousand years and the wines of Cahors have an illustrious history that includes being sought after by the Roman Emperor Domitian, the Russian Orthodox Church and numerous kings and bishops.

The Chateau La Caminade vineyards lie in Parnac, in the heart of the Cahors region. The Ressès family has been making wine here since 1895 and Dominique and Richard represent the fourth generation. The 27 hectares of vineyards are planted on a variety of soil types including gravelly sand and clay/limestone. The vineyards are certified “Haute valeure Environmentale” Level 3 which requires a comprehensive sustainability. Until the French Revolution the domain belonged to the clergy who left behind much documentation attesting to both their winemaking techniques and their understanding of the terroir. The Ressès bring forward quite a tradition.

Read Dominique’s comments in the Southwest Vintage Reports

The appellation of Marcillac is located in the western part of the Auvergne, nestled in the mountain range known as the Massif Central. The vineyards lie along steep slopes in a remote valley that offers a beneficial micro-climate. The valley draws warm and dry air from the Mediterranean during the summer and fall while also sheltering the vineyards from the harsh winters. The history of the vineyards is closely aligned with the Abbaye at Conques whose monks recognized the valley’s potential and planted vineyards in the area beginning in the 10th century. Centuries later, it was the bourgeoisie from the nearby city of Rodez who took an interest in the vineyards. These city folks greatly expanded the vineyards and built themselves summer homes in the surrounding villages. The devastating effect of phyloxerra at the end of the 19th century and the economic problems of the early 20th century led to the great abandonment of the vineyards. During this period, the region steadily depopulated with many “Auvergnats” going to Paris and finding work in the restaurant trade. Over time, many of them opened their own bistros which became an important customer base for the farmers back home who were reconstituting the Marcillac vineyards. The local grape of the area is Fer Servadou, called locally, Mansois. In the local dialect, Occitan, it was called Saoumences, which is interesting because of the last part of the name being similar to Mencia, or the Spanish name for Cabernet Franc. In fact, the Cabernet Franc and Fer Servadou are both part of the Carmenere family of grape varieties. There is some speculation that because the Abbaye of Conques was an offshoot of the Abbaye at Cluny, the 10th century vineyards were probably planted with Pinot Noir.

Domaine du Cros, with its 33 hectares, is the largest independent producer in the appellation and Philippe Teulier and his family have been instrumental in reestablishing the reputation of Marcillac’s wines. Philippe Teulier’s vines lie at elevations as high as 450 meters on a few different hillsides that surround the village of Clairvaux. Much of his vineyard is terraced and the soil is an iron rich clay known locally as “rougier” with outcroppings of limestone. His wines are made from one grape type, the local grape of Marcillac, Fer Servadou.

Read Philippe’s comments in the Southwest Vintage Reports

Spread out around the town of Albi, the Gaillac vineyards extend over 73 communes along the Tarn river. The appellation includes significantly different terroirs , the results of different geological strata, which include limestone plateaus, hillside vineyards with limestone and clay soils and alluvial plains with soils of gravel and sand. The climate is more Mediterranean than Atlantic and the vineyards benefit from a warm and dry autumn. The wines have a balance of concentration and restraint that is rare and the appellation’s local grape varieties contribute to the originality of Gaillac’s wines.

Domaine des Terrisses has been the property of the Cazottes family since 1750. Alain and Brigitte Cazottes, like the generations before them, have expanded the estate which now includes 40 hectares of vineyards. In the 1960’s and 1970’s Alain’s father was among a small group of Gaillacois vignerons to produce estate bottled wines which focused on quality and authenticity. Alain and Brigitte continue in the same vein. The vineyard is situated along the “Premiere Cotes” of Gaillac, the hillsides facing south-southwest toward the Tarn River with predominantly clay soils that Alain says are similar to those found in the Medoc. The majority of the vineyard is planted with the traditional grape varieties of the region; Mauzac and Loin de L’oeil for the whites and Braucol, Duras and Prunelard for the reds. The balance is planted with Syrah and Sauvignon Blanc. Domaine des Terrisses offers a wide range of wines which is typical of the Gaillac appellation and is a reminder of the region’s long tradition of wine production which predates the Roman conquest two thousand years ago.

Domaine Philémon is located in Villeneuve-sur-Vere, a small village on the Vere river in between Albi and Cordes in the northeast quadrant of the Gaillac appellation. The Vieules family have had a vineyard in Villeneuve since 1804. Today the vineyard is run by Mathieu Vieules who grows wheat, sunflowers and grapes in equal proportions. All his land is farmed organically with the vineyard being certified in 2013. The domain takes its name from Mathieu’s great-grandfather, Philemon, who in 1914 was the first generation to produce wine commercially. In 2003 Mathieu became the first to estate bottle his family’s wines. Along with his other crops, Mathieu has twenty hectares of vineyards in production along the Cordes plateau on south facing slopes with a calcerous soil. They are planted almost entirely to the traditional Gaillac grape varieties: Loin de L’oeil, Mauzac and Muscadelle for the whites, and Braucol (Fer Servadou), Duras, Prunelart and Jurançon Noir for the reds. The vines are largely trained in the gobelet fashion meaning that they are head pruned and yields are kept exceedingly low; 40 hl/h for the whites and 30hl/h for the reds. A good proportion of the vines are more than fifty years old and the harvest is done entirely by hand. In addition to being certified organic the domain is a member of Nature et Progrès, an organization that certifies natural wine.

The appellation Madiran is situated among the northern foothills of the Pyrenées in the heart of Gascony. It is a pastoral area which is sparsely populated and often evokes references of “Old France”. The appellation takes it name from one of the 37 villages that comprise it. The AOC Madiran refers only to red wine production whereas white wine produced in the same area uses the AOC of Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh. Due to its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean the climate is somewhat humid with moderate temperatures that benefit from the prevailing south winds that bring warm dry air in the summer and fall.

On a family domain where the wine was formerly sold in bulk, Jean-Marc Laffitte began estate bottling in 1975. The vineyards, in the commune of Maumusson, are on chalky clay soil and are planted to 70% Tannat and 15% each of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The average vine age is 40 years. Harvesting is done manually.

Sainte-Victoire is a sub-appellation of Côtes de Provence and became officially recognized in 2005 as a DGC (denomination géographique complementaire). The appellation is named for the Sainte-Victoire mountain range which rises to the north of the viticultural zone and together with the Sainte-Baume Massif to the south, creates a unique micro-climate that is cooler and drier than the surrounding appellation of Côtes de Provence.

Domaine de Saint-Ser lies at the foot of the Montagne Sainte-Victoire and at an elevation of 400 meters, the domain’s vineyards are the highest in the appellation. On a property of 80 hectares, 47 hectares are planted with vines. The vineyards are south-facing and benefit from the refracted light coming from the mountain of limestone just above it. Jacqueline Guichot purchased the property in 2006 when it was in need of major renovations. As she says, she rolled up her sleeves and undertook the work of restructuring the vineyards and repairing the buildings. Since that time, Jacqueline’s drive for progress and improvement has never stopped. In 2017, her domain was certified as both organic and bio-dynamic and she continues to evolve a winemaking style that is rooted in minimal intervention. Her reflective nature is evidenced in her two cellars. The first cellar has stainless steel tanks and the second has an array of barrels, foudres, jars and eggs. She is not interested in chasing momentary fads, but rather in studying the effects of different vinification techniques on the expression of terroir.

Read Jacqueline’s comments in the Provence Vintage Reports

The Jurançon appellation is spread throughout the Bearnaise hills south of the city of Pau. Some 500 growers cultivate approximately 1,000 hectares of vineyards which are scattered throughout the steep slopes of this bucolic countryside in the Pyrénées. The appellation’s mandate is for white wine only, though a small amount of red wine is produced in the region and falls under the Bearn appellation. Historically, the wines of Jurançon were “moelleux”. Dry wines are a recent development, receiving a separate AOC in 1975 and requiring the word “sec” to be added on the label in conjunction with the name Jurançon. At present, Jurançon has approximately 60 producers of estate bottled wines.

Jean-Marc Grussaute and his mother, Jany, own a small but remarkable vineyard situated in the Chapelle de Rousse area of Jurançon. The family arrived at Larredya in the year 1900. At first, they raised cattle and planted fruit trees. A half century later they began cultivating strawberries as a commercial crop. In the 1970’s Jean Marc’s father, Jean, one of the region’s pioneers in re-establishing the wines of Jurancon, planted 4 hectares of vines along their terraced hillside. In 1983, Jean Grussaute passed away pre-maturely and Jean-Marc’s mother held together the estate until Jean-Marc arrived in 1988 at the age of 20 having just received his diploma from Bordeaux. Together, Jean-Marc and his mother have transformed their remote hillside vineyard into a world renowned wine estate. The vineyard, much of it planted by Jean-Marc’s father 50 years ago, is terraced and lies on steep and curved slopes that form an amphitheater. It is south facing with an amazing view of some of the highest peaks in the Pyrénées. The vineyard is planted to 65% Petit Manseng and 27% Gros Manseng and 8% Petit Courbu/Camarelet. Jean-Marc Grussaute began estate bottling in 1988 and in the years since, he has evolved both as a farmer and as a wine maker. He has farmed organically since 2007 with the first certified vintage being 2010. He also farms according to bio-dynamic principles and is certified by Demeter. Jean-Marc names his different cuvées in accord with the vineyard parcels from which they come. He is committed to using indigenous yeasts and minimal doses of SO2.

Read Jean-Marc’s comments in the Southwest Vintage Reports

The appellation of Irouleguy stretches along steep hillsides in the Pyrenees within the French Pays Basque. The 245 hectares are planted almost exclusively to red grapes. The vineyards which range in altitude between 200 and 450 meters can have inclines up to 70% and are often planted along narrowly cut terraces that require an enormous amount of hand labor. The characteristic soil of Irouleguy is a red sandstone that is rich in iron. This is complemented by a richer mix of clay/limestone and some outcrops of limestone. The vineyards face south and are protected by the surrounding mountain peaks from the wet weather coming off the Atlantic. The cool and wet springs are balanced by an “Indian summer” that allows the full ripening of the grapes into October.

The Branas started as wine and spirits negociants in the Pays Basque in 1897, an activity that continues today. A few generations on, in 1974, Etienne Brana decided to plant a pear orchard and build a distillery in Saint Jean Pied de Port that would focus on distilling local fruits such as pears, plums and raspberries. Ten years later in 1984 and one hundred years after phyloxera ravaged the Basque vineyards, Etienne planted 20 hectares of vines, making the Branas the first in Irouleguy to replant on a meaningful scale. Tragically in 1992, the year before the completion of the Brana’s stunning winery, built into the steep hills above Saint Jean Pied de Port, Etienne died. He left his wife, Adrienne, and their two children, Martine and Jean, to carry on with his projects. Jean took over the vineyards and winemaking after studying oenology and then interning with Basque neighbor and winemaker at Chateau Petrus, Jean-Claude Berrouet. Martine took over the sourcing of fruit and the distilling. Most recently, in 2018 a new structure was built housing a new distillery and tasting room. The accomplishments of the Brana family are recognized not only in the Pays Basque, but internationally and their Eaux-de-Vies are considered among the best in France.

Jean Brana’s farming philosophy could be called bio-diverse. He gave up his certification of organic farming because the treatment of his vines required an application of copper that produced toxicity in his soils. He also abandoned most of the bio-dynamic remedies he employed, moving instead to a biodiversity that encouraged the natural flora and fauna to co-exist with the vines. The result has been the return of insects and birds that hadn’t been seen in the vineyard for years as well as one hundred and ten plant species that co-habit with the vines. To celebrate this development, Jean redesigned all the wine labels so that each one features one of the indigenous birds found in the vineyards.

François and Marie-Therèse Subrin, along with their daughter Florence and nephew Geoffroy, farm 5 hectares of land in the village of Sarcey, a village situated on a high plateau tucked between the Monts Beaujolais and the Monts Lyonnais in the southwest corner of the Beaujolais appellation. The Subrin’s vineyard is planted on granite soils with significant deposits of quartz and feldspar. On average, the vines are 40 years old. They farm organically and utilize principles of biodynamic agriculture. To ensure maximum health and ripeness for their grapes, they severely limit the yields (for the vintage 2010, yields were 32hl/h) and they are willing to harvest late into the growing season (as was the case with 2012, when they harvested between September 21 and October 03).

Domaine du Crêt de Bine challenges the hierarchical supposition that a wine from southern Beaujolais cannot achieve the same intensity and complexity as wines from the Crus Beaujolais.

Read Francois comments in the Beaujolais Vintage Reports

Nicolas Chemarin farms 5 hectares of land in the village of Marchampt and a few small plots in Brouilly, Regnié and Morgon. Marchampt is a tiny village secluded in the forested hills of western Beaujolais just past Quincié-en-Beaujolais, on the edge of the Massif Central. Nicolas is the fourth generation to farm the family property and the only male of his generation to stay in the village, a fact that has earned him the nickname “Petit Grobis” a local term of endearment having to do with small hollows in trees used by owls. It was Nicolas’ father, Lucien, who first moved the family farm away from polyculture to concentrate his activities on his vineyards and wine production.

Domaine de Foretal is situated in the small village of Vauxrenard, in the northern Beaujolais. Perched at 380 meters, the family home and vineyards face south-east and provide a beautiful panorama of Fleurie and Chenas. The Perrauds have grown grapes in Vauxrenard for five generations and today it is Jean-Yves Perraud who is responsable for the property. Estate bottling began in 1995 and since taking over in the year 2000, Jean-Yves has introduced a number of sustainable farming practices such as planting grass between the rows to prevent erosion and finding alternatives to pesticides. In 2019 the domain was certified “Terra Vitis”.

Read Jean-Yves’ comments in the Beaujolais Vintage Reports

The Limoux wine region is at the western most point of the Languedoc and is located just south of the medieval city of Carcassonne. It has a unique geoclimate, a situation due to the dual influences of the Atlantic which brings cool and wet weather and the Mediterranean which delivers hot and dry conditions.

The Domaine de Martinolles was owned by the Vergnes family from 1926 until 2011 when the estate was sold to the native Languedocoen vigneron, Jean Claude Mas. The vineyards lie on the same hillsides that the monks of St. Hilaire cultivated in 1531 when they produced the world’s first sparkling wine.

The vines, which are planted in chalky soils at elevations ranging from 200 to 600 meters, are worked traditionally without herbicides or fertilizers. Domaine de Martinolles is a member of Terra Vitis, an organization that certifies the practice of sustainable agriculture.

Cyril Gautheron is the sixth generation in his family to cultivate vines in Fleys, a village of 160 inhabitants. The winery and family home are located directly across from the 1er Cru “Côte des Pres Girots” vineyard. At one time, the inhabitants of Fleys were called “Gougueys” from the dialect word for the fossilized snails that are prevalent in the area and in fact the Gautherons have some extraordinary examples exhibited in their tasting room. The Gautheron domain is 22 hectares divided among 40 parcels which include a small parcel in Petit-Chablis, 14 hectares in Chablis, 7.5 hectares in 1er Cru Chablis (Les Fourneaux, Mont de Milieu, Vaucoupin, Vaillons, Montmains, L’Homme Mort) and a small parcel in Grand Cru “Valmur”.

Harvesting is done mostly by machine except where the terrain does not permit, in which case the grapes are picked by hand. Cyril has two modern “bladder” presses so that he can limit oxidation by avoiding any wait time for the harvested grapes and allow the grapes to be very slowly and gently pressed. He moves the juice from the presses to the tanks by gravity and throughout the entire winemaking process, he tries to minimize the use of pumps.

Except for the Grand Cru “Valmur”, all grapes are fermented in temperature controlled stainless steel vats. Cyril does his cellar work and bottling in accordance with atmospheric pressure and moon cycles. The wines stay in contact with the lees for four to nine months after which they are fined, lightly filtered, and then bottled. Despite all of the investment in modern equipment, Cyril takes a traditional approach to making Chablis as exemplified in the simplicity of his methods and the maturing of the wine before bottling. In 2016, he was recognized as the best young winemaker in the Yonne by the C.I.V.B.

Domaine du Pas Saint Martin is a small family domain located near the town of Saumur in the Loire. It is set among troglodyte caves formed out of ancient fossilized marine life that covered the Saumur region 10 million years ago. During the religious wars of the Middle Ages these caves served as secret places of worship.

 

Today, Laurent Charrier runs the domain which is a certified organic farm. Laurent’s father was not interested in producing wine and thus in 1994 when Laurent took over the responsibility of the domain, with the help of his mother, he picked up where his grandfather had left off. He immediately set out to acquire certification for organic farming which he received in 1997. The family’s vineyards are primarily in the appellation of Saumur with additional small holdings in Anjou and Coteaux du Layon. The average age of the vines is 30 years with certain parcels being considerably older.

Since 1994, Stéphane Otheguy has leased 1.5 hectares of vineyards from Vincent Gasse that are divided between the three northern Rhône appellations of Côte Rôtie, Condrieu and Saint Joseph. Stéphane left a career in education to study eonology at Macon after which he began working for Vincent Gasse. He spent seven years with M. Gasse farming in the organic and bio-dynamic methods that M. Gasse espoused and in 1994 when M. Gasse decided to retire Stéphane Otheguy took over and began making wine from these same vineyards. M. Otheguy is a member of Nature et Progres, an organization that oversees and certifies organic farming. The vineyards that Stéphane cultivates are among the most difficult in France to farm organically. They are extremely steep and rocky, making the use of machinery impossible and requiring a great deal ofintensive manual labor. His winemaking techniques are traditional or natural. The reds are fermented in open top containers. He has one of wood and one of cement. He does not introduce cultured yeast and fermentations are not controlled. For the extraction of the red wines, the cap is punched down (pigeage). The wines are unfiltered and unfined.

Chateau Les Barraillots is the last small and independent wine producer in the village of Margaux and one of only a few “Crus Artisans” in the Margaux appellation. The vineyard was obtained from Palmer and Durfort in 1928 and 1933. It is situated among the highest elevations in the commune and the soil type is permeable gravel. The modest house and winery are a quarter of a mile away, on the outskirts of town, literally on the other side of the tracks. The Martin family used to raise dairy cows there, not only for the income derived from the milk, but also for the manure used in the vineyard. Yannick Martin, who took over from his father in 2014, told me that growing up he spent way too much time repairing fences. Although Yannick still uses exclusively cow manure as fertilizer, today the cattle are gone and he has more time to concentrate on his wine production.

The Cabardès appellation is located on the southern slopes of the Montagne Noir, the most southern outcropping of the Massif Central and just outside the medieval walled city of Carcassonne. One of France’s newest A.O.C.’s, it was established in 1998 and has fewer than 20 estate bottled producers. Its unique climatic situation with influences from both the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea give rise to the appellation’s motto “Vent d’Est, Vent d”Ouest. In fact, the A.O.C. laws mandate that a minimum of 40% of the varieties must be “atlantique”; Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon or Cabernet Franc and 40% “mediterranean”; Syrah or Grenache; also a maximum of 20% of Cot or Fer Servadou may be used.

Wine has been produced around Chablis since at least the ninth century. For the last hundred years the area of cultivation authorized to use the name Chablis has had controversial and shifting boundaries. The controversy centers around the area’s two geological formations of limestone deposits; the Kimmeridgian and the Portlandian.The Kimmeridgian soils which are soft and marly, are found mostly on the slopes while the Portlandian soils are hard and rocky and are found mostly on top of the hills. The question is whether to restrict the appellation to vineyards on Kimmeridgian soils. There are many opinions on the subject, but no two seem to agree. There is great overlapping of the soils and thus a geological answer is not clear cut and there is also the historical record of where vineyards have been cultivated which further confuses matters.

Today, the basic organization of the appellation gives Grand Cru status to seven vineyards which are contiguous and comprise a total of 112 hectares. It gives Premier Cru status to 40 vineyards comprising 742 hectares which are spread throughout the appellation. These vineyards are on Kimmeridgian soils. The far greater portion of the appellation is divided into Chablis Villages (4420 hectares), largely on Kimmeridgian soils and labeled simply as Chablis and Petit Chablis (1562 hectares) which are largely on Portlandian soils.

Established in 1970, the Domaine d’Elise is located just outside the town of Chablis in the commune of Milly. It was purchased by the current owner Frédéric Prain in 1982. The domaine’s vineyard is situated directly above the south/southeastern facing Premier Cru Côte de Lechet vineyard. It is unusual in that its entire 13 hectares are in one parcel with Frédéric’s house and winery situated in the middle. Interestingly, the appellation laws have divided the vineyard into two equal plots of Chablis Villages and Petit Chablis.The soils are quite poor with an abundance of surface stones, particularly on the top of the hill. A great deal of pruning is done throughout the growing season to limit yields to 45/50 hl per ha. Harvesting is done as late as possible.

Domaine des Miquettes was created by Paul Estève and Chrystelle Vareille in 2003 in the village of Cheminas, a small village located on the high plateau above Tournon and Secheras, two towns located in the southern part of the Saint Joseph appellation. Paul and Chrystelle took over the farm from Paul’s family and turned one of the small farm buildings into a cramped and low-tech wine-making facility. In total, the domaine consists of five hectares. At the property in Cheminas, they have planted one hectare of Syrah and one of Viognier which are classified as Vin de Pays des Coteaux de L’Ardèche. They also have three hectares in Saint Joseph with 2.6 planted to Syrah and .4h planted to Marsanne. Paul had been working the Saint Joseph vineyard for the previous owner and when the owner decided to retire, Paul made arrangements to take over the three hectares.

The Saint Joseph vineyard is located in the high hills above Secheras at an altitude of around 350 meters. It is planted on a steep hillside with soils of granite mixed with micaschist and its exposure is east/southeast. The vineyards, both in Saint Joseph and the Coteaux de L’Ardèche are certified as organic farms. The vineyard rows are worked throughout the year with either a tractor or horse drawn plough which is used on the more difficult terrains.

All harvesting is done by hand and the fermentations occur with natural yeasts and little or no temperature adjustments. Wines are matured in large casks, “demi-muids” for a year before bottling.

Several years ago, during a visit to Georgia, Paul and Chrystelle were inspired to make wine in the ancient tradition in clay amphorae buried in the earth. They built a chai dedicated to 26 buried clay jars, and use them for the vinification and maturation of the red and orange wines they call Madloba (‘thank you’ in Georgian).

Château du Grand Bos is located in Castres, in a part of the Graves appellation which is home to some of the oldest Bordeaux vineyards dating back 2,000 years. The Château and vineyard lie near the old Roman road named “Chemin Gallien”. As early as 1868, editions of Cocks & Feret listed Château du Grand Bos as a leading estate in its commune. When André Vincent bought the property in 1988, the vineyard, composed of very deep gravel, had not been cultivated for thirty years. André sold his property in Saint Estephe, Chateau La Haye, with the idea of retiring at Grand Bos. Realizing the remarkable potential of his terroir, he instead immediately set out to replant the vineyard in addition to restoring the Château. After the initial work was done in the late 1980’s, André made further renovations to the winery in 2005 and refashioned the underground cellar into a pristine barrel room which includes a 17th century well that offers lots of natural humidity.

The vineyard totals 22 hectares with 18 hectares in red grapes and 4 hectares in white grapes. André Vincent was ahead of his time by farming without pesticides or herbicides and using only copper sulfate (bouillie bordelaise) against mildew. He worked the soil throughout the year, including “chaussage et dechaussage”, a traditional method of protecting the vine over the winter by covering the base of the plants with soil just after harvest and then removing it in the spring. In 2007 André’s daughter, Marie, began helping her father run the estate. In 2017, André’s granddaughter, Lou Rochet, arrived at the winery with master’s degrees in both chemistry and oenology. Her first vintage was 2018. Since 2020 the winery has been in organic conversion and the 2023 vintage was the first to be certified. Lou uses bio-dynamic principles in her farming and is able to grow many of the necessary plants for her tisanes in the forest that surround her vineyard. She also works with a local beekeeper who stations his hives throughout the vineyard. All harvesting is done by hand.

Along with Saint-Chinian, Faugères forms the western border of the Coteaux du Languedoc; a viticultural region that extends from Nimes to Narbonne. Faugères is one of just a few viticultural areas in this broad region to be granted appellation independence from the more encompassing Coteaux du Languedoc appellation. Comprising 2000 hectares, Faugères is most often discussed in terms of its nearly omnipresent schist soil, a factor that along with the micro-climate of the Monts de Faugères, gives a singular expression to the typical Languedocian grape varieties. Schist is a metamorphic rock and more specifically a metasedimentary rock, having changed from shale or mudstone to schist through a process called recrystallization. It is believed that these Paleozoic rocks in Faugères give birth to wines of finesse and austerity. [Veterans of the wine business understand metamorphosis. Ours usually involves fractional melting followed by desiccation cracks with no hope of a post-glacial rebound.]

In 1997, Catherine Roque, already a vigneronne in the Vallée de L’Orb, acquired Mas D’Alezon and its 7 hectares in the northern corner of Faugères. The vineyards are in the village of Soumatre and, ranging from 350 to 450 meters in altitude, are the highest in the appellation. Catherine’s vineyard is certified organic and she employs bio-dynamic principles to enhance the health of the soil and the plants. Catherine grows Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah for her reds and Clairette and Roussanne for her white. The average age of her vines is 25 years, including plots of 70 year old Grenache and 80 year old Mourvèdre. Due to the combination of infertile soils and cool micro-climate, her grapes are very slow to ripen and yields are typically 20 to 25 hl/ha. The domain’s two red wines are vinified similarly.

Catherine relies on indigenous yeasts for the fermentations and she believes in long and slow fermentation at cool temperatures. The wines are aged in cement tanks and barrels that are not new, for up to two years. No sulphur is used during this process and only at bottling is the smallest amount added.

*N.B. The geological terms and explanations (not my attempt at humor) are taken from an amazing book titled Reading the Rocks by Marcia Bjornerud.

Read Catherine’s comments in the Languedoc Vintage Reports

Chitry-Le-Fort, as the name suggests, was once a fortified town and in the Middle Ages the main road, La Grande Rue, formed the boundary between the lands of the Count of Tonnerre in Champagne and the Count of Auxerre in Burgundy. In the 19th century wines of Chitry were sold under the name of Chablis and more recently in 1929 the wines were accorded the name of Bourgogne des Environs de Chablis. Today Chitry is one of four viticultural communes of the Auxerrois and wines are labeled as Bourgogne or Bourgogne Chitry.

The Giraudon family has been farming and making wine in Chitry for centuries, and the current proprietor, Marcel Giraudon, follows very traditional methods in his work. Their vineyards are on hillsides of Kimmeridgian chalky marl as one finds in Grand Cru Chablis. Yields in the vineyard are kept modest and harvesting is done by hand. For the white wines, fermentation is carried out in temperature controlled stainless steel tanks and for the pinot noir mainly fiberglass vats are used with a “drapeau d’eau” for temperature control.

The appellation of Vouvray is found on the right bank of the Loire River, just upstream from the city of Tours. The vineyards trace back their history to the year 372 when Saint Martin, Bishop of Tours, planted vines on the right bank of the river at the monastery of Marmoutier. The appellation’s only sanctioned grape is Chenin Blanc, known locally as the Pineau de la Loire. Vouvray wines show the remarkable versatility of this grape with wines that can be still or sparkling and range from dry to sweet.

Christophe Thorigny farms 10.5 hectares in the village of Parcay-Meslay, one of the eight villages included in the Vouvray appellation. His family has owned vineyards in the village for four generations and the domaine reached its present size in 1997. Christophe has followed the previous generations by selling the largest part of his production to local negociants while slowly building a client base for his estate bottled wine. Despite this fact, his grandfather dug a spacious cave into the limestone hillside next to their domaine where they mature their sparkling wine.

Christophe farms according to the principle of “lutte raisonnée” or minimal intervention and keeps his yields low by severe pruning throughout the growing season. The vineyard is on a plateau with soils of chalky clay and flinty clay covering a thick layer of limestone known as “tuffeau”.

Read Christophe’s comments in the Loire Vintage Reports

Patrick Maroiller was an early proponent of organic farming in Burgundy. He worked for the Domaine Henri Martin beginning in 1992 and transitioned their vineyards in Gevrey-Chambertin from conventional to organic in 2001. At the same time, he developed his minimalist approach to winemaking. After two decades with Henri Richard, Patrick began working for other domains that wanted to farm organically while producing his own wines in his cramped cellar in Gevrey-Chambertin from his family’s vineyards in Gevrey-Chambertin and Marsannay. His son, Stephane, took over with the 2019 vintage and has followed very much in Patrick’s footsteps. Stephane produces certified organic wines from Uchizy (Bourgogne Blanc), Nuits Saint Georges (Bourgogne Pinot Noir), Marsannay “Potey”, Marsannay “Aux Grands Bandeaux”, and Gevrey-Chambertin.

Because the quantities are so limited, between 600 and 1,200 bottles per wine, Stephane also works as a contract farmer specializing in organic farming. He has continued his father’s approach to winemaking and relies on indigenous yeasts and adds only 20 mg/L of SO2 when the wine is racked before bottling.

Stephane tries to do as much work as possible without a tractor, preferring an atomizer on his back. The “Aux Grands Bandeaux” vineyard has not seen a chemical spray since 1960. In the cellar he rarely uses a pump. The simple techniques produce stunningly delicious wines.

“Graves wines, like the region, are seldom obvious, they tend to be undramatic, undemanding and gentle; with much that may be revealed to the discriminating.”
– Wines of the Graves, Pamela Vandyke Price

“Today, Graves is one of Bordeaux’s most dynamic areas. The biggest revolution has occurred in the quality of Graves dry white wines. Graves white are now more aromatic, fresh and well made; some of them with a distinctly exotic edge, with tropical fruit and a New World tang.”
– The Bordeaux Atlas, H. Duijker & M. Broadbent

The Graves region is often referred to as ‘the cradle of Bordeaux wine’ and has been described as a beauty asleep in her woods and forests. Since the Middle Ages, the city of Bordeaux and its outlying areas have had vineyards and these areas are today part of the Graves appellation. The appellation’s reputation owes much to Chateau Haut Brion which was well known by the early 17th century. Our own Thomas Jefferson, speaking of the Graves white wines, wrote in the late 18th century “those made in the canton of Graves are most esteemed at Bordeaux”. Since then the fame and fortune of the Graves has been eclipsed by the Medoc region with which it shares its geological origin, namely beds of gravel soil washed upstream from the Pyrenees. To the west, the forests of the Landes shelter the Graves region from the Atlantic Ocean. It is, though, to the eastern shore along the Garonne river that the world’s attention turns. It is here, on a fairly narrow strip of land between the river bank and the encroaching forest that one finds vineyards that for centuries have supplied wines to popes, kings, presidents and more importantly, now to us all.

Château Magneau is an ancient property that has been run by the Ardurat family since before the reign of Henri IV. It is located in the historic commune of La Brède, a mile from the historic moated castle where Montesquieu was born. Today, Chateau Magneau is run by Henri Ardurats and his two sons Jean-Louis and Bruno along with Jean-Louis’ wife, Brigitte, who is responsible for the sales. Jean-Louis is in charge of the vineyards as well as the winemaking. He continually works on the expression of his wines by farming parcels of land individually and then vinifying each separately according to its intrinsic character. A modern winery was built in 1980 and a new barrel cellar in 1996. From one generation to the next, the Ardurats have passed on the philosophy of “quality before profit” and they have been recognized by an exhaustive list of awards. In 2002, they received the Trophée des Crus de Graves, an award which is given by colleagues and which recognizes only a few chateaux from the entire appellation. The Ardurats farm 41 hectares of land with deep gravelly soil in the heart of the Graves appellation. Farming is done without the use of chemical insecticides and harvesting is done both by hand and by machine. Before entering the winery all grape bunches are hand sorted to insure the highest quality of fruit. The Ardurats are a member of Terra Vitis, an organization that certifies the practice of sustainable agriculture as well as high standards for the wine’s vinification.

The Orb River runs for 135 kilometers from the Larzac Causses in Haut-Languedoc down to the Mediterranean Sea. Domaine de Clovallon is situated in the Haute Vallée de L’Orb which refers to a small stretch of the river valley that runs east to west with exposed hillsides and excellent southern exposure. Spanning geological periods from the primary to the quartenary, the Haute Vallée de L’Orb contains virtually every soil type found in France, and many of them are present in Clovallon’s 10 hectares.

To be in the company of Catherine Roque and her daughter Alix, is to be in the company of and feel the energy of passionate farmers. Catherine says that seeing the results of her bio-dynamic farming practices has greatly inspired her. In the vineyard, the Roques use fertilizer from their neighbor’s cows along with a mix of valerian and dolomite. In between the rows, the natural grasses are left to grow and Alix is contemplating buying a few sheep to help with the “mowing”. They already employ the help of their chickens. As non-interventionist winemakers, their wines naturally convey their respect for and delight in their land and vineyards.

Read Alix’s comments Languedoc Vintage Reports

Paul Garaudet is the 4th generation in his family to make wine in Monthelie. His 10 hectares of vineyards are made up of many small parcels that are spread throughout the appellations of Bourgogne, Monthelie, Monthelie 1er Cru, Volnay, Pommard, Meursault and Puligny Montrachet. Paul has served as the President of the Wine Growers Syndicate of Monthelie. He is a great champion of Burgundy’s wines and carries on in the long tradition of Burgundy vinegrowers who put observation and stewardship of their vineyards at the core of their work. The harvest is made by hand.

Read Paul’s comments in the Burgundy Vintage Reports

The appellation Pouilly Fumé takes it s name from both the main village of the area, Pouilly Sur Loire, and the main grape variety, Blanc Fumé, the local name for Sauvignon Blanc. It is called Blanc Fumé because in these vineyards the Sauvignon Blanc forms a grey or smokey colored bloom on the grape skin at maturity. Additionally the Sauvignon Blanc in Pouilly Fumé often exhibits an aroma of gunflint (pierre à fusil).

Read Katia’s comments in the Loire Vintage Reports

The Vignoble de Diois stretches for 30 kilometers as it follows the path of the Drome River from the Vercors mountains of the Alps to the Rhône River valley near Valence. The area’s magnificent landscape brings hikers, bikers, and all manner of outdoor enthusiasts to the doorsteps of the Diois producers. Limited production, the tourism market and the idiosyncratic style of Diois wine have combined to keep The Clairette de Die appellation off almost everyone’s radar.

Along with his Percheron named Rafale, Thierry Marcel farms 7 hectares of vineyards in the sleepy village of Ponet et Saint Auban. The fifth generation of his family to farm in the village, Thierry took over in 2005 and moved toward an organic way of farming for which he received certification in 2011.

Château La Clotte-Cazalis has belonged to the Lacoste family since 1779. For forty years prior to 2001 they leased their vineyard to another family who was responsible for farming it and had the rights to the harvest. In 2001 Marie-Pierre Lacoste and her mother, Bernadette, decided to take on the responsibility themselves and started producing a wine from their land. Their vineyard of 5 hectares is located in the commune of Barsac. It is planted with 95% Semillon and 5% Sauvignon Blanc and the vines are all more than 50 years old.

The Champagne house of Thierry Triolet is located in the village of Bethon. The vineyards in Bethon are part of the Côtes de Sezanne region of Champagne which begins near the town of Sezanne and extends southward for about 20 miles. Geologically, this narrow band of hills with deep deposits of limestone, is a continuation of the more massive Côtes des Blancs. Traditionally, the Sezanne vineyards have been a source of excellent Chardonnay grapes for the large negociant Champagne houses to the north.

The Triolets are one of a growing number of families who have begun estate bottling their champagne over the last three decades. They own 11 hectares in and around the village of Bethon and almost all their vineyards are planted to Chardonnay. Thierry Triolet farms in accordance with the principles of sustainability and is certified both as “Level 3” Haute Valeur Envirnmentale and Viticulture Durable en Champagne. He is committed to having low yields and prunes accordingly. The pressing is done slowly at low pressure in a modern bladder press. Fermentations are then carried out in a variety of tanks. No barrels are used in fermentation or aging.

Domaine Billard has approximately 26 hectares of vineyards in different appellations throughout the Cotes de Beaune. Their largest holdings are in the Hautes Cotes de Beaune with other small plots located in Saint Aubin 1er Cru, Saint Romain, Auxey Duresses, Beaune, Beaune 1er Cru, Chassagne-Montrachet, Santenay, and Pommard.

When the domaine passed from father to son, Jérôme Billard brought a new philosophy with him. The farming practices changed to eliminate chemicals, rebalance the soils and follow the principles of organic farming. Jerome hired a specialist to work a few of their vineyards with a horse, and in 2019, after seeing the results, the Billards purchased their own horse, which enabled them to expand the number of vineyards they work without a tractor.

In contrast to his father, who sold his wine to the local cooperative, Jérôme developed a market for his wines, and estate bottles his entire production. Yields are kept low by severe pruning and the use of cover crops. The vines are harvested by hand and Jérôme likes to harvest on the “late side,” to give good concentration to his wines. Fermentations utilize indigenous yeasts and a modest amount of SO2 is added before bottling; 25mg/L for whites and 15mg/L for reds.

There are about 20 villages included in the Hautes Côtes de Beaune appellation. These old villages, many of which are barely inhabited, are secluded in the hills and their vineyards are interspersed with woodlands and farms that grow a variety of crops. The Billard family home and winery are located in one of these, La Rochepot, a small village noted for its elaborate 13th century chateau which is set into a rocky hillside.

The appellation of Saint-Pourçain is situated in the center of France, in the Allier department and is considered part of the Centre-Loire.This region is better known to wine professionals for its forests of prized oak trees used in barrel production than for its wines. The appellation, ranging approximately 5 kilometers in width and 30 kilometers in length, spreads throughout 19 communes with vineyards planted on a series of hillsides to the west of the Allier River. The history of vineyards in this area dates back to before the Romans, when the Phoenicians settled here and planted vines. In fact, they claimed to have civilized the barbarians with wine. During the 13th and 14th centuries the wines of Saint-Pourçain were highly esteemed. They traveled up to Paris via the Allier and Loire rivers and were favored by Popes, royalty and the aristocracy alike. By the end of the 18th century the vineyards of Saint-Pourçain covered more than 8,000 hectares. Today the vineyards total 600 hectares. The appellation received AOC status in 2009.

Denis Barbara farms several separate parcels of land totaling 8 hectares. Two thirds of his production is in red wine. He works alone except for the harvest and does much of the vineyard work by hand. He keeps his yields very low by bud pruning “ebourgeonnage” in the spring and green harvesting in the summer after “veraison”. He cultivates grasses between all the rows and does not use insecticides, pesticides or chemical fertilizer in his vineyards. All of his wines are fermented with indigenous yeasts.

Read Denis’ comments in the Loire Vintage Reports

One of the 14 Côtes du Rhône Villages appellations, Rousset-Les-Vignes is situated in the northeastern corner of the Côtes du Rhône “méridonale”. The tiny village is set against the backdrop of the Montagne de la Lance, a mountain range that bleeds into the Pré-Alps. The location of Rousset-Les-Vignes gives its vineyards the dual influence of Mediterranean and Alpine climates. As its name suggests, the village has a long association with vineyards, yet today there are fewer than 100 hectares planted and most of the growers sell their grapes to the local cooperative, all of which has kept this remarkable terroir off the wine professional’s radar.

The four hectares of Domaine de la Banate were purchased by Jean T’Kint in 2011. He immediately began farming organically and received certification three years later.  Jean’s vineyard is on the village’s lower terrace at an elevation of 340 meters. The well drained soils are formed from deep alluvial sandy-clays mixed with surface stones.

Château Loupiac-Gaudiet dates from the 15th century and has been the property of the Sanfourche/Ducau family since 1920. In 1920, when the Ducau’s bought Chateau de Loupiac, they already owned the neighboring vineyard called “Gaudiet” and in this way created Chateau Loupiac-Gaudiet. The estate is situated in the village of Loupiac high above the Garonne river and directly across from the appellations of Barsac and Sauternes.

Anne-Sophie Debavelaere, of Burgundian roots, began her domaine in 1984 with one hectare of land. Over the years, the estate has expanded and now includes 11 hectares divided among seven “climats”. The parcels are mostly in Rully but include small plots in Bouzeron and Beaune. In Rully they have vineyards in four “climats”: the 1er Cru “Les Pierres” and the three lieux dits “Les Cailloux”, “Moulin A Vent” and “Chaponnière.”

In 2014, Anne-Sophie’s son, Felix joined her at the domain. Their vineyards are all worked with respect for the environment. No insecticides or herbacides are used, the ground is plowed but otherwise the use of a tractor is restricted. The winery or “cave de vinification” is a vaulted cellar which was dug from the Rully hillside in 1850. It was originally built by a local negociant who wanted to have a cellar for sparkling wine similar to those in Champagne. Today, it offers Anne-Sophie and Felix a wonderful environment in which to mature their wines.

Read Anne-Sophie’s comments in the Burgundy Vintage Reports

The Côtes du Forez appellation is located between the Loire and Allier rivers in the center of France. The nearest town of note is St. Etienne which was significant to the booming mining industry that dominated the region through the nineteenth century. The miners required a lot of wine to quench their thirst and as late as 1930 there were 5000 hectares planted in Côtes du Forez. Today, there are less than 200.

Domaine Verdier-Logel is the leading estate of this small and obscure appellation where vineyards are few and far between. The Côtes du Forez hillsides are foothills of the volcanic mountains of the Massif Central and have soils of granite and volcanic composition. The cool climate and rocky soils impart a strong, earthy fragrance to the wines which combines well with the elegant fruitiness of the gamay grape. Due to the difficult climate only parcels with the best exposition and soils are planted with grapevines. The appellation’s laws mandate Gamay as the sole grape to be used and Verdier-Logel produces separate wines from volcanic and granite soils. The Domaine Verdier-Logel is certified both organic and bio-dynamic.

Read Odile’s comments in the Loire Vintage Reports

The hilltop village of Vinsobres is situated between the Pré-Alpes and Mont Ventoux in the northeastern corner of the Côtes du Rhône “méridionale”. After having been classified as Côtes du Rhône Villages, Vinsobres was elevated to “Cru” status in 2006, becoming the first in the Drôme department. The majority of Vinsobre’s vineyards were planted as a result of the devasting frost of 1956 which wiped out the village’s olive groves. The slopes were re-planted with vines giving the appellation a high percentage of old vines. The vineyards range from 200 to 500 meters in elevation and Vinsobres’ unique terroir is considered by many to be the finest for Syrah in the southern Rhone.

Victor Taylor is an American wine professional who somehow wound up in the remote town of Nyons in the Drôme department (had to be either a witness protection program or an addiction to olive oil). In 2011, not far from Nyons, he stumbled upon some old vines sloping away from the Vinsobres plateau with a breathtaking view of Mont Ventoux and a “for sale” sign. Let us just say that after 5 years of relentless effort he and his partner, Xavier Nyssen produced their first vintage in 2016.

The 10 hectare domain lies at an altitude of 450 meters in the “lieu dit” called “Les Côtes”. The land is split evenly between vineyards and forest. The Serre Besson vineyard slopes down from the forested mountain crest with Syrah planted at the highest elevation and the other varieties continuing on down the hill. Within the 5 hectares of vineyards, there are 11 parcels, one hectare of which was planted in 1961 with mixed rows of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. The vineyard’s soils are a mix of clay, limestone and river stones rich in calcite. Victor and Xavier began farming organically in 2016 and obtained certification in 2019.

That same year they built a small winery into the side of the mountain allowing them to use gravity rather than pumps to move their crushed grapes into the fermentation tanks. They harvest by hand and manually sort all of the grape bunches that enter the cellar.

This property is situated outside the village of St. Michel de Lapujade which lies at the southern extreme of the Entre Deux Mers region. Lapujade translates as the hillside and the vineyard is a bucolic setting of rolling hills with soils of chalky clay and boulbenes (an old and fragile decarbonized chalky clay). The Boissonneau family has owned the property since 1839. Since 2007 the vineyard has been farmed organically and the domaine is in transition to being certified organic in 2011.

Alexis is the seventh generation to work his family’s land in the village of Viré which is situated in the Haut-Maconnais, 18km north of Macon. In 1928 Alexis’ great grandparents joined with other wine growers of Viré to create a cooperative which enabled them to both vinify and commercialize their wines. Alexis’ parents were working with this same cooperative until 2013 by Alexis and his parents decided to build a small winery, “Le Chai Duchet” so that Alexis could produce estate bottled wines. Before rejoining his parents, Alexis travelled extensively doing winemaking stints in unusual places such as Margaret River and Ontario Lake as well as closer to home in Meursault and the Savoie. He has inherited 9.5 hectares from his parents; 7ha in Viré-Clessé and 2.5ha in Macon-Villages. Additionally Alexis rents 1.5h of old vines in Viré-Clessé. Alexis’father stopped using chemicals in the vineyard during the 1980’s when he saw problems of erosion and for the last ten years he has farmed his land organically despite the fact that the cooperative offered him no extra money for his grapes. Alexis is continuing in the same philosophy and as of the 2021 vintage, the domain is certified organic.

 

In 1937 the wines of Viré sold for the same price as those of Pouilly-Fuisse and when the Appellation D’Origine Controlée was offered to the wine producers of Viré in that year, they refused because they didn’t want to pay the extra tax that came along with the upgraded status. The thinking was that they already sold all the wine they produced at a good price, so why pay the government more money just to have official recognition. In 1963, having regretted their earlier decision they applied to the INAO for recognition and were denied, a decision based primarily on the small size of Viré’s vineyards which totaled 120 hectares. Finally, after many years of pressing their case with the INAO the growers of Viré decided to join forces with the growers in the neighboring village of Clessé to create a joined appellation. In 1997 the INAO voted to accept their proposal and the appellation of Viré-Clessé was born.

 

At Le Chai Duchet all harvesting is done early in the morning by machine. The wines are fermented with their indigenous yeast and the total SO2 under 30mg/L.

Jean-Francois Meynard and Christelle Gauthier produce wine from three different Bordeaux appellations, all close to the Dordogne River; Côtes de Castillon, Saint Emilion and Entre-Deux-Mers. Both of their families have roots in their villages going back to the 19th century. Jean-Francois and Christelle have transformed their family’s business from selling grapes and wine in bulk to selling estate bottled wines.

Côtes de Castillon is located on the eastern border of Saint Emilion. It became an independent appellation in 1989, before which it was classified as Bordeaux Superieur “Côtes de Castillon”. Until 1920 the wines were labeled as “près Saint Emilion”. The appellation takes its name from the town of Castillon La Bataille where in 1453 a battle took place that ended the 100 year war with England. The vineyards are a geological extension of those encountered in Saint Emilion with some good sites on the upper plains as well as the more classic hillsides and elevated plateaux.

Read winemaker’s comments Bordeaux Vintage Reports

Domaine La Luminaille is located in the “quartier” of Rasteau called “la lumière”. The name comes from the bright glow of the olive tree’s leaves under a full moon. Julie Paolucci is the fifth generation of her family to farm in the quartier of “la lumière”, and it was her father, Jean-Claude, who really developed the family’s vineyards. Today, Julie’s property includes 12 hectares of vines and 3 hectares of olive trees. She returned to the family property in 2014 after working as a sommelier in Paris. Soon after taking over, Julie gained organic certification and she has continued to develop a personal style of winemaking to create unmanipulated and elegant wines.

Jean-Francois Meynard and Christelle Gauthier produce wine from three different Bordeaux appellations, all close to the Dordogne River; Côtes de Castillon, Saint Emilion and Entre-Deux-Mers. Both of their families have roots in their villages going back to the 19th century. Jean-Francois and Christelle have transformed their family’s business from selling grapes and wine in bulk to selling estate bottled wines.

Château Platon is located in the small village of Sainte-Radegonde, close to the Dordogne river in the northeast section of the Entre-Deux-Mers. Jean-Francois Meynard and Christelle Gauthier farm 10.5 hectares with nine hectares of red grapes and one and a half hectares of white grapes. The vineyard has belonged to Christelle’s family since 1907. The red grapes are mostly Merlot 65%, with 35% being a mix of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec.The average age of the vines is 40 years and the plant density is 5,000 per hectare. The vineyard lies on a plateau which is one of the highest points in the Entre-deux-Mers and has an excellent exposition.

Read winemaker’s comments Bordeaux Vintage Reports

Romuald Petit farms 7 hectares in the Maconnais and 5 hectares in Beaujolais. His Burgundy parcels are primarily in Saint-Verand with a small parcel in neighboring Pruzilly. The Beaujolais parcels are primarily in Morgon with smaller holdings in Chiroubles and Saint-Amour. Romuald’s parcels in the Maconnais are typically Burgundian, in that they differ with regards to their soils, rootstocks and the age of the vines. There are young vines (aged 5-15 years) planted by Romuald, and others that are over a hundred years old, planted just after the Phylloxera crisis. Because each parcel produces grapes with very different qualities, Romuald vinifies each separately, only assembling the wines (or not) before bottling. His aim is to create a wine that is both balanced and expressive. Romuald has always farmed without chemical fertilizers, herbicides, or pesticides. In 2019, he officially began his conversion toward organic certification. All wines are harvested by hand and fermented with indigenous yeast.

Read Romuald’s comments in the Burgundy Vintage Reports

Jean-Francois Meynard and Christelle Gauthier produce wine from three different Bordeaux appellations, all close to the Dordogne River; Côtes de Castillon, Saint Emilion and Entre-Deux-Mers. Both of their families have roots in their villages going back to the 19th century. Jean-Francois and Christelle have transformed their family’s business from selling grapes and wine in bulk to selling estate bottled wines.

Jean Francois farms 2.5 hectares of vines in the St Émilion commune of St Étienne-de-Lisse. It is one of the 13 communes that make up the AOC St. Émilion and is situated in the eastern part of the appellation. Jean-Francois’ vines are on the higher slopes of the commune and have clay-rich calcareous soils. The vineyard is planted to 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec. The vines have an average age of 45 years.

Read winemaker’s comments Bordeaux Vintage Reports

On the right bank of the Rhône in the Gard department, Angela Weidner and Maxime Aerts assembled three hectares of vines in the forested hills near the village of Saint-Alexandre. With recently gained diplomas in oenology and agroecology, they created Terres du Gaugalin (ground of poppies) and began their winemaking adventure in 2018. Their vineyards, planted in the 1970’s are both hard to access and labor-intensive to farm. Angela and Maxime have farmed organically from the beginning and the estate is in conversion to organic certification. They produce three wines: Grande Rando – a red wine, Déferlante – an almost red wine, and, Clair Obscure – a Pet Nat, all without any intervention (additives).

Lying just to the north of Pomerol and separated by the narrow Barbanne stream, the Lalande-de-Pomerol appellation comprises a thousand hectares of vines in the villages of Lalande-de-Pomerol and Neac.

These vineyards date from the 11th century when the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, the Knights of Malta, established a residence for the pilgrims en route to and from Santiago de Compostella and introduced the cultivation of grapes to the area. Prior to 1925 the wines were all labeled as Pomerol, but decrees were passed at that time separating the vineyards of Pomerol from those of Lalande-de-Pomerol and Neac. In 1954 the vineyards of Neac were incorporated into the Lalande-de-Pomerol appellation.

Situated in the “lieu-dit” Chevrol, the Chateau Vieux Chevrol vineyard lies on the Neac plateau overlooking the vineyards of Pomerol, a terroir long considered the most privileged of the appellation. The Champseix family has made wine at Vieux Chevrol for many generations and continues to do so in a traditional manner -which would now be called “natural.” Wine Traditions has worked with two Champseix generations: first with Jean-Pierre, whose understanding of and veneration for his land are at once inspired and inspiring. In 2016, his son Michel took over and immediately set out to get the vineyard certified organic. I remember visiting the estate in April of 2016 when Michel was experimenting with an array of cover crops that had grown very tall and completely overtaken the vines. I turned to Jean-Pierre, and said that he must be very proud of his son, to which he responded with his usual understatement and impeccable timing “yes, but perhaps this time Michel has gone too far.” The winery was certified organic in 2019.

The Côtes du Luberon extends the map of Rhône Valley appellations to the doorstep of Provence with the Durance River forming a natural border. The Côtes du Luberon didn’t receive AOC classification until 1988 and still today, it is rarely visited by wine professionals. The surface area is
spread out among 36 villages and the total hectares under vine are fewer than in Châteauneuf-du- Pape. Interestingly, the entire appellation is contained within the protected zone of the Parc Naturel Régional du Luberon.

After working for domains in Provence and elsewhere, Ludovic Blairon created Campagne Sarriere in 2017 by piecing together a number of small and remote plots in the villages of Peypin D’Aigues, St Martin de la Brasque and La Motte d’Aigues, all on the south side of the Mont Luberon. The vineyards have an average elevation of 450 meters. Ludovic’s goal is to create an “integrated” farm that includes diverse crops and animals. He farms according to bio-dynamic principles and the winery is certified organic. He is one of a small group of vignerons who does not plough his vineyards, preferring to leave the ground completely undisturbed with the exception of cutting the natural grasses twice a year. In his own words, Ludovic says that his winemaking techniques are original and leave room for improvisation, all in the service of creating wines with a strong personality.

Saint-Emilion is one of the most beautiful wine producing villages in the world. It is nestled into the same limestone hills that provide the unique ground for the illustrious vineyards that surround it. The local architecture is built from the quarried limestone and features roofs of earth toned tiles giving the town an historic charm that is “postcard perfect.”

The Delol family has owned the Domaine Chante-Alouette-Cormeil since 1818 and Chateau Gueyrosse since 1862. Since 1995 the wine has been made by Samuelle Delol who took over from her father Yves. Perhaps it is the 200 years of farming or perhaps it is the personal philosophy of Samuelle and Yves, but the viticulture and winemaking practices are old enough to be new again, literally. The farming is organic and the wine making non-interventional. As a way of celebrating 200 years of organic farming, Samuelle has decided to apply for official certification. Recently, the vineyards were certified “Bee Friendly”. There is nothing flamboyant or out of balance with Samuelle’s wines. Grapes are hand harvested and then pressed in a traditional basket press from the 1940’s. The wines ferment with their indigenous yeasts and macerations last between 3 and 5 weeks. In their youth, the wines are discreet and Samuelle says that it is not until after 10 years that the wines start to reveal themselves. It is fortunate and rare to have families such as the Delol’s who are willing to keep stock in their cellar for more than a decade before releasing wines to the market. The Delols are admired by many of the old guard aristocracy of Saint-Emilion vignerons for their refined aesthetic and commitment to craft at the highest level but they have largely escaped the notice of the press. For the experienced Bordeaux drinker or someone interested in discovering the style of wine that made Bordeaux internationally recognized centuries ago, these wines are a rare treat.

Saint-Emilion is one of the most beautiful wine producing villages in the world. It is nestled into the same limestone hills that provide the unique ground for the illustrious vineyards that surround it. The local architecture is built from the quarried limestone and features roofs of earth toned tiles giving the town an historic charm that is “postcard perfect.”

The Delol family has owned the Domaine Chante-Alouette-Cormeil since 1818 and Chateau Gueyrosse since 1862. Since 1995 the wine has been made by Samuelle Delol who took over from her father Yves. Perhaps it is the 200 years of farming or perhaps it is the personal philosophy of Samuelle and Yves, but the viticulture and winemaking practices are old enough to be new again, literally. The farming is organic and the wine making non-interventional. As a way of celebrating 200 years of organic farming, Samuelle has decided to apply for official certification. Recently, the vineyards were certified “Bee Friendly”. There is nothing flamboyant or out of balance with Samuelle’s wines. Grapes are hand harvested and then pressed in a traditional basket press from the 1940’s. The wines ferment with their indigenous yeasts and macerations last between 3 and 5 weeks. In their youth, the wines are discreet and Samuelle says that it is not until after 10 years that the wines start to reveal themselves. It is fortunate and rare to have families such as the Delol’s who are willing to keep stock in their cellar for more than a decade before releasing wines to the market. The Delols are admired by many of the old guard aristocracy of Saint-Emilion vignerons for their refined aesthetic and commitment to craft at the highest level but they have largely escaped the notice of the press. For the experienced Bordeaux drinker or someone interested in discovering the style of wine that made Bordeaux internationally recognized centuries ago, these wines are a rare treat.

When leaving Libourne and traveling west on the “route départementale” toward Bordeaux, one must cross the narrow Isle river just before it merges with the Dordogne. Beyond the bridge, the meandering Dordogne emerges on the left of the road and the vineyards of Fronsac become visible on the right. The appellations of Fronsac and Canon Fronsac are considered the “historic birthplace” of great Libournais (right bank) wines and the village of Fronsac and its idyllic surroundings have many historical claims going back to the days of Charlemagne. The vineyards are laid out on hillsides and high plateaus that overlook the Dordogne River and its tributary, the Isle. Together the two appellations have 1,050 hectares under vine; 800 in Fronsac and 250 in Canon Fronsac; slightly more than Pomerol and one fifth the amount planted in Saint Emilion. The average size of a Fronsac estate is uncharacteristically small by Bordeaux standards. Despite having established a great reputation by the 18th century, in recent times the wines of Fronsac and Canon Fronsac have been largely overlooked and underappreciated.

Chateau Villars is in the northeast corner of the Fronsac appellation, in the village of Saillans. It has been owned by the Gaudrie family since the beginning of the 19th century and is now run by Thierry Gaudrie who represents the sixth generation. Thierry has brilliantly carried forward the same tradition of quality that won his grandfather Octave a gold medal in 1907. The estate covers thirty-six hectares with thirty hectares under vine and the rest divided between meadows and forest. The hillside property faces southwest and the soil is primarily a mix of chalky clay over “Fronsac” sandstone.

The Blaye appellation takes its name from the main town of the region which is strategically situated some 50 kilometers downstream from Bordeaux on the right bank of the Gironde estuary. The town of Blaye has a rich and frequently bellicose history with military encampments being built there as early as 25BC by the Romans. The town has also been historically, an important stop along the pilgrimage road to Compestella, serving as it still does today, as the port for crossing the Gironde to reach Bordeaux. Today, the wine appellation is called Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux and together with Côtes de Castillon and Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, forms a triumvirate that includes “Côtes de Bordeaux” in their names. The Blaye Côtes de Bordeaux appellation spreads from the town of Blaye throughout 39 villages and is a quiet region with a mix of vineyards, crops, forest and prairie.

Château Les Vieux Moulins is the property of Damien Lorteau. He took over in 2010 from his parents and grandparents. He inherited 20 hectares, 11 in the village of Reignac and 9 in the village of Anglade. In acknowledging the difference between the terroirs, Damien produces two wines, one from each village. His vineyards are certified organic and Damien has increased the density in his vineyards so that nearly all the parcels have 7,000 plants per hectare. His winemaking philosophy is non-interventional. He allows the indigenous yeasts to ferment the juice and uses very little SO2 throughout the process. Fermentations are carried out in small cement tanks and Damien avoids both pump overs and moving the wine by pump after fermentation. The labels were designed by a Swedish artist named Madlen Herrstrom.