Monday, March 18, 2024

Meeting Jean-Marie Bourgeois and Jean-Christoph Bourgeois of Domaine Henri Bourgeois at their Domaine in Chavignol/ Sancerre, Loire Valley, France







One of the wineries we will visit when we spend 2 days in Sancerre during 2024 Loire Valley by ombiasy WineTours in June 2024 is Domaine Famille Bourgeois in Chavignol. On the pre-trip in February 2024, Annette and I already had the chance to meet Jean-Marie Bourgeois and Jean-Christoph Bourgeois.

See: Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours (Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024)

Domaine Famille Bourgeois

Domaine Famille Bourgeois: For 10 generations, we have offered our passion and values ​​as winegrowers to  develop Sauvignon Blancs and Pinot Noirs of great character. Each member of our family, Jean-Marie Bourgeois, Arnaud, Lionel and Jean-Christophe, bring their talent to the Domaine. Established in Chavignol, in the heart of the best terroirs of Sancerre and Pouilly-Fumé, we cultivate a mosaic of plots respecting our unique terroirs of Kimmeridgian Marl, Silex and Limestone Clays.

Annette Schiller: With determination and great commitment, the Domain Henri Bourgeois has placed itself at the top of the Sancerre region. The secret of the success are the gentle hills in the municipality of Chavignol. Here is the home of Sauvignon Blanc – you only find a few acres of Pinot Noir in this sea of Sauvignon Blanc. This family domain is one of the largest producers in the region with 176 acres of vineyards, mostly in the Sancerre appellation but they also farm some acres in the Pouilly-Fumé appellation. The domain sits right at the foot of one of the most prominent top vineyard site, the Côté des Monts Damnés in Chavignol. 

We had a great conversation and tasting with Jean-Marie Bourgeois and Jean-Christoph Bourgeois and I can only second what the German importer Hawesko says: “The wines are a wonderful expression of the unique characteristics of the Loire Valley. They combine freshness, fruitiness, and minerality to create a harmonious taste experience. Each wine tells its own story and bears the hallmark of the passion that goes into winemaking at Henri Bourgeois.” 

Wine Searcher: Henri Bourgeois is a leading Loire Valley producer based in the village of Chavignol in Sancerre and best known for its extensive range of regional wines, predominantly made from Sauvignon Blanc. The wider portfolio covers red, white and rosé wines from Sancerre, and also includes a pair of Pouilly-Fumé wines.

The estate was established in the 1960s with a few hectares in Chavignol. With his sons Rémi and Jean-Marie, the eponymous Henri Bourgeois extended this estate over numerous neighboring villages. In the 1980s a modern, eco-friendly cellar was constructed, later modernized into a gravity-fed facility. 

Henri Bourgeois also owns and runs Clos Henri, an organically-farmed estate in Marlborough, New Zealand.

Along with the Sancerre wines (made from Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir), Henri Bourgeois also produces Sauvignon Blanc wines from the nearby Menetou-Salon, Quincy and Côteaux du Giennois appellations. Pinot Noir from Menetou-Salon and a Pinot Noir – Gamay blend from Châteaumeillant are also made.

The range features a Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir rosé and a Sauvignon Blanc under the IGP Val de Loire appellation.

Bourgeois now oversees around 72 hectares (178 acres) of vineyards split among 120 parcels. Vines are grown using organic fertilisers and the vineyards inter-rows are seeded for cover crops without weed killers. Individual parcels are picked by hand and sorted at the winery. The wines are matured on fine lees until bottling.

Jamie Goode: Henri Bourgeois is one of those producers that any wine region would be lucky to have. They combine size and quality, which is important, because it means there's a reasonable amount of wine to go round. 

Things started small here: this family-owned domaine was founded with 2 hectares in 1935, plus some polyculture. Now it has 70 hectares of vines (64 in Sancerre and 6 in neighbouring Pouilly-Fume), plus a winery in New Zealand (Clos Henri, with 45 hectares in Marlborough). Overall, they harvest 124 plots, 100 of Sauvignon Blanc and 24 of Pinot Noir, and these are kept separate in the winery. 

The winery, in the beautiful village of Chavignol, is modern, and has five different levels to enable gravity flow. It was built in 2000 and then some more capacity was added in 2013. Some parcels are machine harvested, while the steeper plots are harvested by hand. 

Three years ago, Bourgeois tested machine versus hand-harvested fruit from one vineyard, taking thee rows from each and making the wine the same way. Eight out of ten tasters preferred the wine made from machine-harvested fruit, but they think the key is to get the grapes as quickly as possible from the vineyard to the winery when machines are used. 

Arriving







Jean-Marie Bourgeois and Jean-Christoph Bourgeois
















 
LOIRE VALLEY: Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024 
 
Annette Schiller: What comes to your mind when you hear ‘Loire Valley’? Of course images of glorious Châteaux pop up in your mind. Yes that is true and we will visit some iconic château and dig deep into France’s history. However, during this wine tour we also discover a magnificent, but often overlooked French wine region and one of the most exciting best kept secrets of excellent, high quality wines at very reasonable prices. The Loire Valley wine region is a vast area and consists of several distinct wine regions, each with its own characteristic grapes, appellations, and wine style. We take you on a journey from the Atlantic Ocean to the Auvergne mountains to explore this unique region. We learn to appreciate “Sancerre”, "Pouilly-Fumé", “Vouvray", “Chinon”, as well as many other not so familiar appellations.

See: Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours (Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024) 









  
   

 
Postings on Schiller-wine Related to the Upcoming 2024 Loire Trip by ombiasy WineTours
 
This is the 10th in a series of postings on Schiller-wine related to the 2024 Loire Valley Trip by ombiasy WineTours in June.
 
A Journey Through The Loire Valley - Seminar at the 2023 American Wine Society National Conference in St. Louis/ Missouri/ USA led by Annette Schiller

Plateau des Fruits de Mer and a Muscadet Sèvre et Maine Sur Lie at Historic Brasserie Cigale in Nantes, Loire Valley, France (February 2024)
 
Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours (Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024)
 
Salons des Vins - all with a Focus on Natural, Organic, Biodynamic and Low-intervention Producers in the Loire Valley and elsewhere in France and Europe - in February in Angers and Samour, Loire Valley, France (February 2024)
 
 
Announcement: "The Wines of the Loire Valley" presented by Annette Schiller at the American Wine Society/ Northern Virginia Chapter on March 8, 2024
 
Visiting Natural Wine Producer Liv Vincendeau - Domäne Vincendeau in Rochefort sur Loire/ Anjou (February 2024) 
 
 
 
Moon - Monks - Michelin: Overnight stay and 1-star Michelin Dinner at the Abbaye Royale de Fontevraud, with Chef Thibaut Ruggeri (February 2024)
 
Fine de Claire, #3 Oysters from Cancale, the Oyster Capital of Brittany, and a 2022 Domaine Henry Pellé, Menetou-Salon, Saugnon-Blanc in Tours, Loire Valley, France (February 2024)
 
At Château de Pray, a Loire Château from the 12th Century and a Michelin Star: Overnight Stay and High-end Dinner in an Historic Setting (February 2024)
 
A Journey through the Loire Valley - Tasting at the American Wine Society (Northern Virginia Chapter), led by Annette Schiller (March 2024)
 
Château de Chambord - Not only a Famous Loire Palace, but also an AOC Cheverny Wine Producer


Friday, March 15, 2024

Sachsen: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024



The Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2024 was released recently, presenting Vinum's choice of Germany’s best 1,000 wine producers and reviewing more than 10,500 wines on 1,080 pages. 
 
5 out of 5 stars („world class“) was awarded to 20 estates. 
 
In addition, there are 32 estates with 4.5 stars, and 76 estates with 4 stars.

Postings

This posting is the 18th in a series of postings related to the Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2024:

Germany's 20 Top Winemakers (With 5/5 Stars) - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024

Climbers: Weingut Schloss Johannisberg (Rheingau) and Weingut Rings (Pfalz) Join Group of 5/ 5 Stars Winemakers in the Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2024

Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2024 Awards - The Nominations

Vinum Weinguide Deutschland 2024 Awards: Dörte + Meike Näkel, Weingut Meyer Näkel (Winemaker of the Year), Andy + Steffen Rings, Weingut Rings (Rising Star of the Year), Martin Prüm, Weingut Martin Prüm (Discovery of the Year)

Best Wines of the Year - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2024 

Top 10 Wines of the Year 2023 - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland 2024

Ahr: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Baden:  The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Franken: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Hessische Bergstrasse: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Mittelrhein: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Mosel: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Nahe:  The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Pfalz:  The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Rheingau: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Rheinhessen:  The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Saale Unstrut: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Sachsen:  The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

Württemberg: The Top Winemakers - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024

Sachsen - Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024 

In the Sachsen region, there are 2 producers with 3.5 stars, 2 producers with 3 stars and 2 producers with 3.5 stars in the Vinum WeinGuide Deutschland/ Germany 2024.

Annette Schiller, ombiasy WineTours, and I have met 5 of the 6 producers at various occasions over the past years, often at their estate during a Germany wine tour by ombiasy WineTours, which is owned and run by Annette Schiller and based in Washington DC, USA.

Sachsen

(London Wine Competition)

Saxony, the third-smallest German wine region, is primarily located along the banks of the Elbe River. It is also one of only two German wine regions located within the boundaries of former East Germany. Officially located within the German federal state of Saxony, this wine region is sometimes referred to as “the Elbe Valley.”

Geographically, Saxony is located in southeastern Germany, near the border with the Czech Republic. It has a relatively temperate climate (especially for Germany), thanks primarily to the moderating influence of the Elbe. In terms of soil quality for wine grapes, Saxony is most similar to Austria’s Wachau region. The microclimate, however, is decidedly northern, and that has largely dictated which grape varietals to plant along the hillsides of the Elbe Valley.

While Riesling is a popular white grape varietal in Saxony, it is not the most popular. That honor goes to Müller-Thurgau, which accounts for 18.4% of all wine production, as compared to 14.5% for Riesling. Other popular grape varietals include Weissburgunder (Pinot Blanc), at 11.9%, and Spatburgunder (Pinot Noir), at 8.1%. Nearly all wines (90%) from this region are characterized and labeled as dry wines.

The winemaking tradition in Saxony dates back to 1161, when winemakers gathered in the city of Meissen. For nearly 1,000 years, then, the wine has been part of the unique cultural and socio-economic life of Saxony. Wines from this region might not be well known internationally, but they have a ready domestic market for German wine drinkers who are fans of Riesling and Müller-Thurgau wines.

Visiting Sachsen Producers
 
Martin Schwarz - 3.5/5 Stars 
 
 
Pictures: Martin Schwarz, Weingut Martin Schwarz, and Annette Schiller. See: Dresden is the New Unlikely Place for Fine Barolo Wine: Weingut Martin Schwarz – Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours






Pictures: Vineyard Tour, Cellar Tour and Tasting at Weingut Martin Schwarz (VDP) in Meissen, Sachsen, with Philipp Henke - Germany "From Berlin to Frankfurt" 2023 (Saale Unstrut, Sachsen, Franken, Württemberg) by ombiasy WineTours

Klaus Zimmerling - 3.5/5 Stars

 
Picture: Malgorzata Chodakoska (Weingut Klaus Zimmerling) at the Foot of the Rysselkuppe Vineyard. See: Visit of Weingut Klaus Zimmerling: The Wines of Klaus Zimmerling and the Art of his Wife Malgorzata Chodakoska - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
 
Schloss Wackerbarth - 3/5 Stars

Picture: Visit and Tasting at the Sächsisches Staatsweingut Schloss Wackerbarth in Radebeul, Sachsen - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken






Pictures: Tour and Tasting at Sächsisches Staatsweingut Schloss Wackerbarth in Radebeul, Sachsen - Germany "From Berlin to Frankfurt" 2023 (Saale Unstrut, Sachsen, Franken, Württemberg) by ombiasy WineTours

Aust - 2.5/5 Stars

Picture: Karl Friedrich Aust, Weingut Karl Friedrich Aust, Sachsen, Germany. See: Weingut Karl Friedrich Aust in Radebeul, Sachsen: Tour and Lunch with Tasting – Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)
 
Schloss Proschwitz - 2.5/5 Stars

Picture: Dining with Prinz zur Lippe, Owner of Weingut Schloss Proschwitz, at the Lippe’sches Gutshaus - Germany-East Wine and Art Tour by ombiasy WineTours (2015)

Picture: Visit, Tasting and Dinner at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz, Prinz zur Lippe in Zadel, Sachsen, with Georg Prinz zur Lippe - Germany-East Tour 2016 by ombiasy WineTours 

 
Picture: Tour and Dinner at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz - Prinz zur Lippe in Zadel, Sachsen, with Georg Prinz zur Lippe - Germany-East Tour 2017 by ombiasy WineTours 
 

 
Pictures: Wine Pairing Dinner at Lippe'sches Gutshaus, Schloss Proschwitz, with Georg Prinz zur Lippe - Germany-East Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Art, Culture, History - Berlin, Saale-Unstrut, Sachsen, Württemberg, Franken









 

Pictures: Tour and Tasting at Weingut Schloss Proschwitz, Prinz zur Lippe (VDP) in Meissen, Sachsen, with Robert Kroos and Björn Probst - Germany "From Berlin to Frankfurt" 2023 (Saale Unstrut, Sachsen, Franken, Württemberg) by ombiasy WineTours

schiller-wine: Related Postings 

Announcement: 2024 Tours by ombiasy (Annette Schiller) - Loire Valley, German Classic, Rhône

Announcement: Loire Valley 2024 by ombiasy WineTours (Sunday, June 09 - Thursday June 20, 2024)

Invitation: Exploring the Pinot Grapes of Germany: Red, White, Gray - German Wine Society (Washington DC), Saturday, March 23, 2024 at 7:00 pm

Summary: Germany "From Berlin to Frankfurt" 2023 (Saale Unstrut, Sachsen, Franken, Württemberg) by ombiasy WineTours

Summary: From Lyon to Paris - Total Immersion in Burgundy and Champagne 2023 by ombiasy WineTours (July 02 - 13, 2023)

Summary: Austria 2023 by ombiasy WineTours - 12 Days: May 28 - June 08, 2023

Christian Schiller`s SCHILLER-WINE Blog on Corking Wines` Top 101 Wine Writers of 2020 List

The 2023 American Wine Society National Conference in St. Louis/ Missouri/ USA: Seen Through Christian Schiller's Camera Lens 

Maison Guigal in Ampuis, Côte Rôtie, Northern Rhône: Cellar Tour, Tasting and Vineyard Tour - Rhône Valley Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Haut-Bailly, Graves, Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Grand Cru Classé, with Cellar Master Jean Christoph - Bordeaux Tour 2022 by ombiasy WineTours, France

2022 Annual Riesling Party at the Schiller Residence in McLean, Virginia, USA 

Massive Tasting of Bordeaux 1982 - the Vintage that made Robert Parker a Star, USA/ France

Kékfrankos - Blaufränkisch - Lemberger: A Grape’s Immigration Story From Central Europe To The US West Coast - Seminar at the 2023 American Wine Society National Conference in St. Louis/ Missouri/ USA led by Annette Schiller

All Sorts of Sparklers: How do the Bubbles get into that Bottle? - Tasting at the American Wine Society (NoVa Chapter) led by Annette Schiller 

The New German Wine Law of 2021 - Tasting at the German Wine Society (Washington DC Chapter), presented by Annette Schiller  

Christian Schiller: Re-elected to the Board of the "Weinfeder", the Association of German Wine Journalists

20 Best Washington DC (USA) Alcohol Blogs + Websites (December 31, 2023): #3 schiller-wine by Christian Schiller 

German Wine Tasting at the German Embassy in Washington DC, USA, Presented by Annette Schiller

2024 Annual Meeting of the Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim, a 45 Years Old Wine Brotherhood in the Famous Wine Village Hochheim, Rheingau, Germany, with Annette Schiller, Founding Member, and Christian Schiller

German Wine Society (Capital Chapter) Membership Meeting 2024: Carl Willner Re-elected President and Christian Schiller Re-elected Vice-president, USA/ Germany