What is a Slow Wine? German Slow Wine Tasting with Kai Wagner in Bad Homburg, Germany

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Kai Wagner in Bad Homburg, Germany

The Collegium Vini is an association of wine lovers in the greater Frankfurt area, founded in 1951, that meets regularly to taste wine together. This time, the Collegium Vini invited wine book author Kai Wagner to lead a wine tasting and to talk about his concept of slow wine and his book „Die Avantgarde der deutschen Winzer - Slow Wine und seine Erzeuger im Porträt“ (The Avantgarde of German Winemakers – Slow Wine and its Producers) ((Oekom-Verlag, München 2013). Co-author Ulrich Steeger was also present.

Slow Wine

The Slow Wine Movement grew out of the Slow Food Movement. The latter was a reaction to the fast food wave – industrialized, standardized, inexpensive food – that swept over the world during the economic upswing and globalization of the post-war area in the second half of the 1900s.

The German Slow Wine Movement is in its early stages and still in the process of defining itself. It is quite tricky. Slow wine making has to find its place within a number of other, competing concepts that all pursue similar aims: organic winemaking, biodynamic winemaking, sustainable winemaking, zero carbon footprint winemaking, zero water footprint winemaking, natural winemaking, to name the most important ones.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Slow Wine Producer Matthias Adams, Weingut von Racknitz, at 2014 Apfelwein Weltweit, see: 2014 Apfelwein Weltweit - Apple Wine World Wide - in Frankfurt, Germany: Schiller’s Favorites

Organic and Similar Concepts of Winemaking

A couple of years ago at Weingut Meinklang in Pamhagen in Austria in the stone cave below the winery with winemaker Werner Michlits, where Werner showed us his magic cow poop and other ingredients for biodynamic farming, I felt at the forefront of wine making with an ecological mindset. There are many others on this route. But these “green” winemakers come in different colors. I just tasted the Santa Julia wines of Familia Zuccardi, who produce mass wines in Argentina with organic grapes. Argentina, in general, is very well suited for organic wine making. “We practice sustainable agriculture in the vineyard” said Yann-Leon Beyer when I visited Domaine Leon Beyer in Alsace in France. The Donkey and Goat Winery in Berkeley produces wine according to the natural wine concept in the midst of the city of Berkeley, without owning any vineyards. Researchers have found out that from a point of view of minimizing the carbon footprint, New Yorkers should drink European wine instead of domestic wine from California. The following tries to shed some light on the different concepts of “green” wine making.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller with Slow Wine Producer Dr. Manfred Pruem, Weingut J.J. Pruem, in Germany. See more on Weingut J.J. Pruem: JJ Pruem Goes Supermarket: Meeting Katharina Pruem and Tasting the Incredible JJ Pruem Wines at Wegmans

Organic (Bio in German) generally means the use of natural as opposed to chemical fertilizers, insecticides and pesticides. The key is: no chemicals. Organic wines are changing the look of vineyards, literally. Whereas vineyards of the past commanded neat rows rid of all insects, rodents and weeds, organic vineyards are now replacing costly and damaging chemical sprays with environmental partnerships. Pesticides are giving way to introducing low-growing plants between vine rows that host beneficial insects that keep the pest insects in check.

Biodynamic is similar to organic farming in that both take place without chemicals, but biodynamic farming incorporates ideas about a vineyard as an ecosystem, and also accounting for things such as astrological influences and lunar cycles. Biodynamic is an approach following the rules and ideas of Austrian philosopher-scientist Rudolph Steiner.

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Slow Wine Producer Steffen Christmann, Weingut A. Christmann, in Seattle, USA. See: The German Winemakers at the Forthcoming 4. Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, Washington State, USA

Sustainable farming means farming in a way that will allow for continued farming throughout the ages. In its broadest interpretation, sustainability refers to a range of practices that are not only ecologically sound, but also economically viable and socially responsible. Although nowhere defined by law, there are many certifications available for “Sustainable Wine.”

Natural: The idea behind natural wine is non-intervention and a respect for Mother Nature. Natural wines are hands-off wines produced with as little intervention as possible. Generally, the concept of natural wine relates more to what happens in the wine cellar rather than what happens in the vineyard. Again, nowhere is the term defined by law; it is left open to interpretation. Typically, only natural yeasts are used, the fermentation is slow, there is little or no use of new oak barrels; and there are no filtrations or cold stabilization.

Pictures: Christian G.E.Schiller with Slow Wine Producers Lotte Pfeffer-Müller and Hans Müller, Owners of Weingut Brueder Dr. Becker. See also: Excellency and Ecology: The Wines of Gebrueder Dr. Becker in Rheinhessen, Germany

Carbon Footprint: The carbon neutral label comes from a different angle: global warming. All economic activities have a carbon footprint, including wine making. Carbon neutral wineries are trying to make a contribution to the general efforts of reducing the emission of carbon dioxide. Belgrave Park Winery in Australia, for example, is a completely carbon neutral vineyard and winery.

Water Footprint: A new thing is water footprint, reflecting the concern that the planet is moving into a period where water becomes more and more scarce.

For a primer for "green" wines see: Organic, Sustainable, Biodynamic, Natural Wines … A Primer for “Green” Wines

The German Slow Wine Concept

The German Slow Wine Concept is still in the process of defining itself. About a year ago, Ulrich Steger released a draft memorandum which is quite helpful in terms of understanding what he and Kai Wagner have in mind. He named 3 criteria that were critical in distinguishing slow wine from other wine, in particular industrial, mass wine:

Pictures: Kai Wagner and Ulrich Steeger, and their book: "Die Avantgarde der deutschen Winzer - Slow Wine und seine Erzeuger im Porträt“ (The Avantgarde of German Winemakers – Slow Wine and its Producers) ((Oekom-Verlag, München 2013).

First, a slow wine has a regional and cultural identity. A Riesling slow wine from the Rheingau region should taste differently than a Riesling from the Pfalz region; a 2010 slow wine should taste differently than a 2011 vintage. A slow wine producer grows those grape varieties that have proven to fit the soil type and the climatic conditions in the region.

Second, slow wine producers are artisanal wine makers. This starts in the vineyard with, for example, harvesting by hand, and continues in the wine cellar, with, for example, a preference for spontaneous fermenting.

Third, a slow wine producer is a winemaker with an ecological mindset. A slow wine producer will typically follow one of the above mentioned concepts of “green” winemaking.

The German Avantgarde of Slow Wine Producers

If you know the German wine scene, the list of slow wine producers included in their book is also helpful to understand what Kai Wagner and Ulrich Steeger have in mind, when they talk about slow wine. They grouped the selected winemakers under several headings.

Die Bio-Pioniere (The Organic Pioneers)

Weingut Brüder Dr. Becker, Ludwigshöhe • Rheinhessen
Weingut Hahnmühle, Mannweiler-Cölln • Nahe
Weingut Thorsten Melsheimer , Reil • Mosel
Weingut Pix, Ihringen • Baden
Weingut Roth, Wiesenbronn • Franken
Weingut Arndt F. Werner, Ingelheim • Rheinhessen
Weingut Wittmann, Westhofen • Rheinhessen
Weingut Zähringer, Heitersheim • Baden

Die Mentoren der Bewegung (The Mentors of the Movement)

Weingut A. Christmann, Neustadt-Gimmeldingen • Pfalz
Weingut Rudolf Fürst, Bürgstadt • Franken
Weingut Dr. Randolf Kauer, Bacharach • Mittelrhein
Weingut Joh. Jos. Prüm, Bernkastel-Wehlen • Mosel
Sekthaus Raumland, Flörsheim-Dalsheim • Rheinhessen
Weingut Ökonomierat Rebholz, Siebeldingen • Pfalz

Mehr Slow als Öko (More Slow than Bio)

Weingut Bickel-Stumpf, Frickenhausen, • Franken
Weingut Dr. Corvers-Kauter, Oestrich-Winkel • Rheingau
Weingut Danner, Durbach • Baden
Weingut Hofmann, Röttingen • Franken
Weingut Kistenmacher-Hengerer, Heilbronn • Württemberg
Weingut Klosterhof Töplitz, Werder (Havel) • Saale-Unstrut
Weingut Martin Müllen, Traben-Trarbach • Mosel
Weingut Schlör, Wertheim-Reicholzheim • Baden

Auf dem Weg nach ganz oben (On the Way to the Very Top)

Weingut Theo Minges, Flemlingen • Pfalz
Weingut Rainer Schnaitmann, Fellbach • Württemberg
Weingut Seeger, Leimen • Baden
Weingut St. Antony, Nierstein • Rheinhessen
Weingut Jean Stodden, Rech • Ahr
Weingut Vols, Ayl/Saar • Mosel
Weingut Wagner-Stempel, Siefersheim, • Rheinhessen
Weingut Klaus Zimmerling, Dresden-Pillnitz • Sachsen

Die Unorthodoxen heute (The Non-orthodox Winemakers Today)

Weingut J.B. Becker, Walluf • Rheingau
Weingut Gysler, Alzey-Weinheim • Rheinhessen
Weingut Heymann-Löwenstein, Winningen • Mosel
Ökologischer Weinbau Krämer, Auernhofen • Franken
Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn, Oestrich • Rheingau
Weingut Jürgen Leiner, Ilbesheim • Pfalz
Weingut Zehnthof Luckert, Sulzfeld • Franken

Die Quereinsteiger (The Career Changers)

Weingut von Racknitz, Odernheim • Nahe
Weingut Reverchon, Konz-Filzen • Mosel
Weingut Dr. Siemens, Serrig • Mosel
Weingut Van Volxem, Wiltingen • Mosel

Über wen sprechen wir in fünf Jahren? (Who will we talk about in 5 Years?)

Weingut Knauß, Weinstadt • Württemberg
Weingut Philipps-Mühle, St. Goar • Mittelrhein
Weingut Schmidt am Bodensee, Wasserburg • Württemberg
Weingut Sohns, Geisenheim • Rheingau
Weingut Zum Eulenturm, Briedel • Mosel

The Slow Wines Poured at the Tasting

Another interesting list is the one of the wines poured at the Collegium Vini event. Overall, these were all fascinating, outstanding wines. For many wines, however, participants had questions as to what made them slow wines.

Picture: At the Collegium Vini Tasting

To Accompany the Food:

Weingut von Racknitz Riesling Rotenfels 2011 Vol. 12,5 % 22 €

One of the winemaker from the career changer list. Co-owner Matthias Adams - who takes the lead in the cellar, while his wife is taking the lead in the vineyard - used to be a business execituve, before becoming a winemaker.

Tasting:

Weingut Wagner-Stempel Silvaner Siefersheimer 2012 Vol. 12,5 % 23,90 €

Weingut Luckert-Zehnthof Silvaner Creutz 2012 Vol. 13,5 % 49,00 €

Made from 80 years old vines.

Weingut Bickel-Stumpf Silvaner Barfuß 2012 Vol. 13 % 14,50 €

Kai Wagner: These three producers belong – with Paul Weltner – to the leading Silvaner producer quartet in Germany.

Weingut Knipser Gelber Orleans 2005 Vol. 13 % 24 €

Gelber Orléans is a vitis vinifera grape variety which up until the 19th century was much grown in Germany, but has almost disappeared since then. It has large berries with thick skins and a high yield. In the 1990s, Gelber Orléans returned to Rheingau when the historically interested Bernhard Breuer of Weingut Georg Breuer planted a small vineyard with 500 vines. A few years later, Weingut Knipser followed with experimental plantings of the Gelber Orléans.

Weingut Heußler Grauburgunder Rosswingert 2009 Vol. 14 % 12 €

Weingut Ziereisen Chardonnay Hard 2008 Vol. 12 % 18 €

Weingut Leiner Chardonnay Hadorne Reserve 2008 Vol. 14,5 % 24 €

Chardonnay is not a typical German grape variety - Why was the wine included in the tasting, several participants asked.

Weingut Knipser Riesling Halbstück Reserve 2004 Vol. 12 % 26 €

Weingut Van Volxem Riesling Gottesfuß GG 2007 Vol. 12 % 32 €

Weingut Wittmann Riesling Morstein GG 2011 Vol. 13,5 % 39 €

Weingut Wittmann Riesling Brunnenhäuschen GG 2011 Vol. 13,5 % 39 €

The purpose of the 2 Wittmann wines was to highlight the critical role that the terroir should play in a slow wine – two wines were everything was the same, including what Philip Wittmann did in the cellar, according to Kai Wagner.

Weingut Ziereisen Syrah Gestad 2008 Vol. 13 % 22 €

Again hotly discussed - Why Syrah in Germany? Kai Wagner referred to the climate change.

Weingut Schnaitmann Spätburgunder Lämmler GG 2009 Vol. 13 % 42€

Weingut Schlör Schwarzriesling R 2009 Vol. 14 % 19 €

Weingut Knipser Cuvée X 2006 Vol. 14 % 37,50 €

A classic Medoc cuvée (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot). 18 to 20 months in mostly new barrique barrels.

Weingut Rings Cuvée Kreuz 2008 Vol. 14,5 % 26 €

This is the flagship wine of the Rings brothers – a cuvée of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and St. Laurent, fermented and aged in barrique.

Weingut von Schubert Riesling Herrenberg Kabinett 1995 Vol. 8 % 12 €

Weingut Müllen Riesling Hühnerberg Spätlese 2004 Vol. 7,5 % 18,90 €

Weingut Weiser-Künstler Riesling Ellergrub Spätlese 2009 Vol. 7,5 % 16 €

Weingut Eulenturm Riesling Trieren Auslese 2011 Vol. 8 % 10 €

As for the last 4 wines, I would argue that a fruity-sweet wine, made by (brutally) interrupting the natural fermentation process, does not qualify as slow wine. But of course, these are wines very famous and sought after in the whole world.

German Slow Wine Producers on schiller-wine

I have written about some of the German slow wine producers on schiller-wine, see:

Excellency and Ecology: The Wines of Gebrueder Dr. Becker in Rheinhessen, Germany

The Millesime Bio 2010 in Montpellier, France: A Discovery of Organic and Biodynamic Wines at the one of a Kind Wine Trade Show

The German Winemakers at the 4th Riesling Rendezvous in Seattle, USA

JJ Pruem Goes Supermarket: Meeting Katharina Pruem and Tasting the Incredible JJ Pruem Wines at Wegmans

A Tasting at Weingut Peter Jakob Kühn, Rheingau, with Angela and Peter Jakob Kühn, Germany

The (Grape) Wines and the Apple Wine of Weingut von Racknitz, Germany

schiller-wine: Related Postings

Organic, Sustainable, Biodynamic, Natural Wines … A Primer for “Green” Wines

The Natural Wines of the Donkey and Goat Winery in Berkeley, California

Visiting Jared Brandt and his Donkey & Goat Winery – Natural Wines Made in Berkeley, California

Wine Event: President Obama and the First Lady eat at the "Green" Restaurant Nora and have a "Green" Spottswoode Wine

Benzinger Wines Served at the 2010 "Green" Annual White House Correspondents Dinner

The Natural Wines of Terroir in San Francisco

Skype and Biodynamic Winemaking - Winetasting in the US with Winemaker Werner Michlits, Weingut Meinklang, in Austria

At the Forefront of Biodynamic Winemaking: Visiting Werner and Angela Michlits and their Weingut Meinklang in Austria

Julia Zuccardi from Familia Zuccardi in Argentina Visited the US to Introduce New Santa Julia Wines

One of Oregon's Pioneering Winemakers - Myron Redford - with his Amity Vineyard Wines in Washington DC

Visiting Yann-Leon Beyer at Maison Leon Beyer in Eguisheim in Alsace

Italian Natural Wines

Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Organic Château Beausejour in AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion, France

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Annette Schiller at Château Beausejour in AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion with Claire

Ever heard of Gerard Dupuy and his Château Beausejour in AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion? Probably not. Unless, perhaps, you are into organic wines.

Château Beausejour is not one of the 300 or so winemakers in Bordeaux that produce a premium Bordeaux which sells en primeur for 50 to 500 Euros per bottle. No, Château Beausejour is one of the other 18.000 producers or so that are not in the limelight and that make so called petites Bordeaux wines. These producers have to struggle against the competition of wines from all over the world, including the New World. In my view, many of these petites Bordeaux producers offer very good value for the price.

Pictures: Arriving at Château Beausejour in AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion

As part of the attempt to offer a broad perspective, the 2013 Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy included a tour, tasting and lunch at Château Beauséjour. Gerard Dupuy could not join us, as he did the year before, but his partner in life and business Claire received us. He also had the pleasure to meet Gerard’s mother, Christiane Dupuy, who ran the estate with her husband for many years, and his sister, Annick Rada, during the reception.

See:
Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Pictures: In the Vineyard

Gerard Dupuy produces wine under different labels. Produit en vente à la propriété:

AOC Puisseguin-Saint-Emilion
Château Beauséjour
Château Langlais

AOC Lussac-Saint-Emilion
Château Vieux Moulin Noir

AOC Castillon-Côtes de Bordeaux
Domaine de la Grande Courraye

Les BULLES de Beauséjour, méthode traditionnell

 Pictures: Gerard Dupuy’s Wines

Gerard Dupuy’s wines are interesting and special for at least 2 reasons. He produces – like so many others – good value Petit Chateau Bordeaux wines and he makes them organically.

AOC Puisseguin-St. Emilion

Puisseguin-St. Emilion lies at the heart of the four satellite titles of the St. Emilion appellation on the right bank. The grape varieties permitted here are Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Thus, Puisseguin-St. Emilion produces only red wines. Merlot is predominant, most often partnered with Cabernet Franc.

Pictures: In the Cellar

To qualify for the Puisseguin-St. Emilion appellation, wines must contain a minimum of 11% alcohol and come from vineyards planted to a density of less than 5500 vines per hectare. Puisseguin-St.Emilion was granted AOC status in 1936. 753 hectares of vine planted areas belong to the appellation.

The 4 St. Emilion satellites are St.Georges-Saint-Emilion, Montagne-St.Emilion, Lussac-St.Emilion and Puisseguin-St.Emilion itself – all located to the north of St.Emilion town. They are known as satellites because the area's more prestigious wine estates historically resented these supposedly inferior wines using the St.Emilion name.

Chateau Beausejour

Chateau Beausejour is Gerard Dupuy’s base, in the village of Puisseguin. It is a AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion. The vineyard area totals 13.5 hectares. Gerard Dupuy told us that the clay and limestone soil of Chateau Beausejour is planted with Merlot (73%), Cabernet Franc (22%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%). All grapes are organically grown, certified by Ecocert.

Pictures: Reception, with Gerard’s mother, Christiane Dupuy, who ran the estate with her husband for many years, and his sister, Annick Rada

Château Langlais

This is also an AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion, with the vineyard area totaling 12 hectares.

Domaine de la Grande Courraye

The vineyards of Domaine de la Grande Courraye are in the Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux appellation. I did not ask Gerard, but my hunch is that Domaine de la Grande Courraye is not more than a name under which the wine from his vineyard in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux is sold.

Pictures: Reception

Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

East of St. Emilion and its 4 satellites, above the town of Castillon, lie the Côtes de Castillon and the Côtes de Francs AOCs. Côtes de Castillon is an appellation for red wines only.

Pictures: Annette and Claire at Lunch

The dominant grape variety is Merlot (70%). Cabernet-Franc (20%) and Cabernet-Sauvignon (10%) account for the rest.

Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux was recognized AOC only quite recently (1989). For a long time the wines of Castillon were only used as complementary alternatives to enhance Saint-Emilion blendings in poor years. Until 2009, these wines were sold as Cotes de Castillon. In 2009, the Cotes de Castillon appellation was merged with several other Bordeaux cotes to form the new Cotes de Bordeaux title.

Pictures: At Lunch

Castillon has risen from around 2,450 hectares in 1982 to 3,250 today. During the last 25 years or so, several growers of Saint-Emilion, Pomerol and other famous areas have recognized the Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux’s potential and invested in local vineyards. One of them is Stephan de Niepperg, who has acquired Château d'Aiguilhe.

Ecocert

Ecocert is an inspection and certification body established in France in 1991. Ecocert has developed its own international network. With 23 offices and subsidiaries, Ecocert operates and offers its services in over 80 countries.

Pictures: At Lunch

In the Vineyard of Chateau Beausejour

This year, Gerard Dupuy could not join as in the vineyard, but last year, he said: “The refusal of chemical treatments at our wineries dates back to their appearance on the market after 1945. We practice the total grass cover. This method allows regulating the ecosystem in a monoculture, while limiting soil erosion. In our vineyards, wild tulips thrive in the vineyard rows in the spring.” The average age of the vines is 40 years.

In the Cellar

Moving on to cellar, there he follows the natural wine philosophy. Again Gerard the year before: “In the cellar, we use a minimalist approach. Our wines are aged for a period of 12 to 24 months in oak barrels.” All of his wines are made at Château Beauséjour.

Lunch

Lunch was fabulous. We started out with an aperitif in the front yard and then moved into the Chateau for a wonderful 3-course meal and Gerard Dupuy’s wines.

Pictures: Lunch

The menu was prepared by the Chef of the “Auberge du Village” in 33330 Saint Christophe des Bardes. It was excellent.

Pictures: At Lunch

Jane Anson on Auberge du Village in 33330 Saint Christophe des Bardes: “Just the kind of local restaurant you look for – inexpensive, simple and charming - and it’s very popular. The wine list is short, but well chosen (hard not to be when you are surrounded by Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classés) and as keenly priced as the food.”

Bye-Bye

Thank you Claire for a wonderful event.

schiller-wine: Related Posting (Bordeaux Tour by ombiasy PR and WineTours 2013)

Ombiasy Wine Tours: Bordeaux Trip Coming up in September 2013

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

An Afternoon at Château Pape-Clément (in 2013), Appellation Pessac-Léognan, Bordeaux

Dinner at Château Canon La Gaffeliere, Appellation Saint-Emilion, Premier Grand Cru Classé, France

Visiting a “Holy” Construction Site: Château Angélus in Saint-Emilion, France

Visit, Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Organic Château Beausejour in AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion, France 

Lunch at Château Le Bon Pasteur with Winemaker/Owner Dany Rolland, Pomerol, France

Visit of an Ultra-premium Non-mainstream Bordeaux Producer: Tertre Rôteboeuf, with Owner and Winemaker François Mitjavile

Visiting and Tasting at Château Climens, with Owner Bérénice Lurton, Bordeaux, France 

Lunch, Tour and Tasting with Owner Catherine Thibault d'Halluin (nee Boyer) and Winemaker Julien Noel - Château du Cros, Château Mayne du Cros, Château Courbon and Clos Bourbon, Bordeaux, France

Visiting an Oyster Farm at Arcachon Bay, Bordeaux: Raphael Doerfler at Earl Ostrea Chanca , France

Tour and Tasting at Château Pontet-Canet, with Owner Alfred Tesseron, Bordeaux

Tour, Tasting and Lunch at Château Léoville-Poyferré, with Didier Cuvelier and Anne Cuvelier, France  

A Tour and Tasting at Château Lafon-Rochet in Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux, with Winemaker and Owner Basile Tesseron (2013), France

A Tour and Tasting at Château Coufran, Haut-Médoc, with Co-owner Frédéric Vicaire, France

Tour and Tasting at Château Lynch-Bages Museum and Winery, Bordeaux, France 

Wine Dinner at Château Haut-Bailly, Cru Classé de Graves, France

schiller-wine: Related Posting (Château Beausejour) 

Bordeaux Trip September 2012, France

Bordeaux Wine Tour 2013 by ombiasy

Lunch at Place de L’Eglise Monolithe in Saint Emilion and Visits of 3 Châteaux: Tertre Roteboeuf, Figeac and Beausejour

Vin Bio de Bordeaux - At Château Beauséjour in AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion, France

Lunch at Château Beauséjour (AOC Puisseguin-St. Emilion) – a Vin Bio de Bordeaux - with Owner and Wine Maker Gerard Dupuy, France

Lunch at Château Beauséjour (AOC Puisseguin-St. Emilion) – a Vin Bio de Bordeaux - with Owner and Wine Maker Gerard Dupuy, France

Picture: Christian G.E. Schiller and Gerard Dupuy at his Château Beauséjour

The Bordeaux Tour in September 2012, organized by Annette Schiller, Ombiasy Wine Tours, was very successful in providing a broad overview of winemaking in the Bordelais. As part of the attempt to offer a broad perspective, we had lunch with Gerard Dupuy at his Château Beauséjour. This was preceded by vineyard and cellar tour.

Gerard Dupuy is not one of the 300 so winemakers in Bordeaux, who produce a premium  Bordeaux that sells en primeur for several hundreds of Euros per bottle. No, Gerard Dupuy is one of the other 15.000 winemakers that are not in the limelight and who have to struggle against the competition of wines from all over the world, including the New World. But Gerard Dupuy’s wines are interesting and special for at least 2 reasons. He produces – like so many others – good value Petit Chateau Bordeaux wines and he makes them organically.

Pictures: Holger Krimmel, Weinfreundeskreis Hochheim, Annette Schiller, Ombiasy Wine Tours, Gerard Dupuy, and Gerard Dupuy with the Chef of  Auberge du Village” in 33330 Saint Christophe des Bardes.

The lunch and the vineyard and cellars tour were among the highlights of the September 2012 Bordeaux Tour.

See for more:
Bordeaux Trip September 2012, France

Gerard Dupuy produces wine under different labels: Chateau Beausejour (AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion), Chateau Langlais (AOC Puisseguin-St. Emilion) and Domaines de la Grande Courraye (Castillon Cotes de Bordeaux). All Wines are Bio Wines, Certified by Ecocert.

For on earlier posting see:
Vin Bio de Bordeaux - At Château Beauséjour in AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion, France

AOC Puisseguin-St. Emilion 

Puisseguin-St. Emilion lies at the heart of the four satellite titles of the St. Emilion appellation on the right bank. The grape varieties permitted here are Merlot, Malbec, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon. Thus, Puisseguin-St. Emilion produces only red wines. Merlot is predominant, most often partnered with Cabernet Franc.

Pictures: Lunch at Chateau Beausejour

To qualify for the Puisseguin-St. Emilion appellation, wines must contain a minimum of 11% alcohol and come from vineyards planted to a density of less than 5500 vines per hectare. Puisseguin-St.Emilion was granted AOC status in 1936. 753 hectares of vine planted areas belong to the appellation.

The 4 St. Emilion satellites are St.Georges-Saint-Emilion, Montagne-St.Emilion, Lussac-St.Emilion and Puisseguin-St.Emilion itself – all located to the north of St.Emilion town. They are known as satellites because the area's more prestigious wine estates historically resented these supposedly inferior wines using the St.Emilion name.

Chateau Beausejour

Chateau Beausejour is Gerard Dupuy’s base, in the village of Puisseguin. It is a AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion. The vineyard area totals 13.5 hectares. Gerard Dupuy told us that the clay and limestone soil of Chateau Beausejour is planted with Merlot (73%), Cabernet Franc (22%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (5%). All grapes are organically grown, certified by Ecocert.

Picture: Chateau Beausejour

Château Langlais

This is also an AOC Puisseguin-St.Emilion, with the vineyard area totaling 12 hectares.

Domaine de la Grande Courraye 

The vineyards of Domaine de la Grande Courraye are in the Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux appellation. I did not ask Gerard, but my hunch is that Domaine de la Grande Courraye is not more than a name under which the wine from his vineyard in Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux is sold.

Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux

East of St. Emilion and its 4 satellites, above the town of Castillon, lie the Côtes de Castillon and the Côtes de Francs AOCs. Côtes de Castillon is an appellation for red wines only.

The dominant grape variety is Merlot (70%). Cabernet-Franc (20%) and Cabernet-Sauvignon (10%) account for the rest.

Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux was recognized AOC only quite recently (1989). For a long time the wines of Castillon were only used as complementary alternatives to enhance Saint-Emilion blendings in poor years. Until 2009, these wines were sold as Cotes de Castillon. In 2009, the Cotes de Castillon appellation was merged with several other Bordeaux cotes to form the new Cotes de Bordeaux title.

Castillon has risen from around 2,450 hectares in 1982 to 3,250 today. During the last 25 years or so, several growers of Saint-Emilion, Pomerol  and other famous areas have recognized the Castillon Côtes de Bordeaux’s potential and invested in local vineyards. One of them is Stephan de Niepperg, who has acquired Château d'Aiguilhe.

Ecocert

Ecocert is an inspection and certification body established in France in 1991. Ecocert has developed its own international network. With 23 offices and subsidiaries, Ecocert operates and offers its services in over 80 countries.

In the Vineyard of Chateau Beausejour

Pictures: In the Vineyard with Gerard Dupuy

Gerard Dupuy: “The refusal of chemical treatments at our wineries dates back to their appearance on the market after 1945. We practice the total grass cover. This method allows regulating the ecosystem in a monoculture, while limiting soil erosion. In our vineyards, wild tulips thrive in the vineyard rows in the spring.” The average age of the vines is 40 years.

In the Cellar

Moving on to cellar, there he follows the natural wine philosophy. Gerard Dupuy: “In the cellar, we use a minimalist approach. Our wines are aged for a period of 12 to 24 months in oak barrels.” All of his wines are made at Château Beauséjour.

Pictures: In the Cellar with Gerard Dupuy

Lunch

Lunch was fabulous. We started out with an aperitif in the front yard and then moved into the Chateau for a wonderful 3-course meal and Gerard Dupuy’s wines.

Pictures: Lunch at Chateau Beausejour

The menu was prepared by the Chef of the “Auberge du Village” in 33330 Saint Christophe des Bardes. It was excellent:

Duo of Foie Gras
Tornedos of Duck Breast with Sauce Bordelaise
Chocolate Variations.

Jane Anson on Auberge du Village in 33330 Saint Christophe des Bardes : “Just the kind of local restaurant you look for – inexpensive, simple and charming - and it’s very popular. The wine list is short, but well chosen (hard not to be when you are surrounded by Saint Emilion Grand Cru Classés) and as keenly priced as the food.”

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