The Soils of St. Nicolas de Bourgueil

Whether they come from Chinon, Samur or Bourgueil, Cabernet Franc based reds from the Loire conjure Laphroaig-esque impressions to knowing wine drinkers.  They are often pungent, herbaceous, wildly complex wines with a small cult-like well-read fan-base.  Not in the mainstream for sure.  Just as Laphroaig is not indicative of all single malts, reds from the Loire region don't all share these same outsized traits. The wines from Xavier Amirault are just such an exception and it's not by accident that Vineyard Brands, an importer with deep roots in burgundy would be the kind of company to bring these wines into the United States.

Land close to the banks of the Loire river is quite fertile and is reserved for cereals and pasture. Things begin to get interesting as one moves upwards from lower valley.  Lower parcels in the Clos de Quarterons, the Amirault family's estate, have deep (up to 25 feet) gravelly soils which drain well and where generous rainfall is welcome as it circulates a wealth of nutrients through the vines.  Further up, the soils range from sand with iron oxide components to pure limestone on the main slope.  Once quarried for local building stone, the Clos has an extensive cave network dug into the limestone hillside where all of the wines are made and stored in perfect climatic conditions.

Xavier Amirault’s wines are all Biodynamically farmed and Demeter certified.  Each year their 53 plots are vinified individually into 44 cuvees which can reflect their village, their unique terriors, their old vines and a few of their single parcels depending on the bottling.  Harvesters are paid by the hour and do severe sorting in the vineyard where the harvest window for the wickedly intolerant Cabernet Franc is only 4 days….4 days.  All fruit is de-stemmed to keep the vegetative volume down on the Cabernet Franc and all handling is done in the most gentle manner.  Depending on the terrior, the wines can be aged in high-temp glazed Amphorae, Fourdre and/or large French oak barrels.  After six generations they evolved to truly understand the quirkiness of Cabernet Franc and undertake the hard work necessary to bring forth its more graceful side.

These techniques are what distinguish Xavier’s wines as being wonderfully polished, elegant and aromatic expressions of St. Nicolas de Bourgueil. Their two expressions of the gravel soils, “Le Gravilices” single terrior and “Le Fondis” single vineyard, show the lovely refined aromatic of Cabernet Franc with the firm structure built from the soils.  Their VV is a barrel selection of parcels a minimum of 40 years old and can only represent 10% of their production each year.  It is a rich dense expression of these amazing old vines while still maintaining enough poise and balance to make a Burgundy lover swoon.

A common thread one finds in biodynamic wines is a true sense of liveliness, almost a mild electric quality on the palate.  Those traits are found across the board in these wines. Magnificently farmed fruit, in combination with the thoughtful, delicate treatment in the vineyard and cellar reveal the true style of Xavier Amirault's wines. These are incredibly vivid, lively wines with wonderful aromatics and a powerful elegance on the palate.