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Yannick Amirault

The story of Yannick Amirault and his family domaine, the Pavillon du Grand Clos, really begins in 1977. This was the year that Yannick took control of the family's patchwork of vineyards scattered across 3.4 hectares of the Bourgueil and St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil appellations to the north of the Loire. Up until that point in time it was his grandfather, an experienced vigneron, that had overseen operations, whereas the rather green Yannick was only 22 years old. It must have been a considerable undertaking for a young man. Nevertheless it seems clear, on reflection, that Yannick must have had the soil of the vineyards in his blood, or he was at least a very quick learner born with a determination to succeed. He pushed the domaine forward, innovating and rationalising, displaying a thoughtful, respectful and philosophical approach that has seen viticulture become more sustainable during his tenure, with a reduction in the dependency on fertilisers (which have not been used since 1983) a typical example of his work. Alongside he implemented practices intended to raise quality; thinning the leaves in the vineyard to improve exposure of the ripening fruit to the sun from 1989, interplanting with grass from 1992 and reducing his dependence on herbicides from 1997. During that time the quality of the wines has perhaps unsurprisingly improved dramatically, and the young Amirault quickly earned the respect of his fellow vignerons.

As already mentioned, the vineyards that constitute the domaine are quite widely scattered, with a number of lieux-dits of differing terroirs, and yet under Yannick's direction it has expanded considerably, now totalling 19 hectares, 13 hectares in Bourgueil and 6 hectares in St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil. All are planted solely with Cabernet Franc save for one or two exceptions. As is the case with the soils around Chinon and Bourgueil, there are three broad categories of soil to be found in the Amirault vignoble. The lightest wines come from the sandy, gravelly, more alluvial vineyards and here this category includes La Coudraye, La Source and La Mine, the latter being notable as an exception to the Cabernet Franc rule; there is also some Cabernet Sauvignon in the vineyard here. Then there are the clay terroirs, which give firmer wines, in this case probably one of the domaine's best known vineyards, Le Grand Clos. Finally come the limestone terroirs, the more desirable sites when looking for the vin de garde which will age well in the cellar. Here perhaps Les Quartiers leads the way, followed by La Petite Cave and Les Malgagnes. Some of the vineyards lie in Bourgueil, some in St-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, although noting the terroir will provide much more guidance as to the style of wine than worrying about the commune, as the boundary bears little or no relation to any change in soil or terroir, carving a line drawn roughly north-south through the village of Chevrette. The yields at harvest are held to typically 44 hl/ha, a significant reduction on the 58 hl/ha which was the figure recorded for the 1978 harvest. This is achieved in part by pruning, in part by a green harvest carried out in July or August. Most importantly the harvest itself, often delayed until October, is manual, with fruit selected using several tries. This sort of attention to detail can really set a domaine apart in these appellations and it is surprising how many top names of the region harvest by machine. In the winery, Yannick temporarily introduced wood to the winemaking process in 1989 and stopped filtering his wines in 1996. The following year he fermented using only indigenous yeasts and has done so ever since, and since 2003 he has returned to fermenting some of the wines in wood, particularly Le Grand Clos, followed by up to twelve months in oak.

I tasted just three wines on my recent visit to the estate, all were of good quality. La Coudraye was light and easy to drink, in keeping with its sandy origins. Le Grand Clos. meanwhile, showed a lot of power and potential complexity I think with, despite a lot of depth and texture, a slight green streak which may throw up some interesting nuances with a few years in the cellar. Without doubt my favourite of the three though was Les Quartiers, showing the strength of the 2005 vintage and the limestone terroir to great effect. I was not afraid to buy some of this, for current drinking or for cellaring. Amirault is a skilled and thoughtful vigneron and in such a fine vintage as this he has made at least one fabulous wine. I look forward to tasting some of the others. (28/8/07)

Contact details:
Address: Pavillon du Grand Clos, 37140 Bourgueil
Telephone: +33 (0) 2 47 97 78 07
Fax: +33 (0) 2 47 97 94 78
Internet: www.yannickamirault.fr

Yannick Amirault - Tasting Notes

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Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Rose d'Equinox 2009: Cabernet Franc 100%, with an 8-12 month élevage. A rather peachy sunset hue, with a peach and satsuma nose. Great style on palate, quite a little fleshy, with a rather attractive minerally-sherbetty trace underneath it all. A sappy and rather crunchy fruit finish, this is certainly an elegant style. An interesting wine, nicely structured. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 15.5/20 (January 2011)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil La Coudraye 2009: From sandy soils, with fermentation and élevage in 81-hectolitre foudres. Bottled 28th May 2010. Lovely expression on the nose, full of fresh fruit.The palate displays a nicely supple texture at the beginning, before moving on to show some appealing spice and grip. There is supple fruit, but with a fresh structure. This is not a heavyweight by any means, with a good, fresh and crunchy finish, but there are some supple elements to it. It needs only a year or two. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 15.5/20 (January 2011)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil La Coudraye 2009: From sandy soils, with fermentation and élevage in 81-hectolitre foudres. A vibrant but deeply coloured red wine with a smoky, minerally, complex character on the nose. Wow - the palate is lovely, beautifully textured, with a rich structure. This is very impressive considering that it comes from an alluvial terroir. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 15.5-16.5/20 (February 2010)

Yannick Amirault St Nicolas de Bourgueil La Mine 2009: A gravel and sand terroir here. For bottling February 2011. An expressive, creamy-fruit nose here, with some attractive floral elements. A supple presence on the palate, but with a bright and crisp structure coming through. A rather bright and crunchy element to the acidity, with an attractive tannic backbone underneath. Rather full and quite a firmer tannic structure here, really biting in at the sides. Clearly a more substantial cuvée than La Coudraye; this needs time, five years at the very least. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 15-16/20 (January 2011)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil La Petite Cave 2009: This cuvée was not produced in 2008. Argilo-calcaire soils, the élevage an anticipated 18 months in 400-litre tonneaux. A good depth to the fruit character here, rather dense, darkly-spiced fruit, a touch savoury but still very fresh and lifted despite the suggestion of weight. A good substance, with fresh violets and red fruits moving into darker fruits in the middle, with a supple texture and also a lot of midpalate structure to it. Big, grippy, ripe and bold tannins around the edges, with ripe fruits, damsons, plum skins and notes of spice. In the finish it displays a big wall of tannins; this is obviously a serious, structured and cellar-worthy wine. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 17-18/20 (January 2011)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Malgagnes 2009: The soils here are argilo-calcaire with a little silex, the fruit harvest by hand. This sees a 12-months élevage in demi-muids. Bottled 22nd December 2010. A little touch of reduction on the nose here, with a slightly rubbery twist to the fruit. There follows a supple style on the palate, which is light and rather fragrant, then there is a wealth of structure coming in from the midpalate onwards. Very grippy and formed elements in the finish, with a little more substance here. Lots of grip. This has big potential but it needs to fill out somewhat. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 17.5/20 (January 2011)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Malgagnes 2009: The soils here are argilo-calcaire with a little silex, the fruit harvest by hand. This sees a 12-months élevage in demi-muids. Malolactic not quite finished here. All the same, this has a great colour and the aromas are already rich and detailed. The palate is finely textured, the acidity rather firm reflected the malic component, the fruit rich and complex. A well structured wine with great potential. This should be beautiful to drink given time. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 17-18/20 (February 2010)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Rosé d'Equinox 2008: This wine is vinified dry and then spends 10 months en barrique. A gentle pink hue, attractive and creamy wine, with delicate fruit. Peach and nectarine character tinged with raspberry. Quite flashy, fresh, with vibrant acidity and a great texture. Really rather appealing. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 16/20 (February 2010)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Quartiers 2008: Argilo-calcaire soils here, a 12-month élevage in 400-litre tonneaux, bottled in July 2010. Rather a more substantial character on the nose here, with a touch more gamey and savoury edge to the fruit. The palate is very elegant, with a supple texture through the midpalate, albeit with a rather leaner substance in this vintage compared to the 2009s just tasted. With no shortage of crunchy grip underneath it, this is an elegant rather than substantial vintage. Again though, it needs time, 3-5 years at least. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 16/20 (January 2011)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Le Grand Clos 2008: The soils here are argilo-siliceux, the élevage 18 months in 400-litre tonneaux, before bottling on 30th August 2010. A slightly smoky style of fruit here, more gamey and savoury, with a layer of dark savoury fruit substance beneath. Again a supple character in keeping with this vintage, quite soft-edged and supple, with nicely covered rather crunchy tannins beneath. Quite a thick layer of rather finessed, slightly chewy tannins here. And at the finish, a touch of fruit perfume which is nice. A good style here, but it typifies the vintage. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 16.5/20 (January 2011)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil La Coudraye 2008: From sandy soils, with fermentation and élevage in 81-hectolitre foudres. Bottled 21st October 2009 after about one year in oak. A pure and elegant style on the nose, with a very direct and firm composition on the palate. Textured and yet elegant, with a backbone of creamy and ripe tannins draped with the freshness of Cabernet Franc fruit. Polish and balance are the words of the day here. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 16.5/20 (February 2010)

Yannick Amirault St Nicolas de Bourgueil La Mine 2008: This sees an élevage in wood, two-thirds in foudre, one-third in demi-muids. Bottled 5th December 2009. This wine has a dark and glossy hue, the nose stylish, intense, tight and withdrawn but still displaying a minerally vein. Very bright and elegant in terms of structure, richly appointed but also somewhat nervous and direct. A juxtaposition of creamy texture and fine structure. It shows good substance right through to the finish and overall is really quite impressive. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 16.5/20 (February 2010)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Malgagnes 2008: An old-vines cuvée, with over a year in demi-muids, before bottling 14th January 2010. A intense layer of fruit on the nose here, dark and concentrated in character, with bags of depth. Finely textured, a brilliant substance, very linear with lively creamed fruit. A pretty substance to it, rich and ripe tannins beneath though, polished and pure, and with a flourish of savoury structure on the finish. It has length too. This is really good wine. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 17.5/20 (February 2010)

Yannick Amirault St Nicolas de Bourgueil La Source 2007: La Source is one of Amirault's alluvial vineyards. The wine has an interesting nose, of rose petals, with dry stony fruit; there is a little funkiness to it, but otherwise it seems quite straight and attractive. The palate is light although there is some fruit substance to it, although it is not the most concentrated wine. With a little time this may come good I think. From a Charles Sydney tasting. 14-15/20 (February 2009)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Quartiers 2007: Back to argilo-calcaire soils here, a wine that has seen out 12 months in 400-litre tonneaux, before bottling in January 2009. This wine is obviously more evolved than the preceding wines; we have now moved on to the 2007 vintage of course. A touch gamey on the nose, lean substance on the palate, a balanced but rather cool style. Polished stone, pretty fruit, quite tannic. It has less flesh than riper vintages but it still has an attractive style. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 15.5/20 (February 2010)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil La Petite Cave 2007: The soils are here argilo-calcaire, the vines old, at least 50 years, situated right next to the cellars. The élevage is 12 months in 400-litre tonneaux, before bottling in June 2009. There is a little more density of fruit on the nose here, ripe and dark and even with a hint of fat. The palate has a flashy texture, a touch of smoke, and a fine structure. A very accessible wine although it does round up in a rather grippy finish. Great texture, obviously a favourable terroir, and overall a really good effort for the vintage. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 16.5/20 (February 2010)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Le Grand Clos 2007: The soils here are argilo-siliceux, the élevage 12 months in 400-litre tonneaux, before bottling in April 2009. The wine shows a pretty style on the nose in keeping with the soils, although I certainly find it attractive. Elegant, moving into early maturity, nicely balanced and harmonious. Certainly less rich than the other wines from the 2008 and 2009 vintages, but a very good effort in a difficult vintage here. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 16/20 (February 2010)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Le Grand Clos 2007: A clay terroir. Rather muted fruit on the nose, with a gentle, slightly sweet, berry character. Nicely put together on the palate, with rock dust minerality and a firm, hard style. It all seems a bit muted and withdrawn at present, but there is potential here. From a Charles Sydney tasting. 15-16/20 (February 2009)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil La Coudraye 2006: From a sandy-gravelly terroir. Fresh nose. It has a minerally, sandy character (I must note that I thought this prior to enquiring as to the soils in this vineyard, as these things are very open to suggestion). Similarly fresh on the palate, lifted light and elegant but with a nice mineral quality and slightly hard character to the fruit. Good. 15.5+/20 (July 2007)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Quartiers 2005: This wine originates from a limestone terroir. It has a really dark, dense, opaque appearance, although it remains a remarkably youthful and vibrant crimson hue at the rim. The nose has fruit, although in an extreme style, with suggestions of wild, roasted plum and tense blackcurrant, and alongside this there are still residual elements of oak as noted last year, with little smoky, smouldering scents. The palate is full and impressive, and is dominated by a thick seam of fierce tannin which sits behind and then all over the fruit, which remains fresh nevertheless. Correctly ripe, tense, very tight and tannic though, and brimming with potential. Having conducted this brief experiment, I'm now certain I need to leave these bottles well alone; this needs another 5-6 years at the very least. From a report on the wines of Yannick Amirault. 17.5/20 (August 2011)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Quartiers 2005: This is one of Amirault's top cuvées, an ageworthy wine from a very favourable limestone terroir. It has a dark hue in the glass, and this is nicely followed up by a nose of smoky dark fruits, all bonfires and smouldering embers, with a sweet but crystalline blackcurrant character alongside. It has a very cool style on the palate, substantial but with a reserved structure, backed up by a dark and deliciously ripe grip of tannins and fresh acidity. Firm, sappy, challenging, not a hint of green, all very ripe but well framed and crystal-fresh. This is delicious and will do well in the cellar for many years yet, so I'm looking forward to seeing what my other bottles offer me. From a Loire 2005 assessment. 17.5/20 (January 2011)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Les Quartiers 2005: Limestone here. This has a lovely nose, a real step up from La Coudraye, but then it is a different vintage also. Lots of fruit, depth and texture, with a creamy style to the palate. Appealingly hard nature at the back though rather like Le Grand Clos, but ripe and without any sign of greenness. Lovely, well composed wine with a hard but well covered structure which will do very well in the cellar. Excellent potential here. 17.5+/20 (July 2007)

Yannick Amirault Bourgueil Le Grand Clos 2004: This has a hard nose, but with complex, smoky, cigar aromas. An attractive palate, appealing, rather hard with a little green streak which is not overpowering and only adds promise and interest. Firm, good fruit with a nice acidic backbone. Lots of appeal here, and lots of potential for the cellar. 16-17+/20 (July 2007)