Domaine de la Bergerie: Tasting & Drinking
To conclude this profile of Domaine de la Bergerie, as I made clear in my opening paragraph, this is not a domaine that can be ignored; the wines here are just too good for Domaine de la Bergerie to be condemned to that ignoble fate. Yves Guégniard is a modest and unassuming man, and his daughters are cut from the same cloth; their wines certainly reflect the characters, showing a very relaxed and yet appealing style in many cases.
And yet these wines are, taking them in the context of modern-style Savennières and cellar-worthy Anjou-Villages based on Cabernet Sauvignon rather than Cabernet Franc, some of the very best of their type. And alongside these successes we should also acknowledge the array of low-production sweet and minerally wines from the most famous Layon appellations, wines that show us that the Guégniards have not two but in fact three very attractive feathers in their cap. With his daughters Anne and Marie now fully on board, taking on an increasing amount of work on the domaine, quality is clearly holding steady.
This domaine is in safe hands I think. Yves has now fully stepped back from the day-to-day running of the domaine which now falls to Anne, Marie and Amaury. Yves is therefore able to enjoy himself a little more; indeed, it is not unknown for him, Claude Papin and Vincent Ogereau, together with their respective partners, to go on holiday together, visiting other wine regions, and patronising some of France’s top restaurants. I’m happy for Yves and his friends to get on with doing that, while I get on with drinking some of these delicious wines. (29/3/11, updated 15/5/12, 2/5/15, 11/1/25)
Please log in to continue reading: