Damien Laureau: Vineyards
Damien Laureau has a little over 10 hectares of vines scattered across several sites in the Savennières appellation, although most are concentrated within the Moulin de Beaupréau, the site of Damien’s first significant foray into Savennières. These vines lie close to those of the Clos de Grand Beaupréau, vines today in the hands of Claude Papin, Yves Guégniard and Vincent Ogereau, not surprising as the origin of these vineyards was very similar. Much of this land was once owned by Baron Brincard of Château de la Bizolière, and in some cases it still is; many famous names associated with the Savennières appellation do not own the land they farm, but in fact rent it from the Baron. In the case of Damien’s acquisition, his impressive 5.5-hectare chunk of the Moulin de Beaupréau – by far the largest individual holding within this particular lieu-dit – is rented from Baron Brincard’s sister. He took on the land (complete with vines, which were planted in 1990) in 1999.
Thus the Moulin de Beaupréau forms the nucleus of this domaine, but Damien owns or rents several other parcels, including a notable slice of land in the Savennières Roche-aux-Moines appellation. This is also rented land, this time from Baron Brincard himself, the vines here previously exploited by Pierre Soulez of Château de Chamboureau. In 2004, as Pierre readied for retirement (the Chamboureau estate itself was ultimately absorbed into Philippe Fournier’s Domaine FL), he relinquished his hold on these rented vines.
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