Jérémie Mourat: Expansion
For the next couple of decades Jean Mourat focused on tending his vineyards and selling his wines. He married Anne-Marie Buton in 1970 and they subsequently had two children, Ophélia born in 1972, and Jérémie born in 1977. It was in 1999 that Jérémie joined his father’s side in the running of the family domaine. At first he assisted and learnt, but as Jean looked towards retirement naturally more and more responsibility came to Jérémie. And with time it became clear that Jérémie was not content to just continue on with his father’s few hectares of vines, nor with his father’s methods. The domaine began to grow and develop, beginning with the acquisition of Château Marie du Fou, in Mareuil-sur-Lay, in 2000. This château, an ancient fortified residence in the town of Mareuil-sur-Lay, seems to date back to the 12th century, although its story before it came into the hands of the Mourat family has eluded me. There are plenty of ancient French noblemen and women with the name du Fou, but none seem to be associated with Mareuil-sur-Lay as far as I can tell.
It is therefore really only in the last ten or fifteen years that Jérémie Mourat has come to take charge here, and during this time he has greatly expanded the domaine, revolutionised the winemaking process, and thrown up some new purpose-built cellars on the main road north out of Mareuil-sur-Lay. The expansion has not just been a piecemeal acquisition of a parcel here, a parcel there, but has involved the purchase of two other domaines of considerable note. The first of these was acquired in 2006. Although the heart of the domaine remains Château Marie du Fou these other acquisitions, Clos Saint-André and Moulin Blanc, perhaps offer wines of greater quality and interest. They are certainly worth examining in a little more detail.
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