A Visit to Yannick Amirault, 2016: La Petite Cave
La Petite Cave is another notable Amirault lieu-dit, located less than a hundred metres along the slope, at more or less the same level as some sections of Le Grand Clos. The two are separated by some trees and other vineyards though, so instead of heading straight along the slope we hopped back into Benoît’s van and we headed down the slope to the Route de Vignoble. We then drove along the requisite hundred metres, before turning back up the slope again.
La Petite Cave is situated just below La Cave du Pays de Bourgueil, an ancient troglodytic site with galleries of tunnels running deep into the tuffeau limestone, and which houses a wine museum. Some of these galleries are used by Benoît and Yannick to hold some stock, and it seemed than Benoît was intent on showing me the tunnels. I only realised at the last moment that he intended to do this from the comfort of our vehicle as he drove without slowing down towards the entrance, which I quickly gauged was indeed wide enough to allow the van to pass. But just as we were set to disappear within, Benoît brought the vehicle to a sudden halt; the gate was closed, and as it turned out it was securely locked. Unfortunately, realising that he had not brought the key with him, we had to turn around and head back down towards La Petite Cave. Hopes for my first ever subterranean drive in Bourgueil were summarily dashed.
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