Yannick Amirault, 2019 Update
With vines in several of the most famous lieux-dits on these slopes, including Les Malgagnes and Le Grand Clos, as well as some less famed but no less worthy names such as La Mine and La Petite Cave, Yannick Amirault and his son Benoît are strong contenders for the top spot in both the Bourgueil and St Nicolas de Bourgueil appellations. Yannick Amirault has been at the helm here since the late-1970s, having taken over the running of his own father’s vines at that time. While his name continues to take centre stage on the labels this is now very much a family affair, as Yannick, wife and son all work together to fashion some of the region’s most convincing red wines. In recent years I have ensured I stop by at least once a year, either to taste, to check out the harvest (pictured) as I did back in 2017, or to tour the vineyards with Benoît as I did the year before that.
I spent a few hours watching the 2017 harvest with Benoît and his hardy team of rain-resistant pickers, so on this occasion I was happy to see him pull the cork on a range of wines all from this vintage. Having seen the moment at which the fruit was cut from the vine to begin its journey towards the vats adds an extra dimension to the tasting experience.
Having now tasted an number of wines from this vintage, it seems increasingly clear that this is yet another strong vintage for the region, part of an unprecedented run which started in 2014 and which has continued unabated ever since, with 2018 perhaps the strongest of the lot (when I get to taste more from this latter vintage I will be more certain in my opinion). Chez Amirault they have a lot of love for 2017 though, evidence for which comes in the shape of the 2017 Pavillon du Grand Clos, only the fourth time this cuvée has been released.
