The AMIRAULT has been cultivating the vine in BENAIS since 3 generations. Benais is one of the seven municipalities which composed the Controlled Appellation Bourgueil. In 1984 Jean-Marie succeed to his father Jean, who himself had taken over from his father Ernest.
These two previous generations worked in mixed farming forty to fifty « boisseleés* » of vine and also forty to fifty « boisselées » of cereals, asparagus, garlic and others.
*Old land measuring system, still used in the « Bourguellois »; One boisselée = 5,55 ares. 18 Boisselées = 1 ha
Now, Jean-Marie is only devoting his time to the cultivation of the vine, in Agrobiology, exclusively Appellation Bourgueil.
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Origins of Bourgueil wine:
Probably the culture of the vine in this region began in the roman era. However its in the Abbey of Bougueil, founded at the end of the first millenium , that the Vineyard really developped. The Benedictine monks knew how to make their host apreciate the sharpness and the bouquet of their wine.
In 1089 the abbot Baudry, prior of the abbey, praised the charms of the monastery and their wine. Every year, he invited his friends to drink the wine he had in abundance : « If I have a good wine in reserve I will give it to you. ». In 1152, the « grape breton » (Cabernet franc) appeared thanks to the political union of the Anjou and the Aquitaine.
Over the centuries, the vineyard grew around the abbey and inspired poets. The wine of Bourgueil and his love for Marie Duplin, daughter of the lord of Vaux, inspired these lines to Ronsard:
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"Versons ces roses près ce vin Près ce vin versons ces roses Et boivons à l'autre afin Qu'au coeur nos tristesses encloses Prennent en boivant quelque fin ." |
Today, the vineyard of Bourgueil is cultivated with modern equipments, but always with respect to ancient traditions.
