Awards and citations:


1997: Le Prix du Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvée Award for investigations into Champagne for the Millennium investment scams

2001: Le Prix Champagne Lanson Ivory Award for investdrinks.org

2011: Vindic d'Or MMXI – 'Meilleur blog anti-1855'

2011: Robert M. Parker, Jnr: ‘This blogger...’:

2012: Born Digital Wine Awards: No Pay No Jay – best investigative wine story

2012: International Wine Challenge – Personality of the Year Award




Sunday 3 January 2016

Domaine de la Bergerie, Champ-sur-Layon, Anjou – profile

Domaine de la Bergerie, Champ-sur-Layon, Anjou 
Yves, Marie-Annick and Anne Guégniard

Anne, Yves and Marie-Annick Guégniard
 
Domaine de la Bergerie is in Champs-sur-Layon, the next commune to the east of Saint-Lamber-du-Lattay. This 36-hectare domaine is now run by Yves and Marie-Annick his wife and Anne their daughter. Anne is the eighth generation of the family to be vignerons. Yves' grandmother bought the domaine in an auction by candle (à la bougie). 

In 1964 she passed the estate onto her daughter, Marie-Agnès, and then in 1979 Yves joined. In 2009 Anne joined her parents and is increasingly involved in running the domaine, which is now in conversion to organic viticulture.       

The Guégniards are close friends with the Ogereaus and the Papins. The three families exchange ideas as well as sharing a vineyard in Savennières – Le Grand Beaupréau. The Guegniards also have another vineyard in Savennières – La Croix Picot – further east than Le Grand Beaupréau and between Epiré and Bouchemaine. 

The whole range from Domaine de la Bergerie is impressive. Standouts include their Crémant de Loire – Chenin Chardonnay blend, Les Pierres Girard (Anjou Blanc – 100% Chenin, the two Savennières and two reds: the easy drinking La Cerisaie Anjou Rouge (80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon) and Evanescence (Anjou Villages) – 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. 

They also make very fine sweet wines topped by their Quarts de Chaume.

 


 Series of photos with the 2011 Quarts de Chaume – firstly Anne

Yves 

 Marie-Annick 

When Anne returned to the domaine, her husband David Guitton opened the only vineyard restaurant – La Table de la Bergerie – in Loire as far I as know and very good it is, too. 36-year-old David had wide experience before opening his own restaurant: in Washington DC, Zurich and Lausanne, London and in Monaco. He has worked with Alain Ducasse and Joël Robuchon.  


   David Guitton taking a booking 

David Guitton (on the left) in his restaurant

Website: Domaine de la Bergerie 

This is a new profile from the RSJ Restaurant site – others written so far are Domaine Luneau-Papin, Château Pierre-Bise and Domaine Ogereau.  
  

No comments: