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February 2015
JEAN MAUPERTUIS
(Auvergne, France)
With Jean Maupertuis under a wintery sky in the La Plage Vineyard in Riom, Auvergne
I would take a bullet for Jean Maupertuis, for he represents truth being a vigneron. Jean
Maupertuis is an unspoken ambassador for the great wines of Auvergne. He farms tiny
3.5 hectares in Auvergne all by himself. Of all the vignerons we represent, his wines are
most singular.
If you open a map of France and point the map in the centre, you will find Auvergne.
Auvergne wines are lost in mists of time. Auvergne was a significant wine region during
the 17th and 18th century. Auvergne sits high in elevation, surrounded by mountains. This
isolation led to the late arrival of phylloxera. The World Wars broke shortly after the
phylloxera arrived in the region. Both wars claimed many lives. Auvergne, with
insufficient population base back then, never recovered from the devastations of
phylloxera and wars. Today, only about one percent of the original vineyard surface
remains. With great terroirs and reasonable prices of vineyards, Auvergne is now
attracting artisans again.
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‘PINK BULLES’ 2013
(SEPCULATIVE
SKU: 576215
$31 per bottle
750ml
12 bottles/case)
Essence of spring and hope in a bottle! Rosé sparkler made from a blend of Gamay
and d’Auvergne Gamay. This macerated rosé sparkler is hand-disgorged. DELICIOUS.
Uncomplicated. Relaxed. Mesmerizing nose. This bubbler goes down so deceptively
smooth. The grapes from ‘La Guillaume’ vineyard is now blended in this sparkler.
‘LES PIERRES NOIRES’ 2013
(SEPCULATIVE
SKU: 623223
$29 per bottle
750ml
12 bottles/case)
This is a new vintage. Made from the 80 to 100 year old vines grown on volcanic soil on
a high altutude slope. There is something about the wines made from vines grown on
mountains. The wines hit every taste bud with absolute clarity. ‘Les Pierre Noires’,
meaning black stones, refers to the black volanic soil found in the vineyard. The wine is
made from the indigenious varietal d’Auvergne Gamay, which is different than the
Gamay found in Beaujolais and Loire. This wine has unique barnyardy, floral nose with a
texture of a Burgundy.
‘LA PLAGE’ 2013
(SEPCULATIVE
SKU: 610378
$30 per bottle
750ml
12 bottles/case)
This is a new cuvée from the Madargues Cru in Riom. Jean Maupertuis bought this tiny
vineyard a couple of years ago. Compelling texture with a distinctive taste and funk. La
Plage, meaning “the beach”, is completely sandy on top with limestone underneath.
You can see the sand on the photo on the first page. The vines are trained en lyre –
double trellis with empty space in the middle, which looks like an ancient harp en lyre. It
is a traditional trellising that concentrates grapes but requires additional hands-on work.
Mechanical work is impossible with en lyre. This is the only en lyre that I have seen in
France. Made from100% d’Auvergne Gamay. Best served slightly chilled.
‘NEYROU’ 2013
(SEPCULATIVE
SKU: 853028
$32 per bottle
750ml
12 bottles/case)
Neyrou is 100% Pinot Noir. Merely a few meters from La Plage is Neyrou vineyard, where
the composition of soil changes drastically from sand to clay. Auvergne landscape is
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bipolar, interposing hills of extinct volcanoes and risen ancient sea-bed of limestone.
Vibrant. ALIVE. Compelling texture and taste. Well, how can I describe this wine…it is
like pressing your nose against a horse in a barn and then jumping into a patch of rose
pedals. I know it is wacky but the description is the first thing that came to my head
when I drank the wine and now I am stuck. Anyways, ahh voilà! The vines in Neyrou is
also trained en lyre.
Sharing a bottle of Jean Maupertuis ‘Pink Bulles’ in his cellar.
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