Loire, France

Claire and Florent Bejon

Les Bournais 2021

£31

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CLAIRE AND FLORENT BEJON
Les Bournais 2021
Loire, France

From a remote, one hectare parcel of Cabernet Franc planted over heavy clay and limestone in Ligré, where the vines are fifty years old. This spent six months infusing as whole bunches before being pressed to old barrels and amphorae for a year of élevage. Light, bright and lifted, this possesses the kind of texture and perfume that reminds us all of some of our favourite Beaujolais, though its red berries, earth and woodsy notes could only be from this part of the world. As always with wines from this parcel, there is a fullness and sweetness to the tannins that is incredibly appealing.

Cabernet Franc


ABOUT THE PRODUCER

From a little cave in the village of Saint-Germain-sur-Vienne, Claire and Florent Bejon quietly go about making some of the best wines in all of the Loire.

Although the two have been growing grapes and making wine for the past two decades, until recent years their production was so small that the wines were almost impossible to find. Florent spent the past few decades travelling around the region helping other vignerons bottle their wines without additives and his work led to him meeting influential figures such as Mark Angeli, who instilled a passion for sustainable agriculture and a search for purity in wine.

Claire and Florent now farm a total of five hectares of vines spread amongst tiny parcels on either bank of the Vienne, just to the west of Chinon. The vines are on average fifty years old and planted over complex and varied soils made up of clay, limestone and a large amount of silex. The majority of the vines are planted with Cabernet Franc, but they also farm a little over half a hectare of Chenin Blanc, producing tiny quantities of what is one of our favourite expressions of the grape.

All work in the vineyard is done organically and by hand. They prefer to let nature find harmony and rarely trim the shoots, flowers and weeds that grow between the vines. The wines are made in an old cellar dug into the tuffeau and here the Bejons display a real lightness of touch, with an emphasis on long, gentle infusions and a proper élevage in a mix of old casks, demijohns and earthenware jars.

Built on a backbone of pristine fruit, their wines are striking in their delicacy, purity and perfume.