Vin de France d' Auvergne by Jean Maupertuis.

Auvergne Treasures from Jean Maupertuis

Jean Maupertuis Profile

Quick Facts

Name of Estate	Jean Maupertuis
Region	Auvergne
Country	France
Proprietor	Jean Maupertuis
Size	6.8 Hectares
Farming	Organic (Certified)
Soils	Volcanic basalt, sand
Grapes grown	Gamay d'Auvergne, Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc, Pinot Noir, Noirfleurien, Chardonnay
Fun facts	Jean Maupertuis is the original natural winemaker of Auvergne. Bottles from first his estate, Domaine de Peyra, are now highly sought after collector's items.

Jean Maupertuis is the original natural winemaker of Auvergne. Bottles from first his estate, Domaine de Peyra, are now highly sought after collector's items.

Name of Estate	Jean Maupertuis
Region	Auvergne
Country	France
Proprietor	Jean Maupertuis
Size	6.8 Hectares
Farming	Organic (Certified)
Soils	Volcanic basalt, sand
Grapes grown	Gamay d'Auvergne, Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc, Pinot Noir, Noirfleurien, Chardonnay
Fun facts	Jean Maupertuis is the original natural winemaker of Auvergne. Bottles from first his estate, Domaine de Peyra, are now highly sought after collector's items.

Get to know
Jean Maupertuis

producer profile 10.07.2019

Jean Maupertuis Producer Profile

Don't let his soft spoken and humble demeanor fool you: Jean Maupertuis is a <glossary title="708">natural wine</glossary><glossary title="708"> </glossary>legend. As a founding member of the defunct Domaine de Peyra, he was amongst the first generation pushing the limits of <glossary title="913">sans-souffre</glossary> winemaking in the late 1990's. Bottles of Peyra are a hot commodity these days, and we can personally attest they are worth the hunt. When the project ended in the early 2000's, Jean reclaimed his own land and started producing under his name.  Jean tends 3,5 <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> of vines in the <glossary title="322">commune</glossary> of <glossary title="893">Saint-Georges-sur-Allier</glossary> and <glossary title="572">La Roche Noir</glossary>. He works principally with a local <glossary title="1169">strain</glossary> of <glossary title="478">Gamay</glossary> referred to as "<glossary title="1308">Gamay d'Auvergne</glossary>", but also owns a little bit of <glossary title="805">Pinot Noir</glossary> and a tiny amount of <glossary title="1186">Noirfleurien</glossary>, an ancient local <glossary title="1071">varietal</glossary> found only in his neighboring village of  <glossary title="666">Mirefleurs</glossary>. He also owns 1.8 <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> of <glossary title="478">Gamay Noir à Jus Blanc</glossary> (the strain from the <glossary title="151">Beaujolais</glossary>) planted on <glossary title="909">sands</glossary> (the "La Plage" <glossary title="363">cuvée</glossary>) right next to 1.5 <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> of <glossary title="805">Pinot Noir</glossary> planted on <glossary title="632">marl</glossary> (the "Neyrou" <glossary title="363">cuvée</glossary>). Most of his vines are older, ranging from 40 to 100+ years. Jean doesn't use <glossary title="279">chemical</glossary> <glossary title="442">fertilizers</glossary>, <glossary title="543">insecticides</glossary> or <glossary title="526">herbicides</glossary> in the vineyard, preferring to work his soils and develop their <glossary title="1139">indigenous</glossary> <glossary title="658">microflora</glossary>. Everything is <glossary title="520">hand harvested</glossary> and manually <glossary term="Sorting" title="1380">sorted</glossary> before reaching the <glossary title="254">cellar</glossary>. Directly influenced by Marcel Lapierre, most of Jean's wines are <glossary title="1104">vinified</glossary> through <glossary title="236">carbonic maceration</glossary>, which is particularly well suited for the grapes of the region. The wines are always bottled <glossary title="447">unfiltered</glossary> and without the addition of <glossary title="993">S02</glossary>.

interview 10.07.2019

An Interview with Jean Maupertuis from 2013

This interview with Jean Maupertuis took place on his front porch in July, 2013. Can you give us an introduction to your estate? I'm based in <glossary title="893">Saint-Georges-sur-Allier</glossary>, about 15km South-West of <glossary title="302">Clermont-Ferrand</glossary>. In 1995, I took over 3.5 <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> of vines from a pre-existing <glossary title="427">estate</glossary>. From 1999 to 2003, I formed a <glossary title="1389">GAEC</glossary> with two partners. It was called Domaine de Peyra, and together we worked about 14.5  <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary>. The partnership was ill-fated, and in 2004 I started back with my original 3.5 <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary>. Over the years, I acquired a small <glossary title="760">parcel</glossary> of <glossary title="271">Chardonnay</glossary> called Puy Long, and in 2011 I've doubled my land. These new <glossary title="760">parcels</glossary> are further out, in the <glossary title="322">commune</glossary> of  <glossary title="859">Riom</glossary>: 1.8 <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> of <glossary title="478">Gamay</glossary> planted on <glossary title="909">sands</glossary> ("La Plage") and 1.5 <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary> of <glossary title="805">Pinot Noir</glossary> planted on <glossary title="632">marl</glossary> ("Neyrou").  You don't come from a viticultural family. How did you get involved in wine? I came to <glossary title="302">Clermont-Ferrand</glossary> as a student. I then worked as a computer scientist, but not for very long! I've always loved wine, and one day a friend proposed the idea of buying a small <glossary title="760">parcel</glossary> for fun, which I was able to find in a nearby village. This was in 1992, and that following June I quit my job to study <glossary title="1103">viticulture</glossary>/<glossary title="422">oenology</glossary> in <glossary title="702">Mâcon</glossary>. I was much better in the vines than in front of a computer! What was your introduction to minimal intervention winemaking?  It all started with a <glossary title="969">sommelier</glossary> friend who was close to Marcel Lapierre. It was a cultural shock of sorts! The wines tasted like nothing I'd ever had before.  Did you instantly fall in love with the Lapierre wines? No. It took a while for me to familiarize myself with this approach to winemaking. More than the wines themselves, what really got me into it was the great ambiance at Marcel's. This led to visits with <a href="http://louisdressner.com/producers/overnoy/">Pierre Overnoy</a> and <a href="http://louisdressner.com/producers/bongran/">Jean Thévenet</a>, whose son Gauthier was in school with me. One morning, I woke up and decided that if I ever were to make wine, it would have to be like the <glossary title="1089">vignerons</glossary> mentioned above.  Was your plan always to start an estate in Auvergne? Setting up in <glossary title="128">Auvergne</glossary> certainly felt like an uphill battle that I wanted to fight. When I started, the wines of this region were completely unknown and on the verge of disappearing. A handful of <glossary title="1089">vignerons</glossary> were making good stuff, but the wines didn't get much further than the region. Though it is rarely associated with wine anymore, the Auvergne used to have a rich wine history. Can you tell us about it?  The 20th century marked a sharp decline in <glossary title="1103">viticulture</glossary> here, but it was once one of the biggest and most important wine producing regions in France. A good amount of wine was being produced from the Middle Ages onwards, and was extremely popular in Paris: they were wines of royalty, and Louis XVI was reportedly a big fan of the wines of Madargues. By the 17th and 18th century, many of our best <glossary title="345">coteaux</glossary> had been planted in vines, and quality was even more abundant. By the 19th century, the department of the <glossary title="838">Puy-de-Dôme</glossary> was the third largest wine producer in France, just behind <glossary title="525">L'Hérault</glossary> and <glossary title="126">L'Aude</glossary>. The beginning of the decline was a direct result of <glossary title="788">phylloxera</glossary>. For whatever reason, <glossary title="128">Auvergne</glossary> was affected much later than the rest of France. This prompted local farmers to start planting vines all over the plains, which are much less suitable <glossary title="1026">terroirs</glossary>. And because of the increased demand for wine, high <glossary title="1129">yields</glossary> were emphasized to produce as much as possible. The region had very quickly become a producer of bulk wine, which is never good for its reputation.  <glossary title="788">Phylloxera</glossary> did eventually make it to <glossary title="128">Auvergne</glossary> at the beginning of the 20th century, and was followed almost immediately by World War 1. By the end of the war, the <glossary title="1103">viticultural</glossary> momentum had been completely lost, and there was no consequent effort to replant more vines in the area. This wasn't helped by the fact that in the second half of the century, <glossary title="302">Clermont-Ferrand</glossary>'s periphery was growing and people wanted to build their dream houses on the picturesque <glossary title="345">coteaux</glossary> that used to be home to the region's best plantations.  All this to say that today, less than 1% of the land that used to be dedicated to <glossary title="1103">viticulture</glossary> is still being used as such.  How much land is left?  A little less than 1000 <glossary title="523">hectares</glossary>, but only 450 are worked by full time <glossary title="1089">vignerons</glossary>. Half of those 450 are worked independently, and the rest all go to the <glossary title="252">cave cooperative</glossary> of Saint-Verny.  How did Gamay end up in the region?  After <glossary title="788">phylloxera</glossary>, it became the dominant grape for all replanting. But it's important to point out that we have a different <glossary title="478">Gamay</glossary> from the ones you'll find in the <glossary title="602">Loire</glossary> or <glossary title="151">Beaujolais</glossary>; it's more rustic and and late blooming, with a noticeable peppery spice quality.  From our visit in the vines, the geographic landscape of the area struck me as extremely varied. Could you elaborate?  It is indeed a very interesting place. There is quite the variety of different soil compositions, almost all of the ones you find in France! Not only do we have <glossary title="502">granite</glossary>, <glossary title="301">clay</glossary> and <glossary title="596">limestone</glossary>, <glossary title="632">marl</glossary> and <glossary title="909">sand</glossary>, but the shift in soil composition can often be noticed every couple 100 meters. This is largely due to volcanic eruptions of the past, which really spread everything around randomly.  In what state were the vines when you took them over?  Here in <glossary title="893">Saint-Georges</glossary>, the vines were in good shape. They were already between 30 and 60 years old, and the prior owner only used a very light and rare amount of <glossary title="526">herbicide</glossary> on the rows. Since I've taken over, each year I work the soils of every other row, and let grass grow free in the other. I like this approach, because the grass helps reduce vigor of the vines. Sometimes I feel like I make my vines suffer too much, but that's the way it has to go! For the vines in <glossary title="859">Riom</glossary>, it's a bit different. I've only been working here the past two <glossary title="1109">vintages</glossary>, and as of need to figure out what works best for them. This will be my major priority over the next few years.  You bottle all your wines as Vin de France. Was this always the case? No. The wines had the <glossary title="375">Côtes D'Auvergne</glossary> <glossary title="1073">VDQS</glossary> label for a long time, but mounting pressures from the <glossary title="252">cave coopérative</glossary> and certain <glossary title="1089">vignerons</glossary>, specifically their aversion to <glossary title="447">unfiltered wines</glossary>, forced me to change my labeling.  It got to the point where the panel would occasionally deny the wines without even tasting them: since the first test was visual, once they spotted the cloudiness of my <glossary title="447">unfiltered</glossary> wine, I would automatically fail. Since I didn't want to risk ordering the wrong labels if I got denied, I decided it would be easier just to <glossary title="185">bottle</glossary> everything in <glossary term="Vin de France" title="1092">Vin de France</glossary>. 2006 was my last <glossary title="1073">VDQS</glossary> wine.  Do you think this affects the public's perception of the wines?  Personally, I don't look to vindicate the fact that my wines are <glossary term="Vin de France" title="1092">VDF</glossary>. If anything, it's a bit disappointing that I can't have <glossary title="128">Auvergne</glossary> on my labels. Commercially though, it hasn't caused any problem, since my customers know how to sell it.  What kind of wines do you like to drink?  I have a very eclectic palate. I just love wine.

producer visit 05.08.2019

This visit with Jean Maupertuis took place in July, 2013

This visit with Jean Maupertuis took place in July, 2013. Words and photos by Jules Dressner. Two years ago, Jean Maupertuis purchased some vines in the <glossary title="322">commune</glossary> of <glossary title="859">Riom</glossary>. These are 45 minutes away from his village of <glossary title="893">Saint-Georges-sur-Allier</glossary>, so we met him at the edge of an autoroute toll-booth (which admittedly was a bit confusing) to visit these first. Our first stop was a 1,5 <glossary title="523">hectare</glossary> <glossary term="Plot" title="1133">plot</glossary> of <glossary term="Gamay d'Auvergne" title="1308">Gamay d'Auvergne</glossary> (a local <glossary title="1169">strain</glossary> that distinguishes itself by its later <glossary title="639">maturities</glossary> and more rustic, peppery flavors) planted right after WW2.  <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//f2/93/f293339400a254205a89f33c240b24fe.jpg" /> The vineyard directly faces the town of <glossary title="302">Clermont-Ferrand</glossary>, which you can see in the background of the above picture. The vines are planted on what was once one of <glossary title="128">Auvergne's</glossary> most celebrated <glossary title="345">coteaux</glossary>: designated as the Madargues <glossary title="1152">cru</glossary>, this was reportedly one of Louis XVI's favorite wines and was extremely popular in 17th century Paris. Today, only 12 <glossary term="Hectare" title="523">hectares</glossary> still remain in the <glossary title="1152">cru</glossary> (now a sub-<glossary title="113">appellation</glossary> of the <glossary title="128">Auvergne</glossary> <glossary title="108">AOC</glossary>) and this is the only <glossary title="760">parcel</glossary> left on this <glossary title="345">coteau</glossary>.  The <glossary title="1133">plot</glossary> is wedged between expensive suburban houses.  <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//86/ae/86ae5955cada37137f8701675ce671e1.jpg" /> "I don't know how long vineyards like this can last in the long run. This land is worth 5000 euros as a vineyard, and 1 million euros as a building site for housing."  The soils consist of white <glossary title="909">sands</glossary>. <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//f3/61/f36171853254e608952b8329ea227926.jpg" /> Grapes from this <glossary title="760">parcel</glossary> go into the "La Plage" <glossary title="363">cuvée</glossary>, which translates to "the beach". Get it?  The next <glossary title="1133">plot</glossary> of land we visited was a short drive away, all <glossary title="478">Gamay</glossary> planted in even <glossary title="909">sandier</glossary> soils.  <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//52/61/5261b37d8ac33c94240002187a5b7fb2.jpg" /> It's this <glossary title="760">parcel</glossary> that inspired the name "La Plage", as the <glossary title="909">sands</glossary> are the exact same you'd find on, well, a beach.  "Even the herbs that grow here look like the beach!"  <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//56/d8/56d87a4ffff863bdfc0f693f02b80228.jpg" /> <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//6b/b8/6bb8176363edc93bf79d72292529c892.jpg" /> <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//cc/08/cc08800ecdfb138ad3d7f91b436be2b1.jpg" /> The last <glossary title="760">parcel</glossary> we visited from <glossary title="859">Riom</glossary> is home to the <glossary title="805">Pinot Noir</glossary> that produces "Neyrou". <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//6c/a7/6ca7978ee5fd6a1c441a050b16e731c3.jpg" /> I immediately noticed a <glossary title="1039">training system</glossary> for the vines I'd never seen before, which Jean defined as "En Lyre" training: <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//d0/df/d0df4df857f2e8c533b01dc459ba145f.jpg" /> Essentially, "En Lyre" is a double <glossary term="Palissage" title="757">palissage</glossary> with nothing in the middle, permitting both sides to get optimal <glossary title="">aeration</glossary> and sun. <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//67/53/6753ee9fced475a95a41501c3d9665b9.jpg" /> <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//06/ba/06ba4a43e5b10eba69a8d28f742fe116.jpg" /> <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//0e/9d/0e9da888b219be7d3a7917a4cac36692.jpg" /> It quickly went out of fashion because this <glossary title="">training system</glossary> is impossible to work mechanically, and has therefore all but disappeared. According to Jean, it takes about seven years to properly shape one. The vines here are 25 years old.  Another reason it became unpopular is due to the fact that you're getting grapes on both sides of each row, which automatically translates to low <glossary title="1129">yields</glossary> since one root is essentially sharing the work of two vines. Jean says that his <glossary title="478">Gamay</glossary> and <glossary title="805">Pinot Noir</glossary> planted in En Lyre produce teeny-tiny grapes, but that they are unbelievably full of <glossary title="324">concentration</glossary>.  The vines here are <glossary title="430">exposed</glossary> full South, and planted on <glossary term="Clay" title="301">clay</glossary> heavy soils.  <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//e1/c4/e1c49437010556034bcf3fe34bc95da3.jpg" /> Jean has yet to work these soils, but plans to do so in the coming year. When he acquired the vines in 2011, they were abandoned and completely surrounded with extremely high thorns.  "It took a crew of five an entire month to clean everything up!"  The next morning, we set off to vineyards just a few minutes from Jean's home.  <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//43/32/4332fdf56e614b1a87272a7e0aa68e50.jpg" /> This 1.2 <glossary title="523">h</glossary> <glossary title="760">parcel</glossary> of <glossary title="478">Gamay</glossary> was almost on Clos Roche Blanche levels of flower-power! <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//f4/bd/f4bd4c3afd0cfcf24c03098489199226.jpg" /> <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//c6/4e/c64ec611d36410f728755812bfba70b3.jpg" /> <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//63/2a/632a4e0a849d702a4220389638919770.jpg" /> <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//78/d5/78d51f94d59a7145e932b34beff99bb8.jpg" /> All of these are wild flowers. The vines themselves were planted in the 1960's and the soils are <glossary title="596">limestone</glossary>. <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//12/2e/122e4d981bfc56e37ea30745e777c4e1.jpg" /> The final <glossary title="760">parcel</glossary> Denyse and I checked out produces the "Pierres Noires" <glossary title="363">cuvée</glossary>. Zaggy was loving all the open space to run around in.  <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//67/1d/671daeb1787c339b597cc93ae31b9b4e.jpg" /> The soils here are all volcanic ash and debris.  <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//13/23/1323694bc5fbe7ea1ee6054d420afc18.jpg" /> <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//d8/30/d830bec05fde16017217e701f5814196.jpg" /> <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//36/56/36569f7e4ab8137919992e744f891195.jpg" /> <glossary title="302">Clermond-Ferrand</glossary> can once again be spotted in the background.  <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//e5/93/e593e3165fb435424569a22eb046e54e.jpg" /> The vines here are 60-70 years old and average 25 to 30 <glossary title="524">hl</glossary>/<glossary title="523">h</glossary> <glossary title="1129">yields</glossary>.  <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//d5/0f/d50fb8829a75cb36c764cc4b901fb6e3.jpg" /> After a beautiful morning, we stepped into yet another contender for "smallest <glossary title="254">cellar</glossary> in the universe". <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//21/1f/211f4da9d3ed43f75e0635e263451baa.jpg" /> Yup. That's all of it. One thing that was sweet was this home-made spit bucket with a gutted bowl going placed on top of a vase.  <img src="http://louisdressner.com/uploads/images/article/2019_Aug_05//c7/20/c7206624ff9401abba1e06eb4b90448d.jpg" /> Clever, clever!  Jean had already <glossary title="185">bottled</glossary> all of his 2012's, which we gleefully re-tasted before setting off. They were quite nice.

harvest report 03.09.2009

2009 Harvest Report from Jean Maupertuis

Jean Maupertuis, St-Georges-es-Allier, Côtes d’Auvergne. On Sept. 3rd: Here I see the <glossary title="521">harvest</glossary> from Sept. 20th until the first days of October. For now, no climactic issues, no disease, the spring was ideal, the summer warm with a few storms but no damage. The grapes are healthy, and the <glossary title="639">maturation</glossary> quite advanced, so I am expecting, like a good part of the vineyards in France, a good <glossary title="1109">vintage</glossary> following two “difficult” years. The <glossary title="521">harvest</glossary> is still a while away, so more patience is needed. On Nov. 3rd: The <glossary title="521">harvest</glossary> started on Sept. 18th and we finished mid-October under permanent sun and summery temperatures. It was a slow-going <glossary title="521">harvest</glossary> because we had to sort the berries that insects had damaged, a result of the high temperatures (one is never satisfied with the weather!) <glossary title="441">Fermentations</glossary> are reaching their end and I will <glossary title="843">rack</glossary> at the end of this week. The heat during and after the <glossary title="521">harvest</glossary> did not create major problems, even if the <glossary title="622">malolactic fermentations</glossary> often finished before the <glossary title="87">alcoholic</glossary> one. The view of the 2009 <glossary title="1109">vintage</glossary> we get now is of high ripeness and low <glossary title="71">acidity</glossary>, the wines should quickly become pleasant and easy to taste (they are so already). They won’t be long lasting though, so I envision early <glossary title="185">bottlings</glossary> in February or March. There has been a triple <glossary title="441">fermentation</glossary> on the sparkling wine (Pink Bulles) which made the wine quite unstable, but with the cold already here and <glossary title="">disgorgement</glossary> at the end of the winter, everything will be fine.