Le Clos Des Quarterons, the condition of organic farming

A few days before the big leap into the 2019 harvest, Xavier Amirault tells us the story of Clos de Quarterons. With passion, he takes us on a journey to discover the riches of his terroir, on the Graviers terrace and the Tuffeau slopes, where he tends his vines with enthusiasm and curiosity. Nothing less than the challenge of biodynamic farming is needed to quench the thirst for knowledge of this family of winemakers, who combine the pleasure of wine with passing on their knowledge and sharing their passion.

In the Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil appellation, Xavier Amirault is the winemaker at Clos de Quarterons. This family estate has been passed down through six generations. Xavier wasn't destined to take over the estate: studies in electronics, followed by a position in Paris with a sound and lighting company, occupied the early years of his career. At 30, with a desire to see the world, he took off for the United States with a new degree in international business, working for a major Loire Valley wine merchant.

Meanwhile, in Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil, Thierry, Xavier's older brother, is in charge of the Domaine.

“ In 2008, he was nearing retirement and had no one to take over. We then started to wonder about the future of Clos de Quarterons ,” explains Xavier. On the other side of the ocean, he and his wife Agnès decided to carry on the family legacy. “ We agreed to take over the estate on two conditions: three years later and once the vineyard was converted to organic farming. My brother was very enthusiastic about this project ,” the winemaker says happily.

Xavier and Agnès Amirault embark on a wine adventure

Xavier settled in Clos des Quarterons in 2011, where he partnered with his brother for two years before taking over the entire estate. " I was responsible for implementing the Demeter biodynamic certification ," explains Xavier. This gave the Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil estate a new impetus, building on a solid foundation. "We launched a terroir study thanks to the 'terroir unit' from INRA in Angers. It was a colossal undertaking: 400 core samples and 24 open pits over two years allowed us to study the vegetative and root cycles. From these studies, we extracted thousands of data points, maps, and plans of water reserves, stone content, and so on," the winemaker enumerates.

Knowing your terroir is essential for building your wine range.

Until now, knowledge of the terroir came from know-how passed down from father to son and obtained through observation. " We were able to supplement it and understand it better. We obtained a more refined and precise analysis of the terroir thanks to which we reviewed our production ," says Xavier.

Enriched by this new knowledge of their terroir, the Amirault family decided to review their range of wines. " We now work more precisely, with different cultivation techniques, vinifications and aging adapted to the terroir ," explains the winemaker.

From the gravelly soils at the foot of the slopes, to the famous limestone called tuffeau, and up to the more clay-rich terroirs at higher elevations, the winemakers have identified the potential for five different cuvées. “ We try to express the terroir through its climate every year. Wines from the gravelly soils are round and silky. Limestone expresses itself more horizontally, with beautiful, crisp acidity on the finish. As for the clay soils, they produce wines with great depth. We often blend them with limestone because they complement each other so well .”

Clos des Quarterons works with finesse and precision

Clos des Quarterons comprises 12 distinct terroirs, 54 parcels, and 37 hectares of vines. This diverse and fragmented vineyard is cultivated to extract the very best from each plot, with vinification and harvesting taking place separately. The winemakers create the blends only after tastings: " We blend the individual parcels differently each year, according to the vintage ." The goal is to produce wines that evoke pleasure and emotion while expressing the richness of the Saint Nicolas de Bourgueil terroir. " Every year is good if the conditions are respected, and we produce wines with profiles that reflect the climate. These are wines for curious people who love wine and discovering new aromas ."

Biodynamic farming to enhance the value of the terroir

Biodynamics allows the Amirault family to express the terroir in their wines. " I started learning about biodynamics in the United States ," says Xavier. " I met people and tasted a multitude of wines. Admittedly, biodynamics can seem both complicated and esoteric, but once I got past those considerations, I found it full of common sense, I enjoyed tasting the wines, and I really appreciated the people's philosophy. Biodynamics isn't just about the vines; it's about all of agriculture, and it's also a true societal system ," Xavier enthuses.

In the vineyard, biodynamics translates into intuition, observation, and meticulous care for the soil and the vines. According to Xavier, " Before starting to work biodynamically, you have to be convinced, because it's a lot of work and requires pushing your limits ." The winemaker therefore learns to juggle horn manure or horn silica, experiments with plant infusions to revitalize the vines, and adds silica to structure them… " To succeed, you need a team that works with this philosophy ," says Xavier, who has built a team of 12 full-time employees to handle the necessary work.

Xavier and Agnès Amirault are looking towards agroforestry

Curious by nature, Xavier never tires of learning, experimenting, understanding, and building. While he has found in biodynamics the philosophy and framework that allows him to develop the estate, he doesn't yet plan to put a final touch on it. "I want to continue refining my approach on all subjects. In aging, I want to understand how to use the different amphorae. In the cellar, there are a plethora of possibilities for simple winemaking: maceration, whole cluster fermentation, cement or buried eggs, and casks of various sizes," he envisions. But the biggest project is probably in the vineyard, with the introduction of agroforestry. " I want to reintroduce trees and hedgerows, bring back biodiversity, and move away from monoculture vines." We are also in the process of reintegrating the farm into the estate, bringing back fruit tree cultivation, market gardening, cereals, and livestock farming, such as the current presence of geese and lambs, as well as, for the past two years, trials of mobile chicken coops in the vineyards for the hens. My magic idea is to create a truly biodynamic farm as a whole .