Louis Latour Agencies

Auxois wine revival

22 April 2015

New wines from Simonnet-Febvre. Available to order and on tasting at this year's London Wine Fair

The Auxois is sleepy region in Northern Burgundy which lies to the north of Dijon. Today it is best known for its rolling hills, pretty villages and Charolais cattle however, like much of France, it was once a thriving viticultural area and Simonnet-Febvre have begun an ambitious project to revive the region’s neglected vineyards.

Simonnet-Febvre began their journey by acquiring a 15 hectare domaine close to the villages of Viserny and Villaines les Prévôtes, located just to the South West of Montbard. The vineyards are 25 years old and are planted on South East facing slopes with clay, limestone and marl soils. All are trained using the Lyre method which doubles the vine’s canopy, provides maximum exposure to sunlight and allows the air to move freely around the vines. This helps to ensure that grapes are healthy and reach full maturity. 

Simonnet Febvre’s Auxois domaine contains Chardonnay, Auxerrois, Pinot Gris and Pinot Noir vines. The grapes are harvested by hand into small crates. To preserve the natural acidity and aromatic qualities of the grapes winemaker Jean Philippe Archambaud vinifies the grapes simply in stainless steel tanks and allows the wines to age on their lees for a few months before bottling. The finished wines are pure and expressive.

We currently have three Auxois wines from Simonnet-Febvre: Esprit de Lyre is a 100% Auxerrois aged on lees for 6 to 7 months before bottling, Saveurs de Lyre a subtle blend of Auxerrois and Chardonnay aged on lees for 8 to 10 months before bottling and Quintessence de Lyre 100% Chardonnay, aged for 12 months on lees before bottling.

For more information contact your account manager or our office on 020 7409 7276.