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Why is the world of wine so intriguing and attractive? Not only because it is always in movement – winemakers follow the tastes of oenophiles, try new varieties and technologies, and the wine itself, depending on the weather conditions of the current year, will differ from the profile of the wine of the previous year. Wine is in one way or another connected to the past and traditions and, like an architectural structure or a work of art, can tell its own unique story and transmit these traditions.
In this article, I would like to tell you about what was once one of the largest vineyards in France and about a family estate that strives not only to revive it, but also to emphasize the uniqueness of its terroir and the individuality of its wines. We are talking about the Auvergne region and the Desprat-Saint Verny winery.
History of the winery
Desprat-Saint Verny is one of the oldest family businesses in the Cantal department – it has existed since 1885, and today it is owned by the fifth generation.
At the beginning of its history, the enterprise was not a winery, but a wine merchants, which was also considered an important and noble occupation, because wine merchants were engaged in bottling wines, which were then served at the family table for the traditional Sunday lunch of noble families and for important celebrations – weddings, baptisms, republican holidays … In addition, wine merchants supplied wine in barrels to workers and peasants, providing them with the necessary element of their diet.
Then, one of the founders of the estate, Jean Desprat, drew attention to the then unknown vineyard of Puy de Dôme and set himself the task of revealing its potential. Since then, the desire to revive the vineyards of Auvergne, produce high-quality wines and make the region the world capital of volcanic wines has been the main goal of the estate.
Desprat Saint Verny is a partnership of two main enterprises of the Auvergne wine industry – the Desprat family – hereditary wine merchants and Saint Verny – one of the main producers of Auvergne wines. Together they own more than half of the vineyard area and are planning to plant dozens of hectares more.
In addition, the estate unites 65 winegrowers of the region with whom it works, its specialists know each individual plot, monitor the vines, and oenologists participate in the production of wines. The grapes are delivered to a modern winery, working on the principle of gravity and having a modern infrastructure (fermentation tanks with temperature regulation, pneumatic presses) and the capacity to hold 11,000 hectoliters of wine.
Today it is the main producer of wines of Auvergne.
Terroir and Soils
To say that the soils in Auvergne are volcanic would be a huge oversimplification (I talk about appellation of Auvergne in this article, and in general about volcanic wines in this article). Basalt, granite, pumice, peperine (volcanic tuff with admixtures of basalt and limestone), pozzolana (a mixture of volcanic ash, tuff and pumice) – these rocks are found in various proportions on the plots of the Desprat Saint Verny winery or on the plots of its partner winegrowers. In addition, the region has clay-calcareous, clayey soils, and the Kimmeridgean limestone soils typical of Chablis and Champagne, on which white grape varieties grow. If this type of soil (the most suitable for white grapes) gives the wines straightness, freshness, predominantly citrus notes, high acidity and delicate, “chalky” minerality, then the volcanic terroir is the source of a multifaceted, spicy and rich fruity bouquet with a particular minerality that resembles the aromas of dry stone, granite and sometimes graphite. Another feature of the Auvergne terroir, typical for the vineyards of Desprat Saint Verny is the altitude (300-500 meters) and the foehn effect – a warm wind that appears thanks to the mountains of the Central Massif. When rain clouds coming from the Atlantic Ocean are stopped by the mountain peaks, precipitation is concentrated and falls, passing over the mountains much “lighter”. Air masses descend from the mountains and heat up, and as a result of this physical phenomenon, a warm wind appears, which heats the air and contributes to better ripening of the grapes. Read more about the Foehn effect and the Auvergne terroir in my next article.
Wine range
Such a diverse terroir is the source of three wine ranges:
- Fusion– easy-drinking, juicy fruit wines for simple dishes and aperitifs
- Eruption– a range of more complex wines that reflect the characteristics of the terroir
- Magma– a premium line of wines from volcanic soils, with good aging potential
La Légendaire Cuvée
The historical La Légendaire wine deserves a special mention. It was created by Jean Desprat, one of the founders of the winery. He noticed that the wine he kept underground in the mountain beech forests from autumn to spring was transformed and turned into a wonderful drink, and decided to create a wine that would embody the uniqueness of the Auvergne land. Since then, the wine, which has become a living legend, has been aged in the cellars of small, traditional for the Cantal department, high-mountain shepherds’ huts (at an altitude of 1200 meters!), named “buron”. Previously, they were used by shepherds who led their flocks to high-mountain pastures, as a shelter and for the production and aging of local cheeses – Cantal, Salers, Saint-Nectaire, Fourme d’Ambert from mid-May to mid-October. For this premium cuvée, which exists both in white and red, Gamay, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay grapes from the best sites are used, then the wine is first aged in French oak barrels for 12 months. The final, special stage in the production of this cuvée is aging for 6 months in the cool cellars of a stone shepherd’s hut at an altitude of 1200 meters. It is this wintering that plays a major role in creating the individuality, unique profile and excellent aging potential of La Légendaire cuvée. The underground cellars provide ideal conditions for wine maturation – a constant cool temperature, darkness and the necessary level of humidity, while the lower atmospheric pressure contributes to the appearance of structured but elegant tannins and a special, rich, fresh and harmonious bouquet characteristic of mountain wines.
In the spring, on the last Monday before Catholic Easter, the family invites several hundred special guests who have an amazing opportunity to be the first to taste the new vintage of this cuvée. This event has been part of the Auvergne tradition for 23 years!
Tasting La Légendaire Rouge. Côtes d’Auvergne 2019
This vintage is a blend of 60% Gamay Auvergne (a separate clone of this variety) and 40% Pinot Noir from the best sites growing on different volcanic soils (basalt, granite, pumice).
The aroma of the wine is deep, multifaceted and expressive, with juicy, sweet notes of black cherry, black plum, cherry jam, prunes, dried cherry, red currant, ripe raspberry and strawberry, complemented by elegant spice of cinnamon, licorice, cloves and star anise, as well as pleasant herbal notes (fresh rosemary, thyme, bay leaf). The woody note in the bouquet is unobtrusive, more spicy and toasted than “oaky” and is distinguished by aromas of dark chocolate, cocoa, roasted hazelnuts, coffee. On the palate, the wine is rich, rounded, with amazing concentration, ripeness and versatility. The tannins are strong and structured, but velvety and not drying. The bouquet of flavors is enveloping, expressive and complex. In addition to the nuances of the bouquet of aromas, it is redolent of floral (lily, violet), fresh herbal (fresh thyme and rosemary) and spicy notes in the long finish. A unique wine that should even be aged for several decades and opened on a special occasion!
