Profiles of producers I’ve visited. A lot of work to do with this one as I’ve visited hundreds!
Jean-Marc Burgaud
Jean-Marc Burgaud has 13 ha in Morgon, 5 ha in Beaujolais Villages and 1 ha in Régnié, which is “the maximum for me” he said, adding, while “it’s always possible to grow bigger, it’s important to stay precise” and it’s that attention to detail that is reflected in his wines.
Savaterre
The owner and winemaker of Savaterre, Keppell Smith, set up shop in 1996, spitting distance across the road from famed Beechworth producer Giaconda. “All I want is a wine with personality”, he said.
Domaine Ogereau
Domaine Ogereau is located in the Anjou village of Saint Lambert du Lattay, in the heart of the Coteaux du Layon appellation. Fourth generation Vincent Ogereau took over the family business in 1989
Polvanera
Filippo Cassano owns vineyards around Gioia del Colle on the Murge plateau, some 300 to 450m above sea level. He farms 40 hectares, 25 of which are his own, including some 40-50 year old primitivo bush vines, or alberelli, his grandfather planted, directly into the superficial rock.
Domaine Lapierre
Having returned to the domaine in 2005 to work with his father, Mathieu Lapierre now runs this estate after the untimely death of his father Marcel in 2010.
Château Thivin
Château Thivin is the oldest estate on the slopes of Mount Brouilly, in Beaujolais. It is now run by Claude Geoffray, father and son: Claude-Vincent the father, and Claude-Edouard, the son and sixth generation.
Château du Hureau
Nearly midway between Angers and Tours, along the middle part of the Loire’s languid length lies its clutch of red wine appellations, and it is the village of Dampierre-sur-Loire, near Saumur, that Château de Hureau has carved its reputation.
Domaine de la Taille aux Loups
Owner Jacky Blot is one of those charming iconoclasts of wine whose passion oozes out of more pores than he possesses. Almost everything he says makes seductive sense even if you don’t actually quite understand it, and one could easily lose days of fascinating conversation and thesis in his company.
Castagna
Ex-film director Julian Castagna bought his vineyard land in Beechworth, Victoria, in 1997, planting shiraz, sangiovese and viognier, with nebbiolo following in 2001.
Tenuta di Fessina
Tuscan wine producer Silvia Maestrelli, and Federico Curtaz bought Tenuta di Fessina on Etna’s northern slopes in 2007, part of the growing band of producers on this active volcano.
