Boisard family

France, Loire

The Loire region is a vast area along the Loire River in western France, and is known as a tourist destination with beautiful castles and abundant nature. It is characterized by a warm maritime climate and diverse soil, which allows a wide variety of grapes to be grown.

The Loire region is remarkable for its diversity as a wine-producing region. It produces a wide variety of wine styles, including white wine, red wine, rosé, sparkling wine, and sweet wine, with Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Cabernet Franc being the most representative varieties. Due to its location close to Paris, it has long been a popular wine-producing region in Parisian bistros.

The Boisard family's domain and vineyards

The Boisart family's Domaine is located in the Loire Valley, a region with a rich variety of landscapes, spread out around the Loire River , a scenic region dotted with ancient castles along its banks and surrounded by beautiful forests.

The vineyards are located in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, between Tours and Angers, near Saumur.

The 9ha of land that his parents bought in 1989 The Boisard brothers, Fabien and Cyril, and their cousin Pierre, respecting tradition and terroir, joined forces to make wine and took over the business in 1996. At the time, the vineyard area was 3 hectares, but it gradually expanded to 12 hectares in 2007.

• In 1998, organic farming began (Ecocert certified).
• In 2006, we began using biodynamic farming regulators.
• In 2006, they converted the building into an ecological one, building a direct sales store and cellar to welcome customers with their own hands.

We are steadily moving forward, step by step, in the way we aim to achieve.

Organic history : Certified since 1998

We practice organic farming to protect nature and keep the vineyards in the best condition. Rather than simply meeting organic standards (no chemical pesticides, fertilizers, herbicides, or GMOs), we prepare the soil according to tradition so that the grapes can grow with the organic materials that are present in the land themselves.

This is a typical choice for the Boisart family, who have lived in the same place almost since they were born and who cherish their hometown.

"We started with a professional philosophy: with nature, not against nature. We are not agricultural entrepreneurs, we are farmers, artisans and winegrowers. We humans have done damage to Mother Earth, that's why we have to protect her."

In addition to engaging in organic farming, Fabien and his team also take environmental measures throughout the domain, including their home.

• Uses 22m solar panels → 50% of electricity is self-generated
• Rainwater collection → 25% is stored on-site
• Plowing with animals → 20% of all plowing work is done by his beloved horse Finette
• Use of waterless toilets (toilets where human waste is covered with sawdust to use as compost)

Fabian's dream is a planet where all living things live in harmony, where humans realize that they have a responsibility to respect the earth and other beings.

"We are just one species of human beings among many other species."

When asked what he would like to do in his next life, he replied, "Something to do with the environment, ecological architecture, or developing environmental projects."

As for his hobbies, he is all about the organic path, building his own house, cultivating land with animals, joining an animal farming association, an organic agriculture promotion association, a slow food association, and discovering good and environmentally friendly products (he also likes sports such as soccer and squash).

・White grapes : Sauvignon Blanc, Megnoupinault

・Black grapes: Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon

Field soil

The vineyards are located in Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, between Tours and Angers, near Saumur, and consist of three types of soil: sand (sediments and old alluvial soils of the Loire; Sables), gravel (limestone and pebbles from the Silent; Gravier) and clay-limestone (limestone).

The climate is warm and influenced by the Atlantic Ocean. The vineyards are located on the southern edge of the forest, on the slopes, 3km south of the Loire River. This is ideal land for growing grapes.

Compared to the Gravier vineyards, the Sables vineyards are able to retain water in the soil, so the roots of the vines do not grow as deep, and as a result the wines lack a certain degree of complexity. In contrast, the Gravier vineyards have very deep roots.

Near the field, there was a place where the geological strata of the land were clearly visible as faults. Pointing to a steep cliff of limestone, he explained that this was the very geological feature of the land. It is said that various buildings such as castles and houses are constructed using this mineral (called tuffau in the Loire).

The Boisard family is also blessed with a magnificent natural cave carved out of the tuffaut, perfect for wine. The cave can store up to 50 barrels, making it an impressive sight.

Characteristics of brewing method

• No added sugar, yeast, tannins or enzymes
• Fermentation takes place in stainless steel tanks for 10-15 days without the addition of artificial yeasts.
• The secondary fermentation (malolactic fermentation) takes place in concrete tanks.
• Aging takes place in concrete or stainless steel tanks.
• No filtration is used to remove the naturally occurring sediment.
• Sable and Gravier use earth to clarify the wine.
• This wine is a perfect blend of the qualities of the Cabernet grapes and the soil.