Côtes d'Auvergne

Grower Profiles

Jacques et Xavier Abonnat
The Abonnats are the sole vignerons to exploit the slopes around Chalus, a lovely fortified village with an 11^th Century château that sits atop its own puy, and is one of the three permitted communes within the Boudes sub-appellation.

The road up to Chalus takes you past fields of arable land, although a few parcels of vines appear half way up the hill. Jacques Abonnat re-established a 1.5 hectare vineyard here in the late 1980s, to embellish his 15 hectares of cereals and apple orchards. He later added another 5.5 hectares along the slopes than run west towards the village of Boudes, bottling his first wine in 1991. His son, Xavier, joined his father in 2007.

Together, the Abonnats now produce eight different wines from their seven hectares, although not much is gained by this over developed selection.

Cotes d’Auvergne-Boudes Les Platas – A tank fermented white from 25 year old Chardonnay from a quarter hectare vineyard.

Cotes d’Auvergne-Boudes Rosé La Croix Petite – From 100% Gamay

Cotes d’Auvergne-Boudes La Pichoune – From 100% Gamay

Cotes d’Auvergne-Boudes Le Claveleyre – An assemblage between 80% Gamay and 20% Pinot Noir

Cotes d’Auvergne-Boudes Les Rivaux -100% Gamay from the lieu-dit of the same name

Cotes d’Auvergne-Boudes La Garde – 100% Pinot Noir from young vineyards that will need to be declassified to Vin de Pays from 2008 onwards

Cotes d’Auvergne-Boudes La Gardonne – 60/40% Pinot Noir/Gamay

Cotes d’Auvergne-Boudes Le Claveleyre – éléve en fût – the same wine as above aged in oak.

The range, tasted in June 2009, was based on the 2007 and 2008 vintages, with a common theme of high acidity, dilution and a green edge which probably results from over-cropping. They would be well advised to consolidate their range and concentrate their efforts, as well as their yields.

Jacques et Xavier Abonnat
Chalus
T/F: + 33 4 73 96 45 95
P: + 33 6 85 29 71 76 – Jacques
P: + 33 6 60 21 57 72 - Xavier
Famille.abonnat-vignerons@orange.fr

Back to top