Côtes d'Auvergne

Maison de vigne above Riom

Grower Profiles

Jean-Michel Déat
The Déat family has worked the vineyards north of Riom since 1896, although it would be fair to say that they are as much polyculturalists as vignerons, farming 15 hectares of cereals on the land around their vines. Jean-Michel joined his father in 1971 and they began bottling their own wines of 1978, three years after replanting their 2.5 hectare parcel in the clay-gravel soils of Madargues. A further 1.2 hectares are planted on the sandy soils within Saint-Bonnet, although these fall outside the appellation and are vinified as Vin de Table, and is either sold off en-vrac, or goes to produce 2,000 bottles a year of sparkling wine, vinified as ‘Cuvée Brayaud’ Blanc de Noirs.

All of their vineyards are planted to Gamay d’Auvergne and the grapes are all hand harvested. Jean-Michel’s young son, Jullien, has now joined the business and is instigating a few changes. Their Madargues rosé which was once pressurage direct is now produced by saignée. There is also an addition to their existing single bottling of red from 2008, with the introduction of a single lieu-dit wine with Madagues which is sold as Les Granges. All the grapes are hand picked and the wines pass through old wooden foudres for between six to eight months before release. The result is that they wines can be a little rustic and dry, with an earthiness ensuring that they are devoid of any great charm.

Jean-Michel Déat
8 Bis, Rue Michel de l’Hospital
Saint-Bonnet-Près-Riom
T: + 33 4 73 63 37 65
F: + 33 4 73 63 50 67
P: + 33 6 84 17 79 13

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