![]() |
|
Antoine
Vivier, La Tour Saint Jean (2003) Antoine
Vivier is a part time vigneron
and full time export salesman for a Danish chemical company. Until 2000,
he was living with his wife, Jeanne and their three (now four) children in
Paris, although he craved a career change. The opportunity came when his uncle,
Jean-Yves Bourdage was looking to take in a partner. Vivier gave up his
job and relocated, creating La Tour Saint-Jean, naming it after the old
presbytery that the family bought in the centre of Rochefort-sur-Loire
following the retirement of the local Pastor. Essentially self taught,
Vivier, who had studied agriculture at college enrolled for a six month
crash course in oenology at the Institut
National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA) in Angers and put together
a small cave on the Quai de
Louet in Rochefort. Bourdage has a significant three hectare holding in
the Quarts-de-Chaume, and this is what Vivier had intended to farm with
his uncle. However, in his own words, he ‘came for the Quarts-de-Chaume
and discovered Savennières’. His
first vintage in the appellation was in 2003 and came from vines he rented
from Baron Brincard. However, financial pressures and some differences of
opinion with his uncle meant that Vivier needed to reduce his commitments
and he rejoined his old company. Today he maintains a total of five
hectares, including 1.7 hectares in Savennières. He has also patched up
his relationship with his uncle which allows him to juggle his day job
with a real passion for wine. Wine
Overview: The
Wines: 2005
Savennières 2004
Savennières 2003
Savennières Antoine
Vivier
|