Description
World-renowned soil microbiologists, Claude and Lydia Bourguignon, have spent a life amongst the vines. Their company Laboratoire Analyses Microbiologiques has consulted for many of the greats, including Chave, DRC, Coche-Dury, Selosse, Dagueneau, Huet, Dauvissat and Egly-Ouriet.
During a routine soil analysis in southwest France, the Bourguignons stumbled upon the remnants of a long-forgotten vineyard—a hidden gem nestled in the quaint commune of Laroque-des-Arcs, outside the region of Cahors. With their son Emmanuel, they wasted no time acquiring this unique property in 2005, and set about clearing the overgrown forestry, restoring the vineyard, and along the way uncovering the remains of some stone huts, ancient walls, wild vines and an old well that is stained with Bordeaux mixture; a poignant testament to the vineyard’s history!
First plantings began in 2009, with their decades-long experience driving their magnum opus. Vines were planted at high densities (9,600 vines per hectare; more than twice the regional average), and farmed organically from inception. Between 2012 to 2019, the family has field grafted various varieties—a technique far more physical and time-consuming than bench-grafting. They’ve gathered Massal cuttings from the likes of Didier Dagueneau, François Cotat and Vacheron for their Sauvignon Blanc, and Clos Rougeard for the Cabernet Franc. Convinced of their rare and untapped potential, even lesser known varieties like Cot à Pied Rouge, Prunelard and Verdanel, were planted in their vineyard.
As expected, the Bourguignons did an extensive analysis of the land and found two distinctive terroirs within the property. The top of the vineyard sits on shallow limestone, with a steep slope rearing up to 35%; and as the slope descends, the soil becomes richer in clay. From this, the concept of one white and one red field-blend was born, expressing fully the terroir of Laroque d’Antan.
As of 2022, Laroque d’Antan is officially certified organic, and the vineyard is preparing for a transition to biodynamics. The soil is worked superficially between March and July with a track tractor to minimise compaction. Bees, hedges, fruit trees and wildflowers ensure the site’s biodiversity.
