Love Song - 2022
Patrick Bouju
- Region
- France » Vin de France
- Type
- rose still, dry
- Producer
- Patrick Bouju
- Vintage
- 2022
- Grapes
- Gamay, Merlot, Mourvedre, Cinsault
- Alcohol
- 12
- Sugar
- 0.2
- Volume
- 750 mL
- Cellar
- not available
"Love Song" is a wine produced by Patrick Bouju and Justine Loiseau in the Auvergne region of France. Their vineyard, spanning 5 hectares, features a predominant granite soil composition and operates under organic farming methods.
The hand-harvested Mourvèdre and Cinsault grapes originate from Pézenas in Languedoc. These grapes, along with Gamay and Merlot, are vinified separately. After the individual fermentation processes, the wines are then blended together.
This combined wine matures in stainless steel vats. True to its organic roots, "Love Song" undergoes no fining or filtration, and no is added. The vinification avoids any additives or sulfur, resulting in a wine that genuinely represents its diverse terroirs.
Ratings
A mingle of Nordic berries, red currant, and strawberries, with a sleek thread of VA running through. It presents a medium body with soft tannin, keeping the vibe mellow yet flavorful and fresh. The finish throws in a pleasant bitter twist. The aftertaste sticks around, a pleasant linger to mull over. This one's an easy companion, urging you to chill and savor the simplicity without overthinking the notes.
This is nice. Youthful bouquet of Nordic berries, red currant, and strawberries with elegantly woven VA. Medium body with soft tannin. Fresh, flavourful and quite simple. Lovely bitterness in the finish.
Patrick Bouju
Most of you should be already familiar with the legend of the natural wine movement from Auvergne. A former computer scientist (?), Patrick Bouju decided to throw the keyboard into oblivion (no connection with TES4) and replace it with farming equipment to delve into the earthy realms of viticulture. His entry into the winemaking realm was not abrupt but a gradual transition that fully materialized in 2008, though the foundation of Domaine de la Bohème was laid in 2003 (2004?).
Patrick's winemaking philosophy is deeply rooted in natural practices, resonating through his Domaine la Bohème nestled in the picturesque Auvergne region, a land still healing from the phylloxera plague of the past century. The region, characterized by a unique terroir with varying topography and higher altitudes, presents a cooler climate favorable to earlier ripening grapes like Chardonnay and Gamay. Patrick's efforts have been instrumental in rejuvenating the wine scene in Auvergne, drawing much-needed attention to this quaint wine-producing region.
The terroir of Domaine la Bohème is quite unique, with vines flourishing on basalt-dominant volcanic slopes, deriving a distinctive mineral quality from the extinct volcanic chain, Chaine des Puys, in the Massif Central of France. With an average vine elevation of 500 meters, Patrick meticulously tends to several small plots scattered across his village, some boasting of up to 120-year-old pre-phylloxera vines.
Apart from his commendable endeavors in Auvergne, Bouju, in collaboration with Jason Ligas, embarked on the Sous Le Vegetal project in 2018 on the Greek island of Samos. This project is a vivid manifestation of his exploratory spirit, as it aimed at revitalizing somewhat forgotten native grapes of the region. The 'Auguste' 2018, the only red wine from this project, is a splendid example of Bouju's ability to breathe new life into 'traditional' grape varieties and create wines that are as engaging as they are enjoyable