Pineau d’Aunis originates in the Loire Valley, an old grape variety with a reputation for irregular yields and a sensitivity to soil conditions. It almost disappeared in the 1970s, replaced by varieties like Cabernet Franc and Chenin Blanc that were easier to grow and catered to a commercial audience. Pineau d’Aunis is still relatively rare, and with a need for careful yield management and labour-intensive pruning it’s easy to see why it isn’t suited to mass-production, but Patrick Bouju and Justine Loiseau represent the other end of the scale. At their vineyards in Auvergne, Patrick and Justine tend eight hectares on volcanic soils close to the Chaîne des Puys. They began making négociant wines in 2014 after erratic weather and Drosophila suzukii, a fruit fly that rapidly turns grapes to vinegar, led to huge losses in their vineyards. Since then, these négoce wines have become a valued part of Domaine la Bohème, not only allowing them to experiment with varieties from outside their region, but to meet and work with talented growers producing high quality grapes, often with decades of experience in the vineyard.
Pd’A 2024 is one of these négoce wines, the grapes sourced from friends in the Loire. Patrick and Justine are championing this ancient variety — a niche grape with a loyal following in the natural wine world. Macerated without the stems and vinified without any additives, Pd’A shows rosehip aromatics, a soft and tender tannin structure and the variety’s characteristic kick of freshly ground peppercorns. Enjoy slightly chilled.