Where is Auvergne and Who is Jean Maupertuis?

I vividly recall meeting Jean Maupertuis for the first time. It was at his domain – actually more like his house.  His basement is his cellar.  He is a vigneron at peace.  If he were in the pages of Tao Tse Ching, he would be in the phrase that describes: “Those who know, does not speak.”  He is quite and joyous at the same time.

For the last twenty years or so that I have been on this wine journey, I never seen a bottle from Auvergne from France in Vancouver.  I have seen cheeses from Auvergne, but not its wines.  If you were in Paris in a great bistro, like here or here or even in San Francisco, you would come across Jean Maupertuis from Auvergne.  His wines quickly sell out in France and it is impossible to get an allocation.  Sounds silly doesn't it?  Allocated wines from Auvergne?  Wines that barely cost mid twenties in Vancouver?

Auvergne is in the centre of France.  It is located high in elevation. Although it is no more than 100 km from northwest of Lyon, it takes a while to arrive at Auvergne.  You are constantly climbing.  My rental VW had its workout when I visited Jean Maupertuis last autumn.

To me, the wines from Jean Maupertuis are singular.  There is nothing like it.   It tastes like a fine Burgundy with a cracked black pepper.  It is made from the Auvergne Gamay – which is a different strain than the Gamay grown in Beaujolais or Loire.  Also, Jean Maupertuis vineyard is at a high elevation – about 500 meters above the sea level.  Because Auvergne is a geological contrast, where one hill is a risen limestone sea-bed and the adjacent hill is an extinct volcanic hill, the beauty and distinctiveness of wines speak clearly.  Pictured above is from a limestone hill cuvée ‘La Guillaume’.  Jean Maupertuis also makes ‘Les Pierres Noires’, which is just a couple kilometres away from ‘La Guilaume’.  Jean Maupertuis told me that ‘Les Pierres Noires’ is slightly more structured and it reveals its beauty later than ‘La Guillaume’.  By the way, ‘La Guilaume’ clocks in at 12% ALC while  ‘Les Pierres Noires’ weights in at a mind-boggling 11.5% ALC.  The wines taste ripe.  I have to scratch my head every time I enjoy a bottle over a meal.  I simply cannot comprehend how Jean Maupertuis makes perfectly ripe wines at that alcohol level.

To my surprise, I had a call from a French chef in town, who used to own a bistro is Paris and Savoie and now owns a restaurant in town.  He knew about Jean Maupertuis.  Upon ordering and receiving a case, he called to say that he opened a bottle as soon as the case arrived.  Upon tasting, he said: “The memories took me right back to France”.