Winegrowers' Portraits Bouaye
Domaine des herbauges
A QUITE UNUSUAL VAL DE LOIRE
Through the times, four successive generations developed the domain that lines the banks of the Lac de Grandlieu, between estuary of the Loire and Atlantic Ocean. Terroirs of first choice for the implementation of the Melon de Bourgogne, king varietal of the Muscadet.
Jérôme Choblet, fifth generation, with a stock of marketing (HEC: Grande Ecole for Management and Business Studies) and oenologic knowledge, takes over the reins of the Domaine des Herbauges in 1998. With patience, perspicacity and a tremendous work capacity, he selects Clos and plots on the 87 hectares of the estate (Domaine de Roche Blanche, Château de la Pierre and Guérin newly acquired) to unveil the very essence of 12 cuvees and show the ageing potential of some of his Muscadet.
Terroirs, harvest, know-how, maturing on the lees with stirring, during approximatively 15 months—
and until 48 months for some wines ment for ageing—reveal the perfect match between terroir and varietal and the personnality of each wine (Le Légendaire, Clos de la Sénaigerie, Clos de la Fine, Fief Guérin, Château de la Pierre, La Roche Blanche, or L’eXpressionnel). Jérôme managed to highlight a range of Muscadet Côtes de Grandlieu sur Lie wines on specific terroirs. A work he could fulfill thanks to the qualitative efforts completed by his father. A ground recognition that materialized by the certification FARRE* in 1982.
Jérôme Choblet
“
We are not only winegrowers but also winemakers that create emotions. Wine must be a pleasure, up to us to transmit it. By the tasting, we can have a universal language, inspire sensations in France as abroad during my business trips” he explains. With this in mind, he imagines the Collection Plaisir, a declension of Muscadet and Vin de Pays in white and red. From the Vin de Pays to the ultra-selected wine, it is a success. With one of the biggest estates of the region Muscadet, Jérôme spends more than 1 month a year in a plane, and over 6 abroad. He attaches importance to meeting personally his customers from 53 countries. “
To know my customers is an essential point for the promotion of my cuvees. It also enables me to exchange, listen to their comments to make evolve the way I work and my cuvees, and to propose them an adapted service.”
Between a relaxed rhythm of life and ocean freshness, thanks to a qualitative heritage, a huge ground work, risk-taking, the understanding of his customers and a bit of boldness, Jérôme Choblet won the challenge. The result: a shower of medals and prizes awards his team and himself since 2002. The Domain produces wines of character, natural, without chemical adjunction or stabilization, in the spirit of a sustainable and eco-friendly viticulture, for an evenhanded and sound transmission to the next generation.
On a fair in May 2010, Jérôme and two others young winegrowers from the Loire are stuck one week in San Francisco because of the ash cloud caused by the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjaföll.
Friendship starts, ideas burst forth, a new concept is born: Loire Connection. Domaine des Herbauges
Chemin des Herbauges
44830 Bouaye
Tél.: +33 (0) 2 40 65 44 92
www.domaine-des-herbauges.com
Based on the same way of considering their work, common values, respect of the terroir and environ-
ment, the “Three Musketeers” decide to create a selection of wines representative of the Loire patrimony from Nantes to Sancerre. With a more daring packaging, a “funnier” collection but still of quality, they sell internationally since 2011. This year the three accomplices will try to conquer the French market: wines corked with screw-caps for an urban clientele on a multiple declension of Muscadet, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Gamay, Saumur, Crémant de Loire or Chinon.
Jérôme knows that his family's inheritance is extraordinary. His training, his convictions and his pugnacity help him promote this know-how and signature worldwide. Exceptional, he offers a complete range of Loire wines with the Muscadet as spearhead.
**Forum de l'Agriculture Raisonnée Respectueuse de l'Environnement: Forum for Integrated Eco-Friendly Farming, a certification recognized by the European authorities.
Florence Varaine
Partner of Vignobles & Découvertes in the Loire-Atlantique department.
50,000 bottles sold in '98 (of which 10,000 in export) and 1 million in 2011 of which 920,000 in export (12 cuvées and 80 packagings, export obliges!)
