Domaine des Aubuisieres
Despite Vouvray's storied wine-making past (its origins extending back to the monks of the abbey of Marmoutier founded in 372 by Saint Martin), many of the appellation's leading domaines have a fairly short history. Domaine des Aubuisières is no exception. The estate owes its reputation to the work of Bernard Fouquet, who built the estate up from the few small plots of vines he inherited from his father, André Fouquet. These holdings became the basis for Bernard's beginnings as a winemaker starting in 1982.
Between 1990-1996, Bernard acquired additional plots in Le Plan de Jean, Le Marigny, and Le Bouchet, all rich in clay-limestone soils. Other acquisitions included the 10 hectares of flint-peppered vineyards in Les Girardières. In 2013, the estate absorbed a coveted 2-hectare clay-limestone plot previously rented by Domaine Huet: Le Petit Clos. The wines from this hillside have been vinified in sandstone amphorae since 2021 to contribute to the wine's roundness. Bernard retired in 2021, handing the reins to Charles Lesaffre., the grandson of Gérald Bruley des Varannes, the man from whom Bernard's father André acquired his first vineyards, thereby bringing the story of the Domaine full circle. Charles has put an emphasis on organic and biodynamic practices.
