Maison Arnaud Boue
Philosophie
Arnaud operate his Maison as if it is a Domaine. With more than 15 years of experience directing biodynamic domaines, he teams up, farms with, trains and coach his vintner partners towards new heights (organic and biodynamic certifications).
Aware of the environment’s fragility, Arnaud applies his scientific skill set (as he is an agronomic engineer) to support and enhanced natural processes without artificial chemistry (plowing and nurturing the soil, biodynamic treatments, work at the pace of lunar cycle).
After the grapes are harvested by hand, Arnaud applies the same mindset to the vinification: respecting the fruits, extract their best characteristic but not the maximum. He usually favored full clusters when the vintage allows it. Each parcel and cuvee are maturing independently so the terroir can expressed its distinctive quality. For him, it is all about these fundamentals and not about automatic standardized process.
The wine is aged following the biodynamic cycle. The yeast are naturals. The juices mature at their own pace. Their expositions to oak barrel is done in a way for the wine to express its quality without masking its flavors. After the barrel aging is done, all the juices from the same parcels are blended and rest so they acclimate themselves together. When the wine settled at its own pace, only then, it is bottled.
Maison Arnaud produces wine from prestigious villages with organic & biodynamic methods. It is now certified organic by the French standards and applied itself to educate, promote and extend their certified organic & Biodynamic line of wine with their independent vintner provider.
L'AGRICULTURE BIOLOGIQUE
The basic principle of organic farming is to replace the use of synthetic product natural ones. One example is to substitute weed killer by plowing the land or let the grass over it. Only sulfur and copper are allowed to prevent any cryptogamique diseases (fungus such as Mildiou).
Although copper is toxic for the soil, its use is limited by quotas to maintain a sustainable agriculture.
Synthetic pesticide are also prohibited.
When it is the stage of vinification, there is a limited amount a products and sulfites available.
The Maison Arnaud Boue is certified organic Ecocert (french organic certification) since the 1st of January 2019.
LA VITICULTURE BIODYNAMIQUE
Biodynamic principles were created by Rudolf Steiner in the 20’s. It values the balance between all ecosystems, their utmost development and the interrelation between soils, plants and animals. This approach integrates the earth and lunar cycles.
Steiner defines this intervention to bring balance between earthy elements (such as lime and nitrogen) and cosmic elements (such as sulfur, silica, phosphorus and other metallic element). These elements are the base of compounds use to treat the plants.
This practice allows the use of only very specific compounds, plant decoction, horn manure and silica. Their applications is about few grams per hectares. Both tide and lunar calendar dictate the work at both the vineyard and the cellar (vinification).
Some considers biodynamic principals to be esoteric. Arnaud applies his scientific background to these techniques to research and improve, through a pragmatic and scientific approach, his goal of enhancing his wines by enhancing with science the environment.
VINIFICATION EN ROUGE
The vinification for red wines favored working with a portion of full cluster depending on both terroir and vintage.
The maceration lasts 15 to 20 days while few light feet treading and pumping over are applied. After the alcoholic fermentation is done, every cuvee is pressed. Juices from that operation (“Jus de Presse”) are separated, tasted and, if the quality is right, reincorporated.
After settling, each wine are aged in barrels for 12 to 18 month. Each vintage dictates the portion of new oak barrels since Arnaud’s goal is to express the terroir and not covering it with makeup. After this step, each cuvee is put again in tank to rest so all flavors are integrated before being bottled (with or without filtration depending of the vintage and the terroir)
VINIFICATION EN BLANC
As soon as the grapes hit the fermenting room, they are pressed. The juice is cooled down and sulfites are added in the stainless steel tank. After 24 to 48 hours, the juice is settled. The alcoholic fermentation starts in the tank and the fermenting must is transferred to barrels where the full process (alcoholic and Malo Lactic) is done. This is done so the fermentation are homogenes. Once the Malo lactic one is over, the wine is added some sulfites to fix the wine.
The wine is then aged in oak barrels for 12 to 18 month to be transferred one last time to a stainless steel so it can rest for a few month before being bottled.
