Maison Auvigue | Solutré
Maison Auvigue is a french producer located in the Mâconnais region to the south of Burgundy. Run by two brothers Jean-Pierre and Michel Auvigue, the wines come from a family estate of around 6 hectares and around 20 hectares of contract grapes. These are vinified in their cellars which are contained in an old mill, called 'Le Moulin du Pont'.
Most of the family estate is located in the hillside village of Solutré-Pouilly within sight of the extraordinary "Rock of Solutré", a celebrated landmark which is visible for miles. Only white wines from the Chardonnay grape are produced at the estate, mostly Pouilly Fuissé, but also Saint-Veran and some Macon-Solutré.
The winery prides itself in employing traditional methods in the vineyards, respecting nature. They use no chemical fertilisers, only organic. They plough to make the roots plunge into the rocky soils, allowing the vine to load itself with mineral elements. With careful observation of the vine's health, they are able to reduce human intervention to a minimum level, and let nature do the rest, allowing the soil to express itself differently in each "climat". Manual harvest takes place at optimum ripeness.
The cellars are well equipped, and they work with gravity during the whole winemaking process, to avoid tiring and de-oxygenising the wine as a result of pumping. Oak barrels are only used to compliment the cuvee, the main proportion of the wine being fermented in stainless-steel vats.
