Dynamic Bergerac wines come to Arundel

Gregory Dubard in his winery

Add to this considerable investment in new technologies and state-of-the-art equipment and you have a recipe for producing modern wines of superior quality, perfectly in line with current consumer demands and expectations. These are the wines of Vignobles Dubard based in Saint Méard de Gurçon, 25 km from the town of Bergerac itself. Owned, directed and managed masterfully by the dynamic Gregory Dubard, 46, the estate has more than 80 hectares of vines in the Bergerac and Montravel appellations.

When talking with Gregory, you immediately feel the dynamism and passion of this young winemaker, in all aspects of his profession. After getting up at 4am to work on the new vintage of his wine in Saint Emilion (he owns vines here too!), he was back at his base to accompany me and clients from England who had flown in for a visit – full of enthusiasm and fresh as a daisy!

Always looking to the future, Gregory produces a range of wines, introducing old and new technologies. Terracotta amphoras, similar to those used by the ancient Greeks, stand alongside large old wooden barrels, while next to it a top-of-the-range pneumatic press sits proudly in the cellar. The dominant philosophy is to produce fresh wines with character that are a true expression of the terroir from which they come.

The flagship wines of the Bergerac Appellation are a fresh and crisp aromatic white, made from 85% Sauvignon Blanc and 15% Sémillon, as well as a sweet and fruity red made from 100% Merlot grape varieties. Both wines are impressive and competitively priced. Their quality is such that a number of top French restaurants – some with a Michelin star – offer them as recommended house wines.

And now, these two wines, under the name of Domaine des Gouyats, can be tasted in Arundel. Indeed, the customers from England were Andy Batty, owner of the new restaurant The Steakist, accompanied by his chef Michael Lyons. After a full blind tasting, the wines were selected as the establishment’s main house wines. Imported directly by Andy from Vignobles Dubard and fully expressing the philosophy of quality, modernism and value, they are part of the portfolio of wines from small producers, represented exclusively in the United Kingdom by the WineWyse agency.

High quality, individual and modern wines in a restaurant with the same guidelines, as well as other wines from Vignobles Dubard, such as the Clos des Grands Moines Lalande de Pomerol – a must with a grilled and juicy fillet of beef. Keep an eye out for other wines produced by the dynamic Gregory Dubard that will soon be added to The Steakist’s wine list.

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