Les chemins de l’arkose – Eva et Yvan Bernard

Yvan created the vineyard in 2001, taking over various parcels to start my business, as he had no family ties in wine. We have been committed to organic farming since 2009 (certified by Ecocert) and have been practicing biodynamics since 2017 (the estate is certified Demeter for the 2021 harvest).(…)

Yvan created the vineyard in 2001, taking over various parcels to start my business, as he had no family ties in wine. We have been committed to organic farming since 2009 (certified by Ecocert) and have been practicing biodynamics since 2017 (the estate is certified Demeter for the 2021 harvest). 2020 marks an important change for the estate, as we had the opportunity to buy 3.5 ha of vines on beautiful volcanic terroirs, enabling us to expand. The estate now covers 10 ha. Since 2021, the estate has been called “Les chemins de l’Arkose”. Arkose is the emblematic stone of our village. All our cuvées have therefore gradually changed their visual identity.

Terroir : Auvergne is France’s main volcanic region. This has a direct impact on our soils. Our soils are granitic in places, clay-limestone with basaltic debris, predominantly basaltic or composed of volcanic ash. The climate is hot and dry, continental. Altitude is also an important marker for our wines. Our vineyards are situated between 450 and 500 m, which enables our wines to retain their freshness and acidity.

Grape varieties : Our traditional grape variety is Gamay d’Auvergne. Native to our region, it is black with white juice. We also use Pinot Noir and a little Syrah. Our white wines are made with Chardonnay and Aligoté. We also work with an old Seibel 5455 hybrid vine, created by cross-breeding at the beginning of the century to combat phylloxera. We make a natural sparkling wine from these grapes.

When working the vines, we respect the life of our soils as much as possible. The work is adapted to each plot. Tillage, grassing, organic amendments – everything is adjusted to suit the plot. We apply few treatments, using only copper, sulfur and herbal teas. Biodynamic preparations are applied to strengthen the vine’s immune defenses and reinforce the soil’s microbial life, a veritable source of energy for the vine.

Vinification : the grapes are harvested by hand, in 25 kg crates. The wines are fermented with their own indigenous yeasts, and no sulfur is used during vinification. Depending on the style of cuvée, the grapes are destemmed or not, and the cuvaison lasts between 15 and 25 days, with the longest lasting 2 months. The wines are then aged in vats, oak barrels or sandstone amphorae. Aging lasts between 4 months for the youngest wines, and one year for the others. At the end of the ageing process, we decide on the basis of tasting whether or not to filter the wines, and whether or not to add a minimum dose of sulfites before bottling.