2 vineyards, 2 'terroirs'
Landscape
A domain of plain and hills
The vineyard in l’Hermitage is 13 hectars (32 acres) large with 12 hectars (29.6 acres) of ugni-blanc and 1 hectar (2.47 acres) of merlot, which is used for making Pineau des Charentes. The vineyard is currently changing as we have recently gotten new plantation rights to make our vines younger. Our oldest vine slot was planted back in 1964 by Anne-Marie and Michel.
8 hectars (19.8 acres) are under production in Apremont, with a quite heterogenous soil for this tiny surface.
These 2 vineyards, 60 kms far from each other require a rigourous organisation and make very different eaux-de-vie.
LIMESTONE
A layer of limestone, which is between 40 cm deep in Apremont and 2 meters in l’Hermitage is the backbone of our 2 vineyards.
CLAY
L’Hermitage soil consists in a deep layer of clay on an underlay made of gypsum.
SANDS
Sedimentary sands can be found in the ‘white Périgord’ of South-Charente area.
L'Hermitage
Up to the 18th century, l’Hermitage lands used to be lordly woods, where François 1st – born in Cognac -, King of France from 1515 to 1547, enjoyed hunting as a teenager.
Our Lambert ancestors planted the 1st vineyard in l’Hermitage during the French Revolution in the 1790’s when the forest was shared among the peasants living in this area of the Borderies, the smallest and rarest Cognac Appellation.
Clay in winter
Boots are very heavy with - very often - 1 kg stuck on each boot.
Low yields
Vine roots get into the soil with difficulties, given the very compact clay.
Floral eaux-de-vie
This charming mixture gives a special florality to our eaux-de-vie!
High altitude
Located 200 meters high, surrounded with woods, our hilly vineyard dominates the Tude river valley.
Flint
Numerous flints in the soil, which can weight up to 20 kg give unique gunflints aromas to the eaux-de-vie.
Our friends from wildlife
Roe deer, wild boar, badgers, hares and wildfowl feel good up there. Perhaps too good and so that we can harvest some grapes, we had to rail in the entire vineyard.
Apremont
Apremont is located in the ‘white Périgord’ in South-Charente area. There used to be many vineyards until the beginning of the 1870’s when phylloxera almost wrecked the whole European vineyard.
A few winemakers decided to replant vines just like the Bouvier family. Since 1800 they have been land owners in Apremont and we, as their grand-grand-children, keep making white wine, which we distill in l’Hermitage.
Flashback on grape harvest 2020
