Quincy

Grower Profiles

Domaine de La Commanderie
Born in Paris, but from a paysan family, Jean-Charles Borgnat arrived in the Berry by default. With a passion for archeology, he studied Geology at university and worked for three years on oil rigs off the coast of Africa. He also worked as a volunteer in Algeria for a while following his military service there. The route to winemaking came initially though marriage; his wife, Marié originates from Preuilly where her father farmed 120 hectares of cereals (and her uncle just happens to be Henri Beurdin). With no natural heir, Jean-Charles found himself relocating to assist his in-laws, as a salaried worker, in 1981.

The opportunity to diversify into wine came in 1993 when Borgnat purchased 1.5 hectares of young vines in La Commanderie, which is how he came to adopt the name. He was also one of four growers who bought vineyards from Jacques Rouzé who needed to recapitalize after the great frost of 1991, becoming one of the founders of the Cave Romane; his first vintage being 1994.

He now owns 8.5 hectares of vineyards in Quincy and has all but abandoned polyculture in order to concentrate his efforts on his vines. He produces two separate expressions of Quincy, the first being sold as either Tradition or Domaine de la Commanderie whilst there is also a separate Cuvée Spéciale.

With the 2007 vintage, Borgnat purchased 0.65 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir from another vigneron in the Reuilly appellation and started to lease a further 0.43ha parcel. He is also intending to plant Pinot Noir in Preuilly in the near future. These grapes, along with both Quincys are vinified at Maison Blanche.

Jean-Charles Borgnat is an affable and friendly character who shares a wider vision and appears more commercially minded than some of his colleagues. His wines (tasted from the 2008 and 2009 vintages) are sound and perfectly decent, if not the most exciting of Quincys. It’s still early days for the Reuilly and production here remains tiny (around 500 bottles each of red and white) for the moment. Nonetheless, he receives an honourable mention for the quality and consistency that he delivers.

Domaine de La Commanderie
Jean-Charles Borgnat
Boisgisson
Cerbois
T: + 33 2 48 51 30 16
P: + 33 6 63 75 95 92
F: + 33 2 48 51 32 94
jcborgnat@aol.com

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