Domaine des Aubuisières

Bernard Fouquet founded Domaine des Aubuisières in 1978 in Vouvray, building the estate from the family land base across four decades of steady expansion. The estate name Les Aubuisières refers to the chalky clay-limestone soils (locally called aubuis) that underlie many of Vouvray's best parcels and are particularly suited to producing the rich moelleux style. Bernard's approach from the start was focused on mineral-driven dry Chenin Blanc, with parcel-by-parcel terroir expression that allowed the estate to develop a serious single-vineyard range. His son Sébastien Fouquet has progressively taken on direction since the 2010s, while Bernard remains involved in vineyard and cellar work. The Fouquet family operates from cellars in Vouvray with vineyards spread across multiple parcels on the Première Côte plateau.

• Founded 1978 in Vouvray by Bernard Fouquet; built from the family land base across four decades of expansion
• Estate name refers to the chalky clay-limestone soils (aubuis) that underlie many of Vouvray's best parcels
• Bernard's approach focused on mineral-driven dry Chenin Blanc with parcel-by-parcel terroir expression
• Sébastien Fouquet has progressively taken on direction since the 2010s; Bernard remains involved in vineyard and cellar work

The estate covers approximately twenty-seven hectares of Chenin Blanc across diverse parcels on the Vouvray Première Côte plateau and the surrounding slopes. The named cuvées map a meaningful spread of the appellation's soil types: Cuvée de Silex is sourced from flint-clay parcels that give the cuvée its mineral, flinty signature; Le Bouchet draws from clay-limestone aubuis soils favored for moelleux production in favorable vintages; Le Marigny is an older-vine cuvée from Première Côte parcels with vines averaging fifty to sixty years. Soils across the estate include the appellation's classic tuffeau limestone bedrock with overlying clay-silica perruches, flinty clay (silex), and the chalky aubuis. The vineyard work focuses on cover crops, manual canopy management, and the maintenance of older-vine parcels for the named cuvées.

• Approximately twenty-seven hectares of Chenin Blanc across diverse Première Côte plateau parcels
• Cuvée de Silex: flint-clay parcels giving the cuvée its mineral, flinty signature
• Le Bouchet: clay-limestone aubuis soils favored for moelleux production
• Le Marigny: older-vine cuvée from Première Côte parcels with vines averaging 50 to 60 years

The estate practices sustainable vineyard work without organic or biodynamic certification, focusing on cover crops, manual canopy management, and the maintenance of older-vine parcels. Manual harvest is standard across the named cuvées, with selective tries through botrytis-affected parcels in vintages favorable for moelleux production. In the cellar, fermentations are conducted with indigenous yeasts in a mix of temperature-controlled stainless steel (for the entry-level Sec) and used Burgundy barrels (for the named single-vineyard cuvées). Malolactic fermentation is avoided across all styles to preserve Chenin Blanc's defining acidity, as is standard across the Vouvray appellation. Élevage on the named cuvées typically runs ten to fifteen months in barrel or stainless steel depending on the style.

• Sustainable vineyard work without organic or biodynamic certification; cover crops and manual canopy management
• Manual harvest across the named cuvées with selective tries through botrytis-affected parcels in favorable vintages
• Indigenous yeast fermentations; stainless steel for entry-level Sec and used Burgundy barrels for named single-vineyard cuvées
• Malolactic fermentation avoided across all styles; 10 to 15 month élevage on the named cuvées

The estate's range covers the full Vouvray stylistic spectrum, anchored by the named single-vineyard cuvées. Cuvée de Silex is the most widely distributed of the named cuvées, drawn from flint-clay parcels with vines averaging fifty to sixty years and showing the mineral, flinty signature that gives the cuvée its name. Le Bouchet is a demi-sec to moelleux cuvée from clay-limestone aubuis soils, produced primarily in vintages with adequate ripeness or botrytis. Le Marigny is the flagship older-vine dry sec, sourced from Première Côte parcels with vines of fifty-plus years and given longer barrel élevage. The entry-level Sec is a multi-parcel dry Chenin Blanc fermented in stainless steel for aromatic precision. The sparkling line includes a traditional-method Brut with extended lees aging, and moelleux is produced in favorable vintages, often from the Le Bouchet aubuis parcels.

• Cuvée de Silex: most widely distributed named cuvée; flint-clay parcels with 50 to 60-year-old vines and mineral flinty signature
• Le Bouchet: demi-sec to moelleux cuvée from clay-limestone aubuis soils, produced primarily in riper vintages
• Le Marigny: flagship older-vine dry sec from 50-plus-year-old Première Côte parcels with longer barrel élevage
• Multi-parcel Sec fermented in stainless steel; traditional-method Brut sparkling with extended lees aging

Domaine des Aubuisières sits among the established quality estates of Vouvray, distinguished by the focus on named single-vineyard dry Chenin Blanc and the multi-decade continuity of Bernard Fouquet's direction since 1978. The estate occupies a middle position between the most internationally prominent estates (Huet, Foreau, Pinon) and the broader Vouvray production landscape, with serious quality across the named cuvées and accessible pricing relative to the top tier. Widely distributed in specialist circuits in North America and Northern Europe, the estate has built its reputation primarily on the Cuvée de Silex and Le Marigny dry expressions, with the moelleux from Le Bouchet adding a sweet wine dimension in favorable vintages. The Fouquet family direction across two generations, with Sébastien progressively taking over, reinforces the appellation's tradition of family-run quality production.

• Established quality estate distinguished by focus on named single-vineyard dry Chenin Blanc and Bernard Fouquet's continuity since 1978
• Middle position between most internationally prominent estates (Huet, Foreau, Pinon) and broader Vouvray production landscape
• Reputation built primarily on Cuvée de Silex and Le Marigny dry expressions, with Le Bouchet moelleux in favorable vintages
• Fouquet family direction across two generations reinforces the appellation's tradition of family-run quality production