Château Le Puy Retour des îles 2020

Owned by the Amoreau family since 1610, this estate stands out for its terroir, its unique winemaking methods, and above all, its viticulture. Led by passionate advocates of biodynamics—including its director, Harold Langlais—the estate’s wines are often praised by natural wine enthusiasts, though their distinctive style may bewilder those accustomed to classic Bordeaux. The wines are complex and display great aging potential, from the classic Émilien cuvée to the Barthélémy cuvée. For this latter single-vineyard selection, the estate is seeking AOC recognition from the INAO, citing the red clay and limestone geology, its location at the highest point of the appellation, and the bacterial quality of the soils, which have not seen any inputs in ages. In the meantime, the estate’s wines are labeled as “Vin de France.”

Long ignored, even scorned, Le Puy is now the object of everyone’s desire and has piqued the curiosity of its most prestigious neighbors, who don’t hesitate to flock here in droves, as Harold Langlais, its director, told us. It must be said that the estate has plenty to offer, if only in terms of its history: a family whose winemaking roots date back to the early 17th century, soils that have remained free of chemical treatments for over 400 years, and wines and landscapes whose almost mystical aura would make even the most ardent Cartesians doubt their own convictions.

A little further east, overlooking the Dordogne, Château Le Puy can take pride in having been home to 15 successive generations of the Amoreau family since 1610. Advocates of the most natural winemaking possible and minimal intervention in the cellar, they produce moving and authentic wines, whether from the famous Château le Puy or from Closerie Saint Roc—purchased in 2012—whose 2020 Les Noyers single-vineyard cuvée is superb, combining depth and velvety richness in a serene, well-rounded whole.