Lulu Rouge 2022
Lulu is a highly sought-after cuvée from Patrick Bouju, an Auvergne winemaker deeply attached to his terroir and his old Gamay d'Auvergne vines. An organic, natural red wine with no added sulfites, it is one of its creator's most iconic and sought-after vintages. Classified as a Vin de France.
Vinification
Lulu comes from a basalt plot in Corent, planted with very old Gamay d'Auvergne vines over seventy years old. The soil is worked biodynamically and with animal traction on a basalt terroir. The destemmed harvest macerates for five months in whole bunches. The aging is one year in sandstone amphora.
Tasting
Lulu is at once distinguished, complex, charming and easy to drink. The fruit, round, opulent and slightly candied (blackberry, morello cherry), gives way on the palate to a lively, slightly saline minerality, with just the right touch of astringency and spice. It is a gourmet and velvety cuvée, with animal and spicy notes, where the red fruits are generously manifest. Decanting recommended. Food pairing: anything good goes with a good wine. Grills, pounti, Auvergne cuisine,
red meats,
charcuterie…
Learn more about Patrick Bouju and the La Bohème estate
Near Billom, the Auvergne Tuscany, once covered in vines, is the privileged domain of Gamay d'Auvergne, an ancient strain of the grape variety. It is here, on these volcanic soils, that Patrick Bouju works, mainly with old vines.
Viticulture and trade
Patrick breathes new life into the often abandoned terroirs of Puy-de-Dôme and its indigenous grape varieties. Under the La Bohème estate, he operates as a wine merchant using purchased organic grapes. His exclusive Culinaries partnerships are famous: with Action Bronson for the series A la Natural, with Jason Ligas in Greece for Sous le Végétal…
A winemaker who lends a helping hand
The current renaissance of the Auvergne vineyard (which was once the third largest in France) owes a lot to Patrick. The fact that he likes to lend a hand to his winemaker friends in France and elsewhere only confirms his image as a role model, a leader. Its noble, chiseled, distinguished, never trivial wines are immediately recognizable in the glass.