We dropped into Domaine de la Bergerie in Champs-sur-Layon this morning to pick up wine from Yves and Marie-Annick Guégniard for the Trois Vedettes du Layon tasting in London next week. This gave us a chance to have a quick look at la table – the new winery restaurant that opened on 11th February, although sadly we weren't able to stay onto the evening to have a meal there.
Fine dining at a winery is now commonplace in many parts of the wine world like Australia, California, New Zealand and South Africa. It is, however, rare in France and particularly rare in the Loire.
I guess it is not surprising that France is apparently behind a number of other countries is the world as far as a more complete wine tourism package is concerned. This is partly I guess because of the dead hand of the Loi Evin and the promotion of wine, partly due to differing traditions of how to welcome visitors to wine regions but also due to the number of restaurants in wine areas. Understandably wine producers don't want to be in competition with local restaurants by opening their own establishments, especially if they also sell their to these restaurants
There is a short menu, which changes every month. Three courses cost 28€, while adding cheese makes it 33€ or you can go for 'cinq plats en dégustation mets et vins for 60€. Naturally the wine list centres on wines from Domaine de la Bergerie both by the glass and by the bottle. They will shortly be featuring the Grand Beaupréau Savennières from all three producers involved in the project – Claude Papin and Vincent Ogereau as well as Yves. In addition there are couple of wines from Thierry Michon (Domaine St Nicolas, Fief Vendéen), Champalou's Le Portail (Vouvray), a Collioure from La Tour Vieille and a Cairanne from Domaine Richaud.
Until mid-September the restaurant is only open in the evening but from the middle of this month it will be open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday and open for Sunday lunch.
Tel: 02.41.78.30.62
I guess it is not surprising that France is apparently behind a number of other countries is the world as far as a more complete wine tourism package is concerned. This is partly I guess because of the dead hand of the Loi Evin and the promotion of wine, partly due to differing traditions of how to welcome visitors to wine regions but also due to the number of restaurants in wine areas. Understandably wine producers don't want to be in competition with local restaurants by opening their own establishments, especially if they also sell their to these restaurants
David Guitton (left) and his maître d'@la table
There is, however, little chance that La Bergerie - la table is going to upset any local restaurants as they are few places to eat in this part of the Layon and even fewer that have the same ambitions. The chef-owner is David Guitton, the husband of Anne, the daughter of Yves and Marie-Annick. David has a considerably pedigree having worked for Alain Ducasse in London and Monaco as well as for Joël Robuchon. Anne has returned to begin to take over the running of the domaine from her parents.
There is a short menu, which changes every month. Three courses cost 28€, while adding cheese makes it 33€ or you can go for 'cinq plats en dégustation mets et vins for 60€. Naturally the wine list centres on wines from Domaine de la Bergerie both by the glass and by the bottle. They will shortly be featuring the Grand Beaupréau Savennières from all three producers involved in the project – Claude Papin and Vincent Ogereau as well as Yves. In addition there are couple of wines from Thierry Michon (Domaine St Nicolas, Fief Vendéen), Champalou's Le Portail (Vouvray), a Collioure from La Tour Vieille and a Cairanne from Domaine Richaud.
Until mid-September the restaurant is only open in the evening but from the middle of this month it will be open for lunch and dinner from Tuesday to Saturday and open for Sunday lunch.
La Bergerie
49380 Champ-sur-LayonTel: 02.41.78.30.62
Domaine de la Bergerie
3 comments:
Sounds like a nice place to try on a future visit to the area.
Jim,
My task for the last three days has been to make a summary of all the “actives” on my estate and put a value on them – hardly s’thing I’m good at. As a result, I procrastinate, double-check, hesitate, doubt and so on. In the end, I cannot seem to be able to get started.
So, I scan the interesting blogs I know. It keeps me in front of the computer, at least.
Your High Speed connection (not ADSL but rather TGV) doesn’t appeal to me, as I have no business with or in Bordeaux.
But the Layon area .... Not been there for a couple of years, though I love them wines, and have a few acquaintances there as well (the honourable Claude Papin I respect very much, for instance). So, your Bergerie sounds pretty much like a shed where I could go and bleat.
You know that “the Lord tempers the wind to the shorn lamb” and my freshly groomed head is in need of some refreshing breeze.
More seriously, there is one more reason NOT to have a catering unit on the same estate as a wine-making facility: these are TWO different professions. When, as in the house you describe, both competences are at hand, fine with me. But, mostly, this is not the case.
And the level of professionalism consumers are used to demand from a classy restaurant is probably somewhat higher in France (mostly on behalf of foreign visitors, mind you) than say, in Shenandoah or the Maipo Valley. To top the bill, the 35 hours-a-week rule – which I’m strongly in favour of, by the way – is clearly a disadvantage to the management as far as the catering profession is concerned. We, the ”vignerons”, are used to 35 hours of work every second day or so anyway, hence a “clash”.
“The Ice Age is coming, the sun’s zooming in
Meltdown expected, the wheat is growing thin
Engines stop running, but I have no fear
Cause London is drowning and I, live by the River ...”
JT. I intend to try it when we are back for the Loire vintage in a a couple of weeks or so. Will rep[ort back.
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