Three of our favourite Loire restaurants have Michelin stars in 2017

La Table de la Bergerie, Domaine de la Bergerie 

Champs-sur-Layon  

David Guitton's restaurant – first Michelin star 2017 

David Guitton (on the phone at the entrance to the restaurant)

David at the Salon des Vins de Loire – February 2015

The 2017 edition of the Michelin Red Guide lists three of our favourite Loire restaurants: one new – La Table de la Bergerie – and two well established: La Promenade in Le Petit Pressigny and Le Bon Laboureur in Chenonceaux.

Many congratulations to all three restaurants and their staff with particular congratulations to David Guitton on La Table de la Bergerie's first Michelin étoile! David is married to Anne Guegniard, who runs Domaine de la Bergerie with her father Yves. The restaurant is attached to the Domaine and in the middle of the countryside.  

Although it is commonplace in other parts of the world, such as California and Australia, to have restaurants attached to wine estates, it is fairly rare in France. I don't know of any other Loire restaurant like this. The closest I can think of is La Côte des Monts Damnés in Chavignol run by Jean-Marc and Karine Bourgeois in the same village as Domaine Henri Bourgeois. 

Le Bon Laboureur, Chenonceaux

La Promenade, Le Petit Pressigny

La Table de la Bergerie: brilliant meal!

Excellent dinner at La Table de la Bergerie last Saturday after a very good tasting of the Three Musketeers – Domaine de la Bergerie, Domaine Ogereau and Château Pierre-Bise. At table: Marie-Annick Guégniard (Bergerie), Nigel Wilkinson (RSJ Restaurant, London), Yves Guégniard (Bergerie), Vincent Ogereau (Domaine Ogereau), Chjris Kissack (The Wijne Doctor), René Papin (Pierre-Bise), Tom King (RSJ Restaurant), Catherine Ogereau (Domaine Ogereau) + Jim's shirt and camera strap. 

Domaine de la Bergerie, Champ-sur-Layon, Anjou – profile

Domaine de la Bergerie, Champ-sur-Layon, Anjou 
Yves, Marie-Annick and Anne Guégniard

Anne, Yves and Marie-Annick Guégniard

 

Domaine de la Bergerie is in Champs-sur-Layon, the next commune to the east of Saint-Lamber-du-Lattay. This 36-hectare domaine is now run by Yves and Marie-Annick his wife and Anne their daughter. Anne is the eighth generation of the family to be vignerons. Yves' grandmother bought the domaine in an auction by candle (à la bougie). 

In 1964 she passed the estate onto her daughter, Marie-Agnès, and then in 1979 Yves joined. In 2009 Anne joined her parents and is increasingly involved in running the domaine, which is now in conversion to organic viticulture.       

The Guégniards are close friends with the Ogereaus and the Papins. The three families exchange ideas as well as sharing a vineyard in Savennières – Le Grand Beaupréau. The Guegniards also have another vineyard in Savennières – La Croix Picot – further east than Le Grand Beaupréau and between Epiré and Bouchemaine. 

The whole range from Domaine de la Bergerie is impressive. Standouts include their Crémant de Loire – Chenin Chardonnay blend, Les Pierres Girard (Anjou Blanc – 100% Chenin, the two Savennières and two reds: the easy drinking La Cerisaie Anjou Rouge (80% Cabernet Franc, 20% Cabernet Sauvignon) and Evanescence (Anjou Villages) – 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. 

They also make very fine sweet wines topped by their Quarts de Chaume.

 

 Series of photos with the 2011 Quarts de Chaume – firstly Anne

Yves 

 Marie-Annick 

When Anne returned to the domaine, her husband David Guitton opened the only vineyard restaurant – La Table de la Bergerie – in Loire as far I as know and very good it is, too. 36-year-old David had wide experience before opening his own restaurant: in Washington DC, Zurich and Lausanne, London and in Monaco. He has worked with Alain Ducasse and Joël Robuchon.  

   David Guitton taking a booking 

David Guitton (on the left) in his restaurant

Website: Domaine de la Bergerie 

This is a new profile from the RSJ Restaurant site – others written so far are Domaine Luneau-Papin, Château Pierre-Bise and Domaine Ogereau.  
  

La Table de la Bergerie: early October 2013

 Sign at the entrance to Domaine de la Bergerie 

and La Table de la Bergerie

Early last October we ate at La Table de la Bergerie run by chef David Guitton, who is married to Anne Guégniard, who now runs Domaine de la Bergerie with her parents Yves and Marie-Yannick. It is very unusual in the Loire to have a restaurant attached to a wine estate and it is especially unusual to have one of this quality. 

We chose the menu which included an appropriate wine from the domaine with each course. Unfortunately I have forgotten the details of what we ate but do remember that it was impressively good. I have eaten here on several occasions and have always had excellent meals. 

 2011 Les Pierres Girard, Anjou

Les Pierres Girard, which was served with the first course, is 100% Chenin Blanc from old vines – some as old as 100 years from the vineyard just to the east of the winery.  

 

Old vine Chenin with vines around 100 years old 

La Croix Picot, Savennières: from a vineyard 

overlooking in the Loire in the east of the appellation

Served with second course

Duck breast with figs 

(above and below)

Evanescence, Anjou Villages: 100% Cabernet Sauvignon

The power and concentration to match the duck

Cheese course with a glass of 2010 

Clos le Grand Beaupréau Savennières

2010 Clos Le Grand Beaupréau, Savennières

Clos Le Grand Beaupréau is the vineyard that the Guégniard's share with Vincent and Catherine Ogereau and Claude and Joëlle Papin. The vineyard is up on the plateau and the wine tends to be richer and fuller than La Croix Pichot.   

Desserts

2010 Quarts de Chaume

Served with the desserts

Lovely Q de C from a very good vintage – concentration and great balance

 

La Table de la Bergerie: reunion of Le 6 Mousqueteries

Santé!: Les six mousqueteries with Nigel Wilkinson and Tom King (RSJ Restaurant, London)
(LR: from empty place – Catherine Ogereau, Nigel Wilkinson, Vincent Ogereau, Tom King, Claude Papin, Yves Guegniard, Joëlle Papin)
 

Mid-afternoon yesterday we headed out to the Domaine de la Bergerie (Champ-sur-Layon) to taste the wines of the six Mousqueteries who had come to London to for the last of the tastings to mark ther 30th anniversary of the RSJ restaurant. We started with Domaine Ogereau (Catherine and Vincent Ogereau), followed by Domaine de la Bergerie (Marie-Annick and Yves Guegniard) and then finishing with Château Pierre-Bise (Joëlle and Claude Papin). 

  

Scallops and a jerusalem artichoke sauce

After the tasting we had an excellent dinner with some lovely older vintages from the six at La Table de la Bergerie, run by David Guitton the son-in-law of Marie-Annick and Yves.

Wonderfully tender venison with vegetables and a rich wine sauce

We finished with a small selection of cheese, which included a very good Cantal, and then a varition on crèpes suzette.