Olivier Bourdet-Pees joined the French co-operative Plaimont after being inspired by its mission to rediscover lost grape varieties. He talks about the joys and pitfalls of working with ancient grapes.
How did you get into the wine industry?
I was born in a small appellation close to the Pyrenees, then later studied in Toulouse. First, I had the opportunity to work in Bordeaux and then in other regions around the world. I discovered some new grapes first in Uruguay and then elsewhere in South America, where I worked for quite a long time. Then, I joined Plaimont in 2008.
Why were you interested in Plaimont?
I thought the project (reviving old varieties) was incredible, especially given the conditions, because at the time, the wines in Plaimont were bad. They were maybe the worst in France. But at the same time, Plaimont was making a big investment in this project. It began in 2002 with the first major conservatory in the region, which is now the most important private conservatory in France. In it are 39 previously disappeared grape varieties. We know the name and history of 27 of them, but 12 are still completely unknown.
What are the challenges of turning these grapes into wine?
The first difficulty is re-understanding them because you don’t know anything about the wine-growing. We don’t know the best rootstock to use, and we don’t know how to best express their potential. With wine-growing, there is also only one cycle a year to experiment, so it’s a very slow process. But when you start to see the potential, then you can define your goals, whether that’s lowering the alcohol or having longer cycles.
Which of the rediscovered varieties are most promising?
One of them is Manseng Noir, which is close to Tannat but with a much lower level of alcohol. In 2017, we started to replant it massively, and we now have 39ha. The second one is Tardif, which is maybe my favourite. In French, the name Tardif means “late”, which tells me maybe they didn’t like it very much because it needs a long period of maturation. But I think it’s incredible – very aromatic, very spicy and an interesting one to blend.
What are your thoughts on the future of Plaimont?
Plaimont and the whole region have huge potential. We are protected because of our access to water, which we’re lucky enough to have now. I also think we have an incredible opportunity when it comes to young people because they are open minded. They don’t have a favourite region, and they are ready to discover.
