Paul Perarnau and Willy Roulendes decided to seal their friendship and settle in Burgundy to make wine there. Freshly graduated from a BTS in viticulture and oenology, Willy spent a few years at the Montille estate, near Volnay, where he learned Burgundian rigor and biodynamics. By then taking charge of the Clos du Moulin aux Moines, in Auxey-Duresses, he used this solid knowledge of the local terroirs to vinify them. At the time, Paul was still working in England for an importer, then returned to France to spend a year as a wine worker with the legendary Dominique Hauvette, in Provence, before moving to Champagne for two years at the Bruno Paillard estate. From their first meeting, at the Moulin aux Moines, the two friends became friends and decided to start together. Today, the AMI estate operates 4 hectares of vines in the Maranges: Aligoté, red and white Burgundy, Maranges 1er Cru La Fussière, but also grapes from winegrower friends in the surrounding area, in order to leave the possibility of vinifying plots located in the legendary appellations of Pommard, Saint-Romain, Volnay and Beaune. All organic, without input, and above all without any complexes.
If they consider themselves more as merchants than as an estate in their own right, their cellar reflects this desire not to give in to any cliché. We wander through vats and barrels where local grape varieties and southern grapes mingle: gamay, grenache and syrah ferment happily among more classic chardonnay, aligoté and other pinot noir. An assertive approach that often gives rise to daring – and delicious – blends. And when we venture to ask them why they have set their sights on Burgundy, Paul and Willy respond in unison: “Because it is the Mecca of wine, and we are very religious”.
The Bourgogne Aligoté Skin from Domaine AMI comes from Aligoté grapes grown in Chassey-le-Camp (around 5 kilometers from Bouzeron) on soils composed of clay, limestone and rich in sand. The vines are 45 years old, they are grown organically and treated biodynamically. Once the grapes are harvested by hand, 50% are pressed directly and the remaining 50% are destemmed by hand and macerated for 10 days. The wine is then aged in old barrels for 10 months. Finally, the wine is bottled without clarification or filtration and without the addition of sulfur dioxide. The nose of this wine reveals delicious notes of almonds, citrus fruits, white flowers, spices with a chalky touch. The palate is fresh and energetic thanks to a very nice balance between mineral tension, roundness of fruit and fine tannins which provide structure. Burgundy UFO to be enjoyed urgently!