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fourth component: the men
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1985 :
After completing studies in oenology
and viticulture, Jean Bernard Larrieu constructs a small
vinification cellar with the help of his father Marcel.
CLOS LAPEYRE is born in 1985.
1987 :
Acquisition of an additional 1.5 ha of vines, rented
(Terrenègre)..
1988 :
End of strawberry cultivation
1989-1990 :
Expansion of the cellars. Plantings
1991 :
Planting of the Navaillés parcel:
1 ha of Gros Manseng. End of cattle breeding.
1992 :
Hiring the 1st employee. Purchase
of a pneumatic press.
1993 :
Planting of the Poudempa parcel:
1 ha of Petit Manseng.
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1994 :
Construction of storage facilities and expansion of the
oak-barrel cellar .
1995 :
Hiring the 2nd employee.
1997 :
Important investment in the cellars. Recent vintages
have given great wines, our sales are massively increasing
and the development of the 10 ha estate is paralysed by
the plantation quotas. Thanks to the André Peyroutet and
his vineyard "Herrua" in Saint Faust, and to Philippe
and Jean Vignau (1st slopes in Jurancon), the family business
is able to expand. These two vineyards are cultivated
in an ecologically-friendly manner, not biologically cultivated
like Clos Lapeyre, but with an agreement of practice firmly
established between them. The trust and friendship between
André Peyroutet and the Vignau family and Jean-Bernard
and Marcel Larrieu allows the SARL Larrieu Jean-Bernard
to harvest, vinify, age and market fruit from 16ha of vines in optimal conditions. |
De 1997 à 2003 :
The company reaches an equilibrium, with the investments made over the previous years making working conditions safer and helping towards better organisation.
2002 is the year in which we confirmed our desire to continue with the organic methods we had been using and in which we profoundly believe.
By subscribing to the organisation called Qualité France, organic agriculture is now officially recognised on the 10ha of Lapeyre, and we will be able to state that wines are produced from organic grapes on the labels as from the 2005 harvest.
(--> clic on to see quality's details)
What a delight it is to pay yet another organisation to carry out even more controls !!
Calling my wines organic is not what’s most important to me, but having been searching and fighting over the years, with the help and advice of colleagues with greater experience and without any help form professional organisations, I have become a militant for this method of agriculture which I now understand, and which respects the earth, plants and animals and men who work the land.
Even though our production costs are 30% to 40% higher, mainly due to the cost of controlling grass and weed growth, organic production methods for me are a means of producing tastier and healthier grapes which give greater expression to the land on which they are produced.
Better grapes for better wines.
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2004 :
After the dramatic accident which cost the life of her husband, Helene de Nays asked us to take over the 6 ha of the Domaine de Nays-Labassere estate. It’s a magnificent old vineyard in the heart of the village and one day, Lisa and Nathan, her young children, will be able to carry on the family tradition.
This is a new challenge for the team at Lapeyre, now joined by an additional worker. The estate has grown from 10ha to 16ha.
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Today
The team is now made up of Nathalie and Sandrine (sales and administration), Philippe, Ludovic and Serge, in the vineyard, Frederic and Jean-Bernard both in the vineyard and managing the cellar, and Marcel, retired but working as usual.
In the same spirit, Jean-Bernard shares a dozen specialist
viticultural instruments with the winemakers in the village,
thanks to a society that he chairs in Chapelle de Rousse,
the CUMA (Coopérative d'Utilisation de Matériels Agricoles).
This general spirit of cooperation and sharing of tools
and abilities is very important and beneficial for Clos
Lapeyre: with a business of a relatively small size, it
would not be possible to acquire these things independently
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Welcome
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