Pierre-Olivier Bonhomme, Les Montils

Pierre-Olivier Bonhomme started off his winemaking career already in his teens by working for Thierry Puzelat, Clos du Tue-Boeuf. While doing that, he and Thierry found other vineyards with exciting terroirs, old vines and ancient grape varieties that are rarely seen anymore. So they decided to start another domaine on the side of Clos du Tue-Boeuf (which Thierry is running with his brother Jean-Marie). And so, Château Puzelat-Bonhomme was founded!

That was more than 10 years ago, and today it’s only Pierre-Olivier Bonhomme, because since 2014 Thierry had to focus more on his family’s estate and on all the other projects he is doing. Pierre-O is also now a grown up and can take care of himself.

 Pierre-O works today with nearly 10 hectares of his own vines which they purchased when they started, and he also buys grapes from friends who work organically from 6 hectares. He likes to keep the old clones in the vineyards to keep the sense of origin in the wines and practices ‘marcoutage’ for re-planting vines when needed.

The white wines are fruity and flirty, with depth and personality combined with nice acidity and salty, mineral finish. The reds are perfumed, elegant and on a fruity alley with great drinkability.

2020 Sauvignon

Soil: Flinty clay, limestone, chalk and sand.
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Appellation: Vdf
Age of Vines: Planted 1983-2008

Vinification: Direct press before fermenting and then aged for 7 months in tank and some old 500 liter barrels.

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2020 Touraine Sauvignon Thésée

Soil: Clay, limestone and chalk
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Appellation: AOC Touraine
Age of Vines: Planted 1960-1977

Vinification: Direct press before fermentation and then aged for 14 months in old 228- and 500 liter barrels.

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2021, 2022 Aligoté

Soil: Jurassic limestone
Grape: Aligoté
Appellation: Vdf
Age of Vines: Planted 1993

Vinification: Direct press before fermentation and ageing in old barrels of varied sizes. Vintage 2021 was bottled in November 2022 and vintage 2022 put in bottle in April 2023.

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2022 Tesnière Blanc

Soil: Clay and limestone
Grape: Menu Pineau
Appellation: AOC Touraine
Age of Vines: Planted 1978-1988

Vinification: Direct press before fermenting and then aged for 17 months in old 228- and 500 liter barrels.

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Soil: Clay, limestone and chalk.
Grape: Sauvignon Blanc
Appellation: AOC Touraine
Age of Vines: Planted 1987

Vinification: Harvested 1,5 weeks later than his other Sauvignons, same parcel as the POB. Direct press before fermentation and then ageing for 7 months in old 500 liter barrels before bottling. 40 grams of residual sugar.

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2022 Telquel Rosé

Soil: Clay, limestone and grey silex.
Grape: 70% Cab Franc 30% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: Vdf
Age of Vines: Planted 1988-2008

Vinification: Direct press then fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks. Bottled at the end of April the year following harvest.

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2021 Telquel

Soil: Clay, limestone and grey silex.
Grape: 70 % Gamay 20% Cabernet Franc 5% Grolleau 5% Pineau d’Aunis
Appellation: Vin de France
Age of Vines: Planted 1988-2008

Vinification: Whole cluster fermentation in open vats for 1 week with some light punchdowns, then gently pressed and aged in tank and old 500 liter barrels for 7 months before bottling.

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2022 Tésnière Rouge

Soil: Clay and limestone
Grape: Pineau d’Aunis
Appellation: AOC Touraine
Age of Vines: Planted 1988-1993

Vinification: Whole cluster fermentation in open vats for 12 days with some light punchdowns, then gently pressed and aged in old 228- and 500 liter barrels for 7 months before bottling.

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2022 Bossionere

Soil: Flint and clay.
Grape: Pineau d’Aunis
Appellation: AOC Touraine
Age of Vines: Planted 1980

Vinification: Whole cluster fermentation in open vats for 12 days with some light punchdowns, then gently pressed and aged in old 228- and 500 liter barrels for 7 months before bottling.

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2018 Monsieur

Soil: Clay and limestone
Grape: 70 % Côt 30% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation: Vdf
Age of Vines: Planted 1980