Situated in Sancerre, France, the family estate of Henri Bourgeois has been passed down through the family for ten generations. Now an established winegrower in Sancerre, the Bourgeois Family is immensely respected for their commitment to terroir-driven expressions of Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Clos Henri, their family vineyard in Marlborough, tells the journey of a family who has cultivated vines both in Chavignol, Sancerre and Marlborough, New Zealand.
The major turning point in the Family’s history was Henri Bourgeois. Starting with the cultivation of two hectares on the hills of Chavignol, he made the audacious bet, in the 1950s, to devote himself to his vines in a region that was still unknown. This was the birthplace of the quality wines to which he lent his name. His sons, Jean-Marie and Rémi, joined him in the 1960s and continued the adventure: they discovered new terroirs, acquired land and became ambassadors for the reputation of Sancerre in France and abroad.
Their ‘Great Search’ spanned 12 years, finally leading them to Marlborough, New Zealand’s wine capital, in 2000. It was here in the Wairau Valley, carved by ancient glaciers over millions of years, that the pair found soils most similar to their native Sancerre. Quickly they identified the potential of the region to nurture ultra premium Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir.
Taken by the youthfulness and untouched nature of its soils, they fell in love with Marlborough and its terroir, along with its wines. With eight generations of pioneering winemakers behind them, they made the instinctive and emotive decision to set down roots in the region. Rémi and Jean-Marie purchased 98 hectares of land in the Wairau Valley, proudly naming it ‘Clos Henri, pronounced “Klo Enrie”: Henri in honour of their pioneering father and his commitment to producing world-class wines, ‘Clos’ being a French word which represents the ancient custom of enclosing a unique vineyard or precious garden, traditionally with a stone wall.
Today, Arnaud, Lionel and Jean-Christophe Bourgeois are as much the heirs of these men as they are the initiators of the future of the vines and wines of the house. The family works closely together, translating their individual vivacities and own generous personalities into the wines, now naturally associated with the name "Famille Bourgeois”.
