Between Duras and Bergerac, on the hillsides of the Southwest, Thierry and Lily Pluquet are passionately reviving the 2.3 hectares of Clos des Figuiers.

In 2022, the couple took over this vineyard, which had been abandoned for two years. That first year was dedicated to significant work: restructuring the vines, regenerating the soil, and renovating the trellising. There was no harvest that year, but a strong commitment to laying a solid foundation. 2023 finally marked their first harvest, the fruit of unwavering patience and determination.

Their philosophy is clear: to intervene as little as possible, to promote biodiversity, and to recreate a living ecosystem around the vines. Trees are planted to diversify the landscape, and sheep graze between the rows, naturally contributing to soil maintenance.

In the vineyards, Clos des Figuiers cultivates Sauvignon Blanc (1/4) and Merlot (3/4) on clay-limestone soil. The vines are pruned using the Guyot Ploussard method, a gentle pruning technique that respects the plant. The soils, entirely grassed over, support a rich microbial life, essential to the vineyard's balance. Treatments are limited to plant-based liquid fertilizers (horsetail, nettle, comfrey) supplementing the use of copper and sulfur. Finally, the harvest, exclusively by hand, guarantees optimal respect for the grapes.

Thierry and Lily move forward with admirable humility, guided by observation and attentive listening to nature. Their approach is simple: allow the vines time to express themselves and nurture the wine with as little intervention as possible.

In the winery, we follow the same principles with little or no intervention; we only use sulfur if the vintages require it…

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