A bad boy in Pomerol
Apparent opposition
The young Pomerol winemaker’s imposing stature quickly gives way to delicate, precise gestures.
This apparent opposition is not something he dislikes, and sums up what this newcomer to the great community of Pomerolais wants to do here: shake up the appellation and preserve a prestigious ancestral heritage.
Julien’s aim is to make a clean, precise and unique terroir wine, a Pomerol expression in which the Merlot and Cabernet Franc reveal the brightness and freshness of the fruit. He is convinced that this great Pomerol terroir produces grapes that need to be supported, not rushed, and that each container will end up illuminating the wine.
“I don’t want to be like my neighbours,’ he says, ’but I absolutely want to be recognised as a Pomerol, slightly atypical yet perfectly identifiable.”
Julien Bidou
An artisanal dimension
The son of a winegrower from the entre-deux-mers region has a deeply artisanal dimension to him, which he asserts from the very first meeting.
It sets the tone and colour for an elegant, human-scale winery. He wanted it to be a place for experimentation, with barrels from many different origins, tuns and amphorae. The prestigious PDO will not prevent this bad boy winemaker – as he likes to call himself – from pursuing all kinds of research.
He’s like a captain standing at the prow of a schooner flying the Pomerol flag, taking in the 4 hectares of vines in 12 identified parcels.
Bad Boy
A vineyard on a human scale
He likes the human scale of his vineyard, which gives the winegrower power and responsiveness, and takes particular care with this pure jewel of greenery on the outskirts of Libourne.
A context that compels the young winegrower to be a farmer. Here, hedges and vigorous vines gently waft away the scents of tender plants.
And then you realise, in the heart of this cosy winery, beneath the red cross on a classy grey background, that the ingredients are there to create a fleshy, complex wine with a distinctly Pomerol patina. The gamble paid off for this Sainte-Marie, which is tiptoeing forward with a firm hand.
