Jean Maupertuis

Jean Maupertuis is a discreet winemaker, yet he is the pioneer of natural wine in Auvergne and pioneer of natural wine in general. He set up in Saint-Georges 25 years ago after finding vineyards to take over and he decides to vinify the grapes without adding sulphite from the first vintage onwards, which has not been without difficulties, as he modestly admits.
Jean first sells his production locally, at fairs or markets, until he is discovered by Parisian restaurateurs who are convinced of the new generation of pioneers of sustainable wine production, such as Overnoy or Lapierre.
In 1999, he embarked on the adventure of Domaine de Payras with Stéphane Majeune and Eric Garnier. The wines of the three friends impress by the accuracy of the vinification and the originality of their aromatic profile. Domaine Payras becomes a star and places Auvergne at the top of the list of regions for natural wine lovers. After the extremely difficult climatic vintages of 2002 and 2003, the harmony in the winery breaks and Maupertuis starts his own.
Jean, who learned the trade from Marcel Lapierre, says he makes wines for wine bars, focused on lightness, carbonic blends that are easy to drink away. But there is an exciting complexity in the wines he simply devises, which surely comes from the diversity of the Auvergne soils. But also from his craftsmanship, from diligent work and profound experience. What he would not admit, out of the sympathetic modesty.