List of products by brand VIGNOBLES MOURAT

Based at Mareuil-sur-Lay in the Vendée, Vignobles Mourat farm 125 hectares of certified organic vines on ancient schist and rhyolite soils within the Fiefs Vendéens appellation. The Mourat family's connection to wine stretches back to 1880 — first as growers on the Île de Ré, then as merchants in Les Sables d'Olonne — before Jean Mourat established Château Marie du Fou in 1974. His son Jérémie took the helm in 1998 and achieved full organic certification by 2019, working south-facing slopes above the Lay valley. At Halles Quercamps, we selected this estate for the rigour of its approach: a characterful terroir, a broad palette of varieties — Chenin, Cabernet Franc, Négrette, Pinot Noir — and a clear range of reds, whites and rosés. A Vendée estate well worth following.

Vignobles Mourat represent one of the most deeply rooted winemaking stories in the Vendée: a family connection to wine spanning well over a century, 125 hectares farmed entirely under organic certification, and a bedrock of schist and rhyolite that lends each cuvée a recognisable mineral character.

A family bound to wine since 1880

The Mourat family's ties to viticulture reach back to 1880, when their forebears were already working vines on the Île de Ré and trading wine from Les Sables d'Olonne. It was Jean Mourat who gave the estate its modern form, founding Château Marie du Fou in 1974 on the slopes above the Lay valley at Mareuil-sur-Lay. In 1998, his son Jérémie took over the reins — a generational handover that would prove decisive. Rather than simply maintaining what had been built, Jérémie set about a thorough rethinking of how the vines were farmed, embarking on a full conversion to organic agriculture that culminated in certification in 2019. Today, Vignobles Mourat stands as one of the most committed and coherent estates in the Fiefs Vendéens.

Terroir: ancient soils on south-facing slopes

The 125 hectares of vines sit on soils of schist and rhyolite of primary geological origin — some of the oldest rock formations found beneath any Loire appellation. These well-drained, mineral-rich substrates impose a natural discipline on the vine, encouraging deep rooting and restraining vigour without the need for chemical intervention. The plots are positioned on south-facing hillsides and mid-slopes overlooking the Lay valley, benefiting from good sun exposure and the moderating influence of the Atlantic, which tempers both summer heat and winter cold. The result is a terroir of genuine character, capable of producing wines with freshness, structure and a distinctive mineral thread.

Organic farming: a commitment, not a label

Jérémie Mourat's conversion to certified organic agriculture was not a marketing decision but a long-held conviction. The entire 125-hectare estate operates without synthetic pesticides, herbicides or fertilisers. Soil life, vine balance and biodiversity are central to the approach. The organic certification obtained in 2019 formalised a direction that had been building for years. Across the Fiefs Vendéens, this level of commitment across such a large surface area remains relatively rare, and it underpins the quality and consistency of the wines we list.

The wine range: red, white and rosé across the Fiefs Vendéens

Vignobles Mourat produce a complete range across all three colours, drawing on a diverse palette of grape varieties well suited to the Vendée terroir:

Reds — built principally on Cabernet Franc, Négrette and Pinot Noir; expect structure tempered by Atlantic freshness, with mineral depth from the schist soils
Whites — led by Chenin and Chardonnay; the Chenin in particular expresses the mineral tension of the rhyolite and schist with notable precision
Rosés — fresh, dry and food-friendly, reflecting the estate's commitment to balance over extraction

The range is coherent and clearly defined — a quality that we value when selecting estates for our customers.

Why we have selected Vignobles Mourat

We have listed Vignobles Mourat at Halles Quercamps for three reasons that matter to us as a merchant. First, the terroir is genuinely distinctive: primary-era schist and rhyolite are not common in the Loire, and they give the wines a mineral signature that sets them apart from the broader appellation. Second, the organic commitment is thorough and long-standing — 125 hectares certified since 2019, driven by conviction rather than trend. Third, the range is admirably coherent: reds, whites and rosés that each reflect their origin without overworking the fruit.

These wines suit the enthusiast who enjoys exploring beyond the well-trodden Loire appellations. At the table, the whites pair beautifully with Atlantic seafood — oysters, grilled sole, langoustines — while the reds complement duck, charcuterie and mild cheeses from the west of France.