The vineyard lives according to the seasons,discover our work and philosophy.
WINTER
We prune our vines manually in winter, during the period of vegetative rest. This step is crucial and requires a certain level of expertise. We take care to prune while respecting the past history of the vine and its future, while ensuring control of yields.
In the cellar, we meticulously monitor the aging of our wines in vats, in large casks or in oak barrels and we ensure the proper continuation of aging on lees, for wines produced using the Traditional Method.
SPRING
As the first buds and leaves appear, it is essential to protect our vineyard from fungal diseases and pests.
Our vineyard is managed using integrated pest management, a method of intervention that only occurs when the risk is significant. The use of plant protection products is therefore limited in order to promote sustainable agriculture and respect for the environment.
Our vineyard plots are protected against grape berry moths thanks to a collective biotechnical method: sexual confusion, used in the spring instead of using insecticides. We also carry out bud removal and vine training.
In the cellar, the aging of the wines is coming to an end. It’s time to do the bottling.
SUMMER
We rigorously monitor the health of our vines throughout the summer. Our priority is to protect the grapes until they reach optimal ripeness.
In parallel, we carry out various green operations. Pruning helps us control the foliage and the growth of the shoots. After flowering, we remove the leaves, which allows the vine to breathe and promotes the ripening of the berries thanks to the sun’s rays.
In the cellar, the upcoming harvest is approaching… In the winery, it’s time for the major preparations in the vat room. Then comes August, when we take a break to come back refreshed for the start of the new school year!
AUTUMN
The grape harvests, which are increasingly early, now begin at the end of summer and the beginning of autumn. From the very first days of September, we take samples from the vineyards to monitor the ripening of the grapes and thus determine the harvest dates day by day.
We begin by hand-harvesting the Chardonnay and Chenin Blanc destined for Crémant de Loire. The technical capabilities of a harvesting machine are then used to harvest the Chenin Blanc intended for Vouvray Méthode Traditionnelle, some of our still Vouvray wines, as well as the red grape varieties destined for Touraine Méthode Traditionnelle Rosé.
The harvest continues manually for the Chenin Blanc intended for the Vouvray Sec, Moelleux and Liquoreux cuvées, such as Ammonite, les Larmes and L’Enchanteur. In this case, the grapes are sorted on tables at the end of the rows of vines. The aim of this operation is to extract the best from the vintage to achieve the optimal degree of potential richness, according to the type of wine sought.
The harvested grapes are immediately transported to the winery and pressed. The juices are then vinified in vats, oak barrels or large casks.
“For our finest vintages, we have opted for manual harvesting in order to preserve the integrity of our grapes.”