Once upon a time ...

I first created my business in February 2021. For a year, I continued my job as a trainer in a training center. And at the same time, I worked the vines but this situation very quickly became untenable. I therefore decided on January 1, 2022 to devote myself solely to my deepest convictions.

I am based in Allier to the south of the AOC Saint Pourçain but I have chosen not to follow their specifications. Therefore, I am classified “Vin de France”. I do not practice monoculture, my vines are oases of biodiversity in a fairly hostile environment dedicated to cereal cultivation.

I am a small winegrower on 4 hectares, 2.5 in production and 1.5 in plantation. These are strings of small plots, formerly owned by individuals in several communities around my farm. I picked them all up from wasteland. These are generations of local families who have succeeded one another with so many stories... They are mainly Gamay and hybrid grape varieties. These vines range from 1870 for the oldest to 1946 for the youngest. The majority of vines have not been grafted!

My largest block is 2 hectares. The grape varieties are Chardonnay from 1998 on ½ hectare. Gamay and Plantet or Seibel 5455 from around 1920 to complete the whole thing. I multiply old grape varieties from my region and I gave myself 4 years to achieve this completely. These grape varieties are Romorantin, Tressallier and Saint Pierre Doré.

I work alone and biodynamically but I am also open to all other practices that take care of living things. Biodynamics is not a dogma for me. I also like to create, try, dare, study and evaluate my practices.

Due to the abandoned state of all these plots, they were certified AB from their first year of recovery. I practice Guyot pruning, which was a real challenge to cut 5 to 8 year old vines to start again on new bases. Miracle, I barely lost any? It must be said that I healed the wounds a lot and devoted time to strengthening their immune defenses. I also plant fruit trees every year and I maintain the numerous ones that already populate my vines. I top it all off with old vegetables as a priority.

In the vineyard, I use biodynamic preparations, animal compost and mineral and vegetable decoctions to vitalize it and give it good health. I use a little sulfur and very little copper sulfate. And this, especially on very young vines... In 2023, I was seriously hit by a strong attack of mildew. I didn't insist though!

I don't prune my vines. Otherwise my soils are grassed, mowed manually if the period is rainy so as not to let too much moisture stagnate below the leaves. On very stony soils, I scratch the top superficially to avoid letting the stones close the top, especially in spring. I have three clayey, limestone, stony or high fertility terroirs.

The harvest is naturally done manually. Sorting is important, the harvest is expensive and long. They are made with small openwork boxes weighing no more than 10 kilos. This work only takes place in the morning. On return, the white or red grapes are stored in the same way, whole bunches in vats with movable ceilings with a maximum capacity of 10 HL.

Maceration lasts around 40 days. In fact, I wait until mid-October to work on my grapes. History that the temperatures are lower and, in a descending moon. I apply a light press at the exit of the tanks. I don't use any pump at any time, I move my juices to the barrels using buckets. No question of disturbing the juices!

I don't use any inputs or SO2... For me, it's inconceivable, a natural wine by definition must remain natural! My juices remain for 6 months in oak barrels on their lees, they are regularly nourished by stirring in a descending moon to obtain additional aromas. Bottling is done manually without filtering. I claim 100% handmade wines!

These are wines that I like, light and fruity!