Domaine de la Pinte - Pierre Martin
At the heart of the Arbois vineyard, Roger MARTIN writes a page in the history of Yellow Wine. At a place called "La Pinte à la Capitaine", on the blue marls of Lias, he plants 14 hectares of Savagnin. It was then the largest estate planted in Savagnin. Today, Pierre MARTIN continues his father's work and has enlarged the Estate which has 34 hectares of vines (including 17 from Savagnin, 6 from Chardonnay, 7 from Poulsard, 4 from Trousseau and Pinot Noir).
We are winemakers, owners harvesting, and as such, we make our wine, from the bunch to the dressed bottle, we make all our harvest and nothing but our harvest.
Since 1999 we practice organic viticulture and in 2009 we decided to convert to biodynamics.
We practice shallow plowing which does not destructure the soil but on the contrary which will contribute to the harmony between each element which composes it: micro-organisms, trace elements minerals, micro fauna ... The use of compost, prepared horn dung, horn silica…
Biodynamic culture also allows yeasts to develop on the skin of the grapes. The more varieties of indigenous yeast, the more distinctive the wine will be.
The grapes are harvested by hand and we vinify with these indigenous yeasts. The use of sulfur is limited and not systematic: a little on the juices before fermentation begins, sometimes during maturing.
The breeding is done in barrels, 1/2 muids and casks, the duration varies according to the grape varieties:
From 12 months (Poulsard) to 18 to 24 months (Chardonnay, Melon, Pinot noir and Trousseau) up to 5 years for the Savagnins ouillé. We work mainly with barrels of several wines which no longer "drink" the wines.
Savagnins intended to produce yellow wine remain minimum 6 years and 3 months in the same barrel without any filling.
For our crémants, we use grape must in fermentation to make the second fermentation in the bottle: This brings both the indigenous yeasts and the natural sugar of our grapes, essential for making foam.
The wines are aged on fine lees and racked according to the lunar calendar. We favor the transfer of wines by working by gravity.