Clos du Porteau: Vineyards
Clos du Porteau is located in the commune of Saint-Georges-sur-Cher, at the heart of which sits the picturesque village of the same name, centred around a single crossing over the Cher. The domaine sits nestled at the side of a small valley created by the Ruisseau de Senelles, which runs down to the Cher, joining it just upstream of the village. A number of other vignerons have their domaines dotted about the valley, although none with the renown of the Clos du Porteau.
The domaine has 12 hectares of vines on its doorstep, many of which climb up the slope behind the property; once you are among the vines, only the rooftops of the buildings are visible (as seen on the previous page). There is a fairly traditional mix of red varieties, led by Malbec (Côt if you prefer), followed by Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Gamay. The white varieties planted include Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. He also has some Pinot Gris and some Grolleau Gris. This effectively being the banks of the Cher, the soils are clay and limestone.
Aynard made no fuss about the family’s approach to viticulture during my visit, but on examining the vineyards (another pictured) it is pretty clear that they are managed organically, the domaine having been recently converted to organic viticulture.
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