Domaine Delaporte: Vineyards
The domaine is located in the village of Chavignol, and with the family having been settled here for centuries it is not surprising to find that they have extensive facilities here. Approaching the village from the direction of Sancerre, looking up to the cross on the Cul de Beaujeu, Domaine Delaporte has cellars and a tasting room on the left-hand side of the road, offices on the right-hand side of the road, and a capacious, warehouse-like winery housing a grape reception area, pressing and fermentation facilities at the foot of Les Monts Damnés, behind the houses on the right-hand side.
As already mentioned in my introduction, there are 33 hectares of vines to this domaine, of which 25 hectares are planted to Sauvignon Blanc, and 8 hectares are planted to Pinot Noir. These vineyards are spread across the three classic terroirs of Sancerre, with 30% (which is 12 hectares) planted on flint; this a significant figure as flint accounts for only 12% of the entire appellation, so for a domaine to have nearly one-third of its vines on this terroir is unusual. Then Matthieu has 25% of his vines on terres blanches, the classic Kimmeridgian marl of Les Monts Damnés, the Cul de Beaujeu (pictured) and other corners of Sancerre, and finally he has 45% of the domaine planted on caillottes, very stony soils generally of Oxfordian origin.
Please log in to continue reading: