La Tour Saint-Martin: Wines
Unsurprising in view of the territory, the white wines of La Tour Saint-Martin, whether from Menetou-Salon or Valençay, are made using Sauvignon Blanc. There is more variety in red though, as although the red wines of Menetou-Salon mirror those of Sancerre, and are thus all made using Pinot Noir, the red wines of Valençay are much more typical of Touraine. The backbone of this latter appellation is thus Gamay, although other varieties such as Cabernet Franc and Côt do make an appearance.
As a general rule the fruit is picked by a mix of machine- and hand-harvesting, and delivered to the cellars where, after sorting over a table de tri, the whites are pressed immediately, while the reds go into vat for a pre-fermentation cold maceration followed by the fermentation, and some fruit may also first be destemmed. Bertrand still favours stainless steel for entry-level whites, while several upper-class white cuvées are vinified in oak, and the red wines are managed in oak throughout, either in cuves or barrels. The exact process, of course, depends on the appellation and cuvée, and I provide this detail below.
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