Domaine Ogereau: Vineyards
Vincent and Emmanuel Ogereau have about 26 hectares of vines, the domaine having expanded from the 12 hectares it covered when Vincent took control. This more recent figure is one that has changed little over the years I have known the domaine, a reflection of Vincent’s belief that to expand much beyond this area would force him to commit to machine-harvesting, which as I have already explained is not something he believes in. The only expansion of note was the acquisition, in 2015, of two small parcels in the Chaume and Quarts de Chaume appellations. On their vineyards, which have predominantly schistose soils (although there are also some areas of gravel), they have the usual array of Anjou varieties, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc for the most part, but also Grolleau, Gamay, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay. Overall the vines are aged about 40 years.
Quality begins in the vineyard, and Vincent and Emmanuel are committed to carrying out much of the vineyard work by hand. There is a debudding of the vines by hand in spring, and a strict green harvest in summer in order to keep yields to a controlled level. between the rows the soil is ploughed, or planted with cover crops such as oats (pictured), and beneath the vines the soil is worked. If leaf plucking is deemed to be helpful, then it is carried out as required. For many years the over-arching philosophy has been very conventional, with limited use of chemical treatments, but in recent years the domaine has increasingly shifted towards a more organic way of working. Indeed, the domaine was first certified organic, by ECOCERT, in 2019.
The vineyards are stretched across several major appellations, including Anjou, Savennières, Coteaux du Layon and Quarts de Chaume.
