Vincent Pinard: Vineyards
The Vincent Pinard domaine accounts for 17 hectares of vines planted on the slopes around Bué, including some very notable sites. Of these 17 hectares about 70% is committed to Sauvignon Blanc, the rest being Pinot Noir, and the Pinards have a very good reputation for their work with both varieties. On the whole the vines are planted on caillottes, the Oxfordian limestone which characterises the vineyards of Bué. Indeed, this soil type characterises much of Sancerre, the flint soils being a rare streak that runs up through Sancerre itself and nearby Saint-Satur, while the Kimmeridgian limestones are most prominent on the slopes of Chavignol.
The vines are planted at a density typically somewhere between 7000 and 10000 vines per hectare, depending on the plot. Most work in the vines is achieved by hand; the yields are controlled by short pruning, debudding and green harvesting if required, and when it comes to harvest time there is much hand-picking here, hence the convey of white vans (and don’t forget the Méhari) described in my introduction to this profile. Vincent Pinard does not, to my knowledge, subscribe to any organic or biodynamic philosophy, nevertheless the family do work the vines with sustainability in mind. They use no chemical herbicides, fungicides or pesticides, and have a very sensible philosophy that centres around the harvesting of fruit in the best condition possible, thereby allowing them to work without excess additives in the winery, making clean, additive-free wines.
Please log in to continue reading: