Yellow with a slight silvery hue. In addition to the elegant aroma of citrus and white peach, there is a hint of minerality. In the mouth, it is full-bodied and dry, with fine acidity, a smooth texture and a pleasant minerality. The vineyard is located on a hill with clay-silex soil.
Made from the oldest vines owned by the Domaine.
We take care to ensure that the wooden tanks used for vinification have the best effect on the wine, we use only barriques for alcoholic fermentation, and 12 months of aging on fine lees gives the wine its complexity.
Located in the Vouvray appellation, the vineyards are close to the city of Tours and its numerous castles.
The Vouvray appellation is located on the right bank of the Loire Valley, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The appellation is located east of Tours and covers 2,200 hectares in 7 communes. We contributed to the development of the vineyards in the region, the introduction of Chenin Blanc in Saint Martin and the founding of the Abbaye de Marmoutier.
The topsoil of the vineyards is a clay silex soil called Perruche, and a clay limestone soil mixed with pebbles called Aubuis, and the bedrock is tufa (chalk containing muscovite).
The Domaine has a large, double-storey underground cellar of 800 metres, which is the pride of a family that is passionate about their work and eager to share their know-how. All winemaking is carried out on-site, and the underground cellars are where the still wines and crémant are stored and aged before being shipped. <History>
The history of the Domaine began in 1914 when 2 hectares of vineyards and 20 hectares of grain fields were taken over by cooper François Gaillard and his wife Aimée Duchamp, daughter of a winegrower from Parçay-Meslay.
François Gaillard acquired wine cellars and barns and his business flourished. From 1937 onwards, the white wines gained recognition and were submitted to the competitions in Tours and Paris. In April 1939, his daughter Geneviève Gaillard married Gustave Gilet, the youngest son of Ernest Gilet, a winegrower from Parsay-Mesrey. In 1946, Gérard, the eldest, joined them, and in 1951, Bernard, the youngest. In 1954, the cellars were expanded to two levels and many vineyards were purchased, mainly in Rochecorbon. In 1959, the village's first sparkling wine, made with a second fermentation in bottle, was a great success, and it became possible to expand the range of white wines. In 1990, an automated line for labeling was installed. In 2001, Jean-Marc Gilet, Gerard's son, took over the Domaine. In 2008, they released Brut extra, which is characterized by extremely fine bubbles and is released after a second fermentation in the bottle and 24 months of aging. Jean-Marc has faithfully inherited the family spirit and continues to develop the Domaine.
We have been rooted in this land for a long time, and we have inherited the belief that we should cultivate vines with modern techniques in pursuit of wine quality. For more than 10 years, we have been adhering to this belief and striving for healthier agricultural practices, contributing to environmental protection and the preservation of the global environment. 27 hectares on earth is a small amount, but we think it is important. Although organic cultivation requires a lot of effort, we are proud of the fact that we can now produce more natural and high-quality wines. Our environmental efforts extend to the selection of raw materials. We carefully select our suppliers, taking into account not only the innovation and quality of the ingredients, but also their origin.
We have always preferred Made in France, and marketing is also important, so I have been a member of Vignerons Indépendants for over 20 years and I advocate direct trade.
In order to constantly evolve, we are actively working to obtain the French environmental certification HVE (Haute Valeur Environnemental) by promoting natural resources and systems (biodiversity conservation: insects, trees, hedges, grasslands, flowers, water management), farm self-sufficiency, increased added value of products, reduced energy consumption, and reduced use of pesticides (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, etc.).