DOMAINE GROSBOIS

The Producer

Grosbois is a family estate located in the heart of the Loire Valley, in Panzoult, in the AOP Chinon. Its origins date back to the 15th century, but its winegrowing history began in 1991 when Jacques and Jocelyne, the arborist parents of Nicolas and Sylvain who now run the estate, took over the vineyard, which had been left more and more abandoned over the years.

The two brothers are citizens of the world, they have vinified in both hemispheres and in France for many years. Despite this wandering, they never doubted that they would return home to take over the family business. In 2006, they took over the reins of the vineyard in order to perpetuate their vision of organic agriculture, biodynamics and polyculture. Carried by their passion and their humanity, the requirement of these two brothers is to reproduce a harmony between man and nature on this vineyard of 26 hectares.

The commitments

Starting in 2006, Nicolas injected new energy into the vineyard. First the switch to BIO, then trials in biodynamics that will lead to a total conversion of the land in 2019.

The soils are worked on the surface in order to respect the biodiversity that makes them up. The development of the plants is also closely monitored and a particular attention to the plant stems from the organic farming and biodynamics implemented in the estate. The harvest is done manually and at the rhythm of man and nature, with respect for the earth, the vines and the bunches.

At the Grosbois estate, polyculture is essential in the agroecology model. It plays a fundamental role in that it stimulates biodiversity, gives strength to the soil and allows the farm to be self-sufficient in the long run. The peasant and farmer spirit of the brothers could not put aside the preservation of biodiversity, fauna and flora. There are cereals to feed the cows (which cohabit with pigs and bees) and a vegetable garden to feed the men.

Finally, for Nicolas and Sylvain, biodynamics was an obvious choice. It is about conceiving the entire vineyard as an agricultural organism, an autonomous and individualized entity. The plant is a living organism that is part of a whole, it is necessary to exploit the richness of the earth to strengthen the vines. Furthermore, the spraying follows a dynamic lunar calendar to optimize the interactions between the vines. All this results in straight, 100% natural wines!

Terroir

The estate is located on the right bank of the Vienne Valley, between Tours and Saumur. The confluence of the red waters of the Vienne and the white waters of the Loire favors a particular climate because very little wind. Covering 9 hectares of vines, the vineyard is essentially composed of millarges friables soils, yellow quartz sands which keep the heat at the end of the vegetative cycle, on which the Cabernet Franc is the only cultivated grape variety.

To preserve this precious terroir, low yields are recommended, around 40 hectoliters/hectare and a high planting density (5800 vines/hectare) to promote the expression of the terroirs and guarantee a good regularity in the quality of the wines.

The wine

My Mother's Kitchen is a 100% Cabernet Franc cuvée, in AOP Chinon. Made from Alexandre Moreau's young vines, in organic conversion, this wine offers intense fruit and a beautiful balance that gives a beautiful mouth with fine tannins. To be enjoyed without moderation with friends.