Francis Jourdain

History

An estate with a long history... not winegrowing! Indeed, the Francis Jourdain estate is set on a site full of history, supporting the winegrower's family for many centuries. Even if wine wasn't on the agenda for this family at the time, they still made the most of this very special soil, cutting flint during the Napoleonic era. Later, some of them decided to plant vines, setting themselves a new challenge, and produced the first wines from this terroir.

But viticulturally speaking, it was only very recently that the estate took on a new name: Francis Jourdain. The winemaker, who had worked in arboriculture for a decade, took over the 32-hectare estate in 1990. He looks after this atypical terroir and strives to respect the balance between it and his vines. It's the story of his family, which for generations has upheld the values of respect for nature. To maintain this course, he is no longer alone, as Sophie joined him in 2009...

Incomparable precision

Our two protagonists work hard to produce wines that express an entire history. 32 hectares of vines spread over two appellations that have already proved their worth in the French wine world: Valençay and Touraine.

Everything on this estate is orchestrated to respect nature's handiwork, starting with the choice of grape varieties on the different soils. The balance between the two is paramount, something to which the estate pays particular attention.

The Valençay vineyard is made up of warm, stony soils, an ideal blend for grape varieties such as Côt, Sauvignon Rose and Chardonnay. The vineyard's chalky soils are reserved for Pinot Noir to reveal its red fruit notes, long finish and suppleness.

The Touraine vineyard features Gamay, Côt (= Malbec) and Sauvignon Blanc. Planted on the famous "pierre à fusil" (gunflint), the latter expresses mineral and floral notes, while the Gamay remains fruity and round. Côt, on the other hand, is more responsive and powerful.

You get the idea... At Domaine Francis Jourdain, it's all about alchemy and balance. This notion is also reflected in the cultivation of the vines throughout the year (pruning, disbudding, etc.). Controlled grassing regulates the vigor of each vine and each grape variety to ensure good grape quality. Francis and Sophie, through their exemplary work, take great care to cultivate healthy bunches of grapes, rich in aroma. In the end, it's thanks to this ethic and dedication that the domaine always manages to surprise us with grandiose wines...