Our terroir

Located on the edge of the Saumur region, the Domaine du Vieux Pressoir benefits from an exceptional terroir to produce Saumur and Puy Notre Dame appellation wines. Saumur - Puy Notre Dame.

The climatic conditions, the natural features of the landscape, the grape variety and the soil structure define the terroir, and contribute to the unique character of our wines.

The Terroir of the domain

The estate's 26 ha are planted mainly with Chenin and Cabernet franc on two different terroir coteaux : Jurassic and Turonian. Both allow good water drainage.

Jurassic terroir

The Jurassic terroir is characterized by hard limestone, flinty clay and quartz.

The Turonian terroir

The upper Turonian terroir is made up of sandy-clay chalk.

Grape Varieties

The vineyard parcels are mainly Cabernet franc and Chenin.

Cabernet franc

Cabernet franc particularly thrives on clay-limestone soils, producing fruity, supple wines with good ageing potential. Our Jurassic terroir allows it to express all its qualities to the full.

Chenin

Originally from Anjou, is one of the most characteristic white grape varieties of the Loire Valley. Its strength lies in its ability to translate the minerality and character of its native soil into its wines. It produces great white wines with aromas of fruit and flowers.

The vineyard also boasts the Chardonnay grape variety, perfectly suited to sparkling wines, used in blends with Chenin.

The Climate

Our vineyards enjoy a mild, temperate climate with an oceanic influence. This gives our grapes optimum ripeness.

The vineyards benefit from a climate that limits the risk of frost.

Topography

The vines are planted, on average, at an altitude of 80 meters, which protects them from spring frosts.

The Mauges massif, located 40 km west of Puy-Notre-Dame, stops much of the rainfall, allowing the grapes to reach perfect ripeness, harvested in September and October.

Wine-making practices

The selection of the grape varieties and the conduct of the wine-making process are the subject of constant and meticulous care. All the viticultural work we carry out is done with respect for the vine and in a quest for quality. The viticultural practices carried out in our vineyards are a determining factor in the quality of the wines we produce:

• Pruning: for an equitable distribution of grapes on the vine and to allow it to adapt to the possibilities of the environment
• Disbudding : to maintain production potential
• Leaf removal: to encourage better ripening of the grapes and to aerate the bunches to avoid the development of grey rot
• Grass cover between the rows: to provide reasonable competition for the vines and allow them to draw all the nutrients from deep within the tufa.

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Read more:

A vineyard certified organic in 2024
Domaine du Vieux Pressoir certified HVE
‍Soils and climates in Val-de-Loire