The Domain

Our terroir

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

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 26 ha of the estate are mainly planted with Chenin and Cabernet Franc on two different terroir slopes: the Jurassic terroir and the Turonian terroir.
The Jurassic terroir is characterised by hard limestone, flinty clay and quartz.
The upper Turonian terroir is made up of sandy clay chalk.

Grape Varieties

The vineyard's plots are mainly made up of Cabernet Franc and Chenin.
Cabernet Franc is particularly suited to clay-limestone soils, giving fruity, supple wines with good ageing potential. Our Jurassic terroir therefore 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 land into its wines. It produces great white wines with aromas of fruit and flowers.
The vineyard also has the Chardonnay variety, which is perfectly suited to sparkling wines, used in a blend with Chenin.

The Climate

Our vineyard is subject to a mild, temperate climate with an oceanic influence, which allow to harvest at an optimal ripness.
The vineyard benefits from a climate that limits the risk of frost.

Topography

The vines are planted, on average, at an altitude of 80 metres, which protects them from spring frosts.
The Mauges massif, located 40 km west of Puy-Notre-Dame, stops a good part of the rainfall and thus allows the grapes to reach perfect maturity, 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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