Sebastien Brunet!
Jun 26, 2024
Anyone that was lucky enough to grab a bottle of the 2009 Vouvray (it didn’t stick around for very long!) that we got our hands on recently should recognise this legendary name!
Sébastien Brunet is a man of few words. Working organically came as evidence, vinification from Sparkling to the dry wines
is as natural as possible to make expressive wines, a contrast to his quiet personality.
He assumed control of Domaine Roche Fleurie in 2006, after the untimely passing of his father, Michel. The pair had worked together for six harvests following Sébastien’s graduation from the lycée viticole in Amboise.
Michel had inherited some three hectares of vines from his father in 1974 and had quietly built up the domaine to 15 hectares by the time of his death. In the past few years Sébastien has been converted to organic viticulture.
The vineyards stretch along the valley of the Brenne, a small tributary that runs perpendicular to the Loire and hosts vines on both the premier côteau and the plateau behind. The most northerly plots are in the village of Reugny and follow the course of the Brenne down through Chançay which is where the cellar hewn out of the tufa is located.
Everything is harvested by hand, into 15kg lug-boxes and the winemaking process sees as little intervention as possible. Brunet implements a slow, gentle extraction in a pneumatic press, each load allowed up to 4h30 to ensure the capture of the best quality juice. Settling is slow and without the use of enzymes and, after 36 hours, the wines are allowed to begin their fermentation using only indigenous yeasts.
We met with Sebastien in Millesime Bio in January and loved his wines, they were a joy to behold, wines of power and concentration but also freshness and we now have our hands on some more of his Sparkling Vouvray!
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Click the link below if you fancy a bottle or 6!!
