The word pinard in French is a slang term wine of poor or indifferent quality: plonk. The wines of Domaine Vincent Pinard are anything but that! They are, in fact, wines of great authenticity and quality, indisputably among the very best expressions of Sancerre.
Veritas began working with the Domaine more than two decades ago, when it was managed by the talented and innovative Vincent Pinard. Today, the Domaine is helmed by Vincent’s sons, Florent and Clément Pinard. The Pinard family has a winemaking tradition that dates back 20 generations, with a history deeply intertwined with the terroir of Sancerre. Florent joined the family estate in 2001, after training with Jean-Louis Trapet. Clément joined in 2017, bringing experience from Domaine Trévallon. Together, they have continued their father Vincent’s legacy, producing wines that emphasize authenticity and terroir expression
The domaine spans 17 hectares of vineyards, primarily situated in Bué. This includes 12.5 hectares planted with Sauvignon Blanc and 4.5 hectares with Pinot Noir. The vineyards benefit from two types of soil characteristic of the Sancerre appellation: Terres Blanches (clay-limestone marl) and Caillottes (hard soil, rich in calcium carbonate). Both derive from the predominance of Kimmeridgean limestone, the renowned sedimentary rock rich in marine fossils and complex mineral content that most wine writers credit with the superiority of many of the world’s most celebrated wines: Sancerre, Chablis, Champagne, Burgundy, Mosel, and Rheingau.
The Pinard brothers practice organic (certified since 2004) and biodynamic viticulture (certification pending). Their approach includes the use of natural preparations, following the lunar calendar for vineyard and winery work, and using sulfur minimally, only during bottling. They avoid herbicides and insecticides, focusing instead on maintaining the health and vitality of their soils through sustainable practices. This meticulous care extends to their vineyard management techniques, such as green harvesting and hand-picking, ensuring only the best quality grapes are used in their wines.
In the winery, Florent and Clément Pinard employ a low-intervention approach to allow the natural characteristics of the grapes and terroir to fully express themselves. . They use a combination of wooden vats, tanks, and barrels for vinification of the Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. The wines undergo spontaneous fermentation over isolated indigenous yeasts, and aging takes place in a mix of stainless steel tanks, old barriques, and larger demi-muids. Their flagship white Sancerre cuvée, Florès, undergoes partial fermentation in oak, adding another layer of complexity to its profile. The domaine also produces single-vineyard white cuvées from some of the best sites in Bué, such as Petit Chemarin, Grand Chemarin, Chêne Marchand, and Le Chateau, often referred as the grand cru of Sancerre.
The Pinot Noir grapes are sorted on a vibrating table and typically destemmed to avoid excessive tannin extraction, although there is some stem inclusion for Vendanges Entières. The cuvaison lasts approximately 30 days, after which the wines are barrel aged for 17-20 months, with not more than 20% new oak for some cuvées. As with the white Sancerre, there is no fining or filtration. There are no added sulphites, except for a minuscule amount of mined volcanic sulphur, prepared in-house by the brothers , which is added during assemblage.
