At the Domaine Gérard Fiou, in Saint-Satur, Florent Bourgeois makes the most of his old vines and the vein of flint that runs along the Loire river to make bright, lively Sancerre wines that respect the environment and the soil

Florent Bourgeois has managed the estate since 2013. His family heritage, his background and his tour of the winemaking world have allowed him to develop and perfect his viticulture and winemaking techniques to deliver expressive and brilliant terroir wines, which are among the finest wines of Sancerre.

The domaine covers a total of 9ha80, planted with Sauvignon blanc and Pinot noir. The plots are gathered on a flinty hillside (clay-siliceous soil) of Saint-Satur, at the foot of the peak of Sancerre and less than a kilometer from the Loire.

The flint represents 20% of the terroirs of Sancerre, alongside the “terres blanche” (40%) and the “caillottes” (40%). It is therefore the rarest and most characteristic terroir of the appellation which extends over 14 communes along the left bank of the Loire. Domaine Gérard Fiou has developed an expertise in working with this demanding terroir which produces lively wines with a characteristic minerality.

Long considered too difficult to cultivate, the flinty soil is now one of the most interesting in the Sancerre appellation for many of its winegrowers. The vineyard is encouraged by natural viticulture methods (limited irrigation, minimal fertilization, work on drainage of the soil, etc.). The vine is encouraged by natural viticulture methods (limited irrigation, fertilizer, work on soil drainage, etc.) to draw the energy necessary for its development from deep in the soil, which brings its roots into contact with the flints that make the wines of Domaine Gérard Fiou so distinctive.

Organic Vineyard Management