Since 1991, Vincent Gaudry has been handcrafting essential, soulful wines with a profound connectedness to the land and to the collective lineage of vignerons past. At just 16, he joined his father in running the estate established by his grandfather in the tiny hamlet of Chambre, near Sury-en-Vaux, Sancerre. Today, Gaudry’s wines are among the most authentic, artisanal, and limited of the region.
A true minimalist whose guiding principle is “Trust in Nature,” Vincent began converting to organic farming in 1995, obtaining certification in 2002. He developed a deep appreciation for the balance that a biodynamic philosophy brings to his 11ha of vineyards, becoming the first producer in Sancerre with a Demeter certification in 2004. The vineyards, the forests, and their animal inhabitants work in harmony, and that harmony is felt in the wine.
Near the village of Saint-Satur, at the very top of the steepest part of the lieu-dit Les Bouloises, which towers at about 350 meters in elevation, is a 0.5ha parcel of old vines that brings to life Vincent’s À Mi-Chemin. Here the vines are planted in ferrous Silex soils that are so rocky, dense and steep that plowing is made impossible without the terroir eventually destroying the machines or putting the farmer in danger. But the vineyard is surrounded by forests that protect it from the north wind and standing there, where the distant village of Sancerre looks almost touchable and the vines and the flinty soil reflect the afternoon light, one might feel lifted halfway (“à mi-chemin”) to paradise.
The wine’s remarkable nature is due to Vincent’s strict quality testing: after hand-harvesting and aging for one year in 60-hectoliter used French foudres, Vincent tastes the wine. If his conditions for making À Mi-Chemin are not met, Vincent blends that vintage into his primary cuvée Tournebride. But if they are, the wine spends another year on its fine lees before being directly bottled by hand, without fining or filtration, using the traditional copper spout method mis à la chèvre. The result is a full-bodied, fresh, long and refined Sancerre, offering incredible complexity and aging potential.
Region
Loire Valley
Appellation
Sancerre
Commune
Saint-Satur
Vineyard
Les Bouloises (0.5ha, southwest exposure)
Elevation
350m
Grapes
100% Sauvignon Blanc (planted from old massale selection)
Vine Age
35+ years old
Soil
Ferrous, red silex over limestone
Fermentation
Spontaneously fermented with native yeasts in a single 60hL used French oak foudre
Aging
24 months on the fine lees in the same foudre without bâtonnage before being bottled according to the lunar calendar
MLF
Spontaneous
Farming
Certified organic (Ecocert), Certified Biodynamic (Demeter)
Fining/Filtration
None
Vegan
Yes
ABV
13%
Pack Size
6x750mL