The story of the Domaine Philippe Gilbert gives splendid evidence to the fact that our world of wine is endlessly fascinating and encompasses more than the technical aspects of growing grapes and turning them into wine. Philippe Gilbert was a dramaturg, producing and also writing plays for the theatre. In fact, one of his creations, a poetic and philosophical contemplation of the horrors of the Srebrenica massacre in Bosnia, was performed in the States. He is, then, a vigneron with a unique background. Nevertheless, he is very much the vigneron, having returned to take over the direction of his family domaine located in the hamlet of Faucards in the midst of the Menetou-Salon appellation. Having traveled the world and explored the intellectual side of the arts, Philippe still felt the pull of the soils that his father worked for many years, recognizing that, as his father prepared to retire, the domaine would no longer exist as it was without his participation. This is all understandable once it is understood that a certain Francois Gilbert turned from being a tavern-keeper to establish this domaine all the way back in 1768.
His return reinvigorated this domaine, one of the largest in the appellation with its twenty-seven hectares under cultivation. With the assistance of his colleague, Jean-Philippe Louis, Philippe Gilbert has plunged headlong into the system of biodynamic viticulture and the domaine is now certified as an organic producer. The vineyards are scattered throughout the heart of the appellation in prime sectors of the villages of Menetou-Salon, Vignoux, Parassy and Morogues. The soil is a classic mix of clay and limestone that sits on the famous kimmeridgian basin that extends from Menetou through Sancerre and Pouilly-sur-Loire to Chablis and Champagne. This informs the wines of Menetou-Salon and makes them, at their best, intensely mineral with formidable persistence on the palate. The appellation itself covers a mere 470 hectares in a narrow band five kilometers wide and twenty-five kilometers long (from Pigny to Humbligny) and only Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc are permitted to be planted to qualify for the appellation. The micro-climate of Menetou-Salon is marked by warm days and cool nights which permit the grapes to develop proper sugar levels while maintaining excellent acid balance.
Farming
Certified Biodynamic by Demeter since 2017, certified biodynamic by Biodyvin since 2007. Certified organic by Ecocert since 2006, practicing organic since 2003
Treatments
Copper-sulfate only
Ploughing
Annual ploughing to promote soil health, with 1 ha ploughed by horse
Soils
Kimmeridgian limestone clays, similar to the soils of Sancerre and Chablis
Vines
Trained in Guyot and planted at 10,000 vines/ha. Average age is 25-30 years
Yields
Controlled through severe winter pruning and debudding
Harvest
Entirely manual, in mid-late September
Sourcing
Entirely estate fruit
Fermentation
All wines ferment spontaneously in stainless-steel and concrete tanks. Red wines see c. 70-80% destemming. Cuvaison lasts 2-3 weeks
Extraction
Red wines see pumpovers during fermentation; white wines do not see bâtonnage
Chaptalization
None
Pressing
Pneumatic pressing for reds, pneumatic, whole-cluster, direct pressing for whites
Malolactic Fermentation
Follows alcoholic fermentation for reds, blocked in whites to preserve freshness
Élevage
Wines spend 10-18 months in stainless-steel and concrete tanks
lees
6-8 months for basic wines, 12 months for single parcel wines
Fining and Filtration
Wines are fined with diatomaceous earth or bentonite and are unfiltered
sulfur
25-40 mg/l total sulfur
Optional caption text here lorem ipsum
