Alex's Notes on Domaine Jérémie Huchet
This is a very small, family‑run domaine in the Loire Valley, like so many family estates of this size it works rather quietly in producing high quality yet honest wines that reflect their little corner of the region. A family that has been farming this land for six generations.
This little corner being in the region surrounding the town of Monthou-sur-Cher, a short distance to the east of the city of Tours, an area abundant with numerous castles (the famous Château de Chenonceau is nearby) as well as sparkling wine producers.
The domaine takes its name from the 'Route des Vaublins' which runs down from Monthou-sur-Cher to the nearby river Cher.
Vaublins has grown organically over generations, with vineyard holdings and the winery being gradually modernised as new generations of the Deniau family took over. The estate’s philosophy is rooted in respect for the land, modest scale, and hands‑on farming. There is very little glitz and glamour involved here! They are not charging one penny for flashy marketing; it's all about the land and the wine.
Winemaking & Ethos
The Deniau family's approach is deliberately low‑intervention, aiming to let the fruit and site speak clearly. Their winemaking therefore encompasses:
- Hand-harvesting to preserve fruit integrity.
- Gentle pressing to preserve purity: I feel this is very much in evidence in their wine.
- Cool fermentations in stainless steel or neutral vessels: for vibrancy and precision.
- Minimal use of oak
- Spontaneous fermentations, using native yeasts that are present in the vineyard and winery.
- Low sulphur dioxide additions, used judiciously to protect but not shape the wine.
- Long ageing on lees for their sparkling.
They produce wines that are clean and bright with a focus on varietal purity, very much in evidence in their Crémant. It boasts crisp acidity, fresh citrus and orchard fruit, very fine bubbles, a mineral backbone thanks to the limestone soils, moderate alcohol, and with a real sense of finesse.
Terroir - the environment that dictates viticultural and winemaking methods, and shapes the wine
This domaine's 16 hectares (39 acres) of vineyard are typical of the central Loire’s mosaic of soils, consisting of limestone/chalk, clay-limestone and silex (flint). These soils imbue the wine with tension, texture, and mineral notes.
The area's cool climate and long growing season allow slow ripening, preserving acidity and aromatic detail, vital for quality sparkling wine. Exposure and drainage are key: the vineyards sit on gentle slopes with good airflow, helping maintain healthy fruit and clean, precise flavours.
Sustainability
In my experience, for small family producers sustainability and environmental stewardship tend to be central to their approach.
The domaine is certified for "having high environmental value" via France's "Haute Valeur Environnementale" program. This program entails:
- Sustainable organic principles with reduced chemical inputs.
- Mechanical weeding rather than using herbicides, while growing grasses between rows to encourage biodiversity.
- Manual canopy management to reduce disease pressure and tractor emissions.
- Low yields via pruning and green harvesting
Small is just so utterly beautiful in wine, if not vital - for wine quality, for the environment, for our farming families, custodians of the land.
