Domaine de Reuilly

When tasting the wines of Denis Jamain, it is clear that the appellation of Reuilly, in the eastern Loire, is experiencing a renaissance, moving far beyond its former status as the “poor man’s Sancerre.” This land was once a source of great pride, having been part of a gift of the 7th century king, Dagobert, to the Royal Abbey of Saint Denis. Phylloxera had ravaged the majority of the vineyards here in the late 19th century, but Camille Rousseau (Denis’ maternal grandfather) had faith in the future of Reuilly. In 1935, he planted his first vines here, in addition to farming a large oak forest on the outskirts of town. Denis shares his grandfather’s passion for the vineyards and the forest, as well as his hometown pride. Though he studied in the United States and speaks excellent English, this charismatic and friendly gentleman wanted nothing more than to return home to take over the family domaine. In 1990, Denis began adding to the family holdings. Today, he farms a total of seventeen hectares in the heart of the appellation, with eleven planted to Sauvignon Blanc, four planted to Pinot Noir, and two planted to Pinot Gris, which makes his superb and distinctive Reuilly rosé.

The soils here are rich, resting on the prized Kimmeridgian limestone, a geological chain that connects the Loire Valley with Chablis in Burgundy. This limestone is valued for its high content of marine and shell fossils dating back 150 million years ago to the Jurassic period. These minerals are without equal for producing some of the most beautiful whites in France. Denis has been practicing sustainable agriculture for many years and has recently started the conversion process for organic certification. Though he uses both stainless steel tanks and oak, Denis is very proud to be able to select special oaks from his grandfather’s forest to make his barrels. This is the concept of “local” in its purest form.

Technical Information

Wine	Blend	Vine Age	Soil Type	Vineyard Area*
Reuilly Blanc “Les Pierres Plates”	Sauvignon Blanc	23 years average	Clay, Kimmeridgian Limestone	2 ha
Reuilly Pinot Gris	Pinot Gris	10 years average	Siliceous Gravel	2 ha
Reuilly Rouge	Pinot Noir	23 years average	Clay, Limestone	4 ha (in total of Pinot Noir)
Reuilly Rouge "Les Chênes"	Pinot Noir	23 years average	Clay, Limestone	4 ha (in total of Pinot Noir)
Reuilly Blanc “Les Fossiles”	Sauvignon Blanc	30 years	Clay, Kimmeridgian Limestone	2 ha
* "ha" = hectares; one hectare equals roughly two and a half acres

VITICULTURE / VINIFICATION

• Domaine is certified organic as of 2011

• As of 2015, all vineyards except the Pinot Gris are certified biodynamic

• Vineyards are all worked by hand

• Limited yields

• Harvested by hand

• Vinifications are traditional and temperature-controlled

• Cold maceration before the alcoholic fermentation last 3-4 days
• Fermentation lasts 15 days with only indigenous yeasts
• Daily punchdowns and pumpovers for approximatively 5 days depending on the vintage and then one pumpover every 2 days until the end of the fermentation
• Reuilly rouge “Les Chênes” is aged for 12 months in barrel (25% new, 25% 1 year old, 25% 2 years old, 25% 3 years old)

• Oaks are harvested from Jamain’s own forest to make the barrels for the Pinot Noir

• Pinot Gris made by direct press, does not undergo malolactic fermentation

MISCELLANEA

Reuilly is in Sauvignon Blanc territory, an ancient winemaking village that today has only about 300 acres in vines. Our bottling, Pierres Plates, is from a specific vineyard with Chablis-like soil full of chalk, fossils and sea shells. Try to imagine Sancerre grown at Chablis. The fruit is lively, with white flower perfumes, citrus and minerality. It has finesse and precision.

If you want to experience what I mean when I say minerality, notice the first impression on the palate, which is of fresh, cushiony, Sancerre-like Sauvignon Blanc. Then, immediately, there is a firmness, a stony firmness that appears from within the wine. Let’s call it Terroir to the Rescue, because a wine with nothing but pure fruit seems banal.

Kermit Lynch