La Porte Saint Jean
Sylvain Dittière & Pauline Foucault, passionate winemakers, orchestrate their domaine La Porte Saint Jean with a singular vision. The 6-hectare vineyard, located between Montreuil-Bellay and Doué-la-Fontaine, is divided into three distinct zones: La Perlée, Les Cormiers and the most recent: Les Pouches. These lands are home to three grape varieties: Chenin, Cabernet Franc, and a few acres of old Sauvignon Blanc vines, all organically farmed.
The diversity of the estate, with its clay-loam soils at La Perlée, clay-limestone with flint at Les Cormiers, and the work undertaken on Les Pouches since 2017, translates into an undeniable richness. Sylvain Dittière, a farmer's grandson, embodies a global vision of vineyard development, favoring the virtues of agroforestry and a respectful ecosystem. As for Pauline Foucault, she cut her teeth at Clos Rougeard, co-managed at the time by her father.
Relying on organic farming, Sylvain and Pauline do not aspire to a specific label on their bottles, although all their wines are certified organic. Using herbal teas such as horsetail to combat oidium and mildew, and willow bark to stimulate the vines' natural defenses, they maintain a natural balance. Horse-drawn ploughing on steep slopes and replacing missing vines illustrate their commitment to respectful practices, with minimal applications of sulfur and cuivre.
In the tradition of the region's finest estates, La Porte Saint Jean produces lively, elegant and precise wines. Having been in existence for 11 years since the first vintage, the estate has become a benchmark. The doamine emphasizes its meticulous, natural approach: fermentations are simple and natural, with no inputs or yeast, followed by extended barrel ageing.
The fermentation process allows the wines to mature at their own pace in the cellar's constant cool environment. At La Porte Saint Jean, the emphasis is on infusion rather than extraction, giving the wines an elegant feel despite long macerations. Malolactic fermentation takes place naturally in barrels, and aging lasts 18 months for La Porte Saint Jean and Les Pouches Blanc, and 24 months for La Perlée, Les Pouches Rouge, and Les Cormiers (100% new barrels). No sulfur is used during vinification, although it may be added in minute quantities before bottling to protect the wines if necessary.
