In Vernou-sur-Brenne, just a few kilometers east of Vouvray, the Domaine François et Julien Pinon tells a family story that began more than two centuries ago. Eight generations have succeeded one another in the Cousse valley, gradually shaping a vineyard now entirely dedicated to Chenin blanc.
Here, this grape variety takes on many forms : dry and crisp, soft and generous, sweet or luscious when the year allows it, not to mention sparkling wines. This diversity is the true wealth of this family estate, an emblem of the Vouvray AOC, which we are about to discover.
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A family story since 1786
The history of Domaine François and Julien Pinon dates back to 1786, the year since which the family has owned vineyards in the Cousse Valley, in Vernou-sur-Brenne. Generations have succeeded one another on these Vouvray hillsides, passing down the vines and expertise enriched over time.
In 1987, François Pinon took over the estate after working for ten years as a child psychologist. There, he developed a more attentive approach to soil life and vineyard balance, which gradually led him to commit the property to organic farming.
His son Julien also followed a path far from viticulture before returning to the family vines. Trained in urban planning, he gradually joined his father at the estate, officially taking the reins in 2018. Since François' passing in 2021, Julien has continued this story with the desire to keep the family legacy alive while asserting his own sensibility as a winemaker.
A harvest day at Domaine Pinon in the 1930s
The Cousse valley, birthplace of the family vineyard
Julien Pinon now cultivates 15 hectares of vines organically on the slopes of the Cousse valley, in Vernou-sur-Brenne.
Exclusively planted with Chenin blanc, the vineyard features varied exposures and vines of different ages, with the oldest reaching around 70 years. Most of the vines are over twenty years old, forming a well-established plant heritage.
To this diversity is added that of the soils, where, depending on the plots, clay, flint, and limestone, are mixed on a subsoil of tuffeau characteristic of Vouvray.
These terroirs contribute to the nuances of the different cuvées. Clay, in particular, retains water and can support the nourishment of the vines during dry periods, while the proportion of flint, the depth of the soils, and the presence of limestone influence their functioning. Exposure, slope, and the choices of the winemaker complete this diversity: the character of a wine is therefore not limited to the nature of its soil alone.
From harvest to aging, precision in the cellar
At the estate, the harvest is carried out entirely by hand, allowing the timing in the plots to be adapted to the desired level of ripeness. Grapes intended for sparkling wines are generally picked first, followed by those reserved for dry and semi-dry whites. When the year allows, some bunches are left longer on the vine to concentrate their sugars and aromas, giving rise to the estate's sweet and luscious cuvées.
Once the grapes are pressed, the juices ferment naturally thanks to native yeasts, without the addition of selected yeasts. Fermentations can then last several weeks, or even several months depending on the richness of the musts and the conditions of the vintage.
The wines are then aged on fine lees during the winter to gain texture and complexity. Then, the aging continues in tanks, oak barrels, or certain old casks, depending on the desired profile. At the estate, wood accompanies the wine without seeking to impose an aromatic signature.
The different cuvées are generally monitored separately before blending and bottling. This approach gives significant importance to the vintage, which directly influences the final balance of the wines, from the most taut dry to the richest expressions.
The guiding principle remains simple: intervene with restraint, observe each wine on a case-by-case basis and allow it time to find its balance.
Manual harvesting, an essential expertise at Domaine François et Julien Pinon
The wines of Domaine François et Julien Pinon
The Pinon estate range illustrates all the versatility of Chenin in Vouvray, with expressions ranging from the most taut dry wines to fuller demi-secs, as well as sweet, luscious, and sparkling wines.
The dry wines
-The Sec comes mainly from the estate's clay plots. This cuvée offers a pure expression of Chenin, with a lively, direct, and delicious palate. Its balance makes it an easy wine to pair with oysters, seafood, fish, or the traditional rillettes from Touraine.
-Le Bon Pinon revives an old cuvée created by Julien's great-grandfather. From the oldest plot of the estate, planted in 1945, this wine is aged in some of the oldest barrels kept on the property, including casks that once held Port. The profile is deeper and more textured, with a true personality.
-Les Déronnières Sec comes from a first slope particularly rich in limestone, considered by the family as one of its finest plots. Aged in oak foudres, the wine has greater depth and structure, while maintaining a fresh and precise framework.
Les Deronnières, a unique expression of the terroir by Julien Pinon
The off-dry wines
-Les Trois Argiles offers a generous and rich expression, balanced by the natural acidity of Chenin. Its off-dry profile allows it to pair just as well with Asian cuisine as with white meats, slightly sweet and savory dishes, or certain cheeses.
-Silex Noir comes from hillsides marked by flint. The palate combines sweetness, freshness, and tension, with a more mineral and versatile profile at the table.
Sweet wines
When the climate allows, Julien Pinon lets certain grape clusters continue to ripen in order to produce sweet and luscious wines. The concentration can then come from overripe grapes or noble rot. Nevertheless, Chenin retains enough acidity to balance the sugar richness and allow the best vintages to last for several decades.
Wines capable of lasting decades and which particularly illustrate the aging potential of Chenin in Vouvray.
The sparkling wines
Chenin also lends itself very well to sparkling wines, which play an important role in the estate's production.
Julien notably produces Brut, Demi-sec and non-dosed, versions, aged for several years on laths before disgorgement. Depending on the cuvées and vintages, the time spent in the cellar can be significantly extended to bring greater complexity.
The estate also experiments with more unique expressions, such as the Brut spontané, made by allowing the natural fermentation to continue without adding yeast or sugar. Another side of Chenin, more festive, but always true to this pursuit of elegance and balance.
In summary
At Pinon, Vouvray is available in all its forms: dry and crisp whites, delicious off-dry wines, great sweet wines, or fine sparkling wines. This diversity is what makes the estate so interesting, with each cuvée expressing a personality shaped by the soils, the ripeness of the grapes, and the conditions of the vintage.
More than two centuries after the family first settled on this land, Julien Pinon continues an eight-generation legacy while forging his own path. This story lives on in expressive wines, true to their origin and, for the finest cuvées, endowed with remarkable aging potential.
Discover the wines of Domaine François and Julien Pinon in the La Cave Éclairée selection. From dry white to sparkling, including sweet cuvées, we will be delighted to advise you according to your tastes and the occasion!
