Guide
to the Loire regions
Quincy
a
The
Loire’s
oldest Appellation Contrôlée
‘Ce beau village au faîte d’un coteau,
Pas loin du Cher et tout près du ruisseau,
C’est Quincy, Quincy, Quincy
C’est Quincy, des vignerons, le paradis, mais oui!’
- Extract from ‘Les Gars de Quincy’ by Georges Dangla, 1908
Contents:
This
page:
- Facts and figures
- Ten of the Best
- Overview
- History
- In the vineyard
Situation and orientation
Communes
Climate
Soil
Permitted grape
varieties
Planting density and pruning
- In
the cellar
Wine styles
- Recent
Vintages
Links:
Facts
and figures – The appellation at a glance
|
Appellation Contrôlée: 6th August 1936
Vineyards in Production: 240 hectares (2008)
Number of Growers: 33
Number of Co-operatives: Nil
Communes: 2
Wine Styles: White
Permitted Varieties: Sauvignon Blanc
Declared Production: 11,670hl (2008)
Vine Density: 5,500 vines per hectare minimum
Yield: 60hl/ha
|
Ten
of the Best:
Sorting out
the wheat from the chaff…
With relatively few growers in both Quincy and Reuilly and a fair amount
of cross-pollination (a reference to various Quincy producers now making
wine in Reuilly), I have offered a combined ‘Ten of the Best’. The
precocious nature of these wines means that no tasting notes are offered
and evaluations have been made primarily using the 2009 vintage as a
benchmark. The growers in each section are listed in alphabetical order.
The Best
Ten producers in Quincy and Reuilly:
- Domaine Bigonneau
(Quincy and Reuilly)
- Claude Lafond
(Reuilly)
- Domaine Lecomte
(Quincy)
- Domaine André Pigeat
(Quincy)
- Domaine de Reuilly
(Reuilly)
- Jacques Rouzé
(Quincy and Reuilly)
- Domaine Trotereau
(Quincy)
- Domaine de Villalin
(Quincy)
- Jacques Vincent
(Reuilly)
- Chantel Wilk & Jacques Tatin
(Quincy and Reuilly)
Ten honourable addresses in Quincy:
- Domaine Sylvian Bailly
(Quincy)
- Domaine de la Commanderie
(Quincy and Reuilly)
- Domaine de Chevilly
(Quincy)
- Domaine du Coudray
(Quincy)
- Domaine des Grands Ormes
(Quincy)
- Philippe Portier
(Quincy)
- Valérie Renaudat
(Reuilly and Quincy)
- Jean-Claude Roux
(Quincy)
- Jacques Siret, Domaine du Grand Rosiers (Quincy)
- Vincent Siret-Courtaud
(Quincy)

Overview
Quincy (it rhymes with
Nancy) is a small and typically paysan village serviced by a single lousy bar and a
boulangerie with little else (apart from the obvious opportunity to taste
with growers) to attract the casual visitor. In fact one wonders why,
when the appellation was created in 1936, that it wasn’t christened after the
neighbouring commune of Brinay which at least exudes some character and
draws in tourists who come to admire the 12th Century frescos
in its pretty little church.
Situated some twenty kilometres north-west of
the city of Bourges, the vineyards of Quincy are farmed (as in
neighbouring Reuilly) mostly by vigneron-agriculteurs;
at just 240 hectares in size it’s interesting to note that the appellation is
smaller than the majority of the farms owned by the individual céréaliers.
Improvements in quality over the past two decades come down to the
pioneering spirit of the likes of Jean Tatin who encouraged the planting
of better quality vineyard material and was instrumental in establishing
one of the two co-operation cellars that vinify a sizeable proportion of the
appellation. Organic vineyard growth and a strong domestic following has
also ensured that supply rarely exceeds demand and, satisfyingly, the
prices remain lower than those commanded by the Sancerrois
(the wines of Quincy and Reuilly are mostly between two-thirds and
three-quarters the price of Sancerre) whilst the relative quality is often
their equal.
This fact hasn’t evaded the important Berrichone
négociants, with both Henri Bourgeois and Joseph Mellot active in the
appellation. Their presence here has only helped to consolidate the
success and recognition of Quincy outside of France by introducing their
international clients to the appellation, although official export figures
suggests that only 16% of its production is exported - compared to
Sancerre’s 53%.
Whilst the
négociants have been exploiting Quincy, a number of independent
growers in the appellation have turned their interests to buying and
renting land in Reuilly. One would have thought that with their close
proximity to each other there would have historically been plenty of cross-fertilisation between the
two appellations, yet it is only the current
generation of growers who have traversed the appellation boundary. And the
traffic is mostly one way (there is only one bone-fide producer in Reuilly
who is active in Quincy), the reason being that producers here are
restricted to the production of white wine only but by exploiting
Reuilly’s right to make red, rosé and gris,
growers in Quincy can at least embellish their existing mono-cépage
offering. It’s
essentially a commercial decision.
One anomaly that
can’t be ignored is the omission of the village of Preuilly in the
appellation statute. As the map (below) illustrates, its vineyards lie on the same
north-south axis as those of Quincy and Brinay, enjoying the same climate,
soil and orientation. So why then was Preuilly excluded from the appellation in
1936? Questions during my research came up with various theories, but it
essentially resolves around a conflict between two men: the entrepreneur mayor
of Quincy and the committed communist mayor of Preuilly. The two
protagonists clearly had
little in accord with the former blocking any advances by the vignerons
of Preuilly. Some commentators believe that the growers were approached but didn’t
want any part of it, clearly not understanding the potential long term
benefits of belonging part of the fledgling Appellation Contrôlée
initiative. Whatever the reason, Preuilly remained in the viticultural
wilderness - producing humble Vin de
Table for the next 37 years - until the commune was invited to become part of
the Reuilly appellation in 1973. It is political decisions like this that
undermine the credibility of the AC system, with natural cynics (like me)
needing to look no further than the lieu-dit
of Mirabelle - split between the two communes of Quincy and Preuilly - to
highlight these hypocrisies. Within Mirabelle the northern half (located
in Quincy) is planted
to Sauvignon whilst the section in Preuilly is mostly Pinot Noir. It’s
ludicrous.
So what differentiates the wines of Quincy from
the other Sauvignon appellations of the Berry? It would be fair to say
that the fairly formulaic production methods for the variety throughout
the Loire can often blur any real sense of place, especially when growers
employ commercial yeast strains (which they mostly do). First and
foremost, Quincy
needs to be a vin de cépage, displaying the typical characters Sauvignon. The
lighter sand and gravel soils of the appellation mean that the wines
barely show anything other than a modest sense of minerality or an
identifiable soil type, as should be the case with a vineyard specific
Sancerre or Pouilly-Fumé. A classic Quincy should be light and fresh,
floral and fruity; a wine that is destined to be consumed within the first
couple of years as there is simply no real incentive to keep them. Beyond
that, vintage character can and should be identifiable. In what would be
considered a ‘standard’ vintage (more recently 2007 and 2008), one
would expect the wines to display (what the growers would like to think
as) blackcurrant leaf or cassis aromas and flavours which can tease the
senses with whiffs of both fruit-like and vegetative characters emanating
from the same glass. In leaner years (more recently 2004), the wines can
appear stricter and unripe with the aroma and flavour profile moving
towards a greener, cat’s piss
expression. On the other hand, riper years (more recently 2005 and 2009)
add greater texture to the wines, bringing them closer to the style that
one would expect to find in neighbouring Reuilly.

The
wine harvest - 12th Century fresco in the church at Brinay
History
Stone
tools found in the sandy gravel soils of what is now the lieu-dit of Le Pressoir in Brinay attest to some sort of human
habitation that dates back an estimated 700,000 years.
The name of Quincy is believed to originate from the name of Quintius, a leader of the Bituriges-Cubi, a local tribe centred on
Bourges around the first century BC. We know that the vine has been
cultivated in the Berry since Roman times although there is no documentary
evidence as to which varieties might have been planted here. Certainly,
Gregory of Tours (538-594) mentions in his work The
History of the Franks, the existence of wine in the Berry by 582.
It’s believed that Sauvignon Blanc (or even Sauvignon Gris) arrived in Quincy
during the Middle Ages with Benedictine monks, who are said to have
planted Savignum at the Abbaye des
Femmes de Beauvoir. Founded in 1234 by Robert 1er de Courteney
(1168-1239), grandson of Louis VI, the abbey was located at Marmargne
between Bourges and Mehun-sur-Yèrve. When Saint-Louis, King of France
(1214-1270) and his mother, Blanche de Castilleaimaient visited Beauvoir,
the royal dignitary’s departing message was ‘Bon
Chair, Bon Vin!’ meaning ‘Good
Food, Good Wine!’ Unfortunately, little evidence of the abbeys
existence remains today.
By the turn of the first millennium, all the vineyards along the banks of
the Cher were in the possession of the abbey at Vierzon. It’s believed
that this is the source of vineyard material that the Augustine monks
acquired when planting vines around the abbey at Saint-Satur (at the foot
of the hill of Sancerre) and for the abbatiale
in La Charité, sitated on the opposite bank to Pouilly-sur-Loire. In 1120
(Burgundian born) Pope Calixtus II cited the wines in official
correspondence and the religious influence extends to various depictions
of scenes from the viticultural year in both painting and sculpture,
around the churches of the region. Recently restored stone carvings on the
Gothic porch at the Cathédrale Saint-Etienne in Bourges were completed
around 1225, whilst frescos in the churches of Brinay and Allouis which
depict the wine harvest date back to the 12th Century.
QUINCY
– VIN NOBLE
Once considered the ‘Vin de
Bourges’ there is an element of confusion as to who actually
christened the wines of Quincy ‘Vin
Noble’, a term that some growers in the appellation insist on
retaining on their labels today. Chronologically, Jean, Duc de Berry (1340
– 1416) and the third son of King John II of France, is the first
candidate. Jean,
who was a great patron of the arts, most famously commissioning the Très
Riches Heures, would
certainly have enjoyed Quincy as his local wine whilst in residence at his
château in Mehun-sur-Yèvre. The other nominee is King Charles VII (1403
– 1461), often referred to derisively as the ‘King of Bourges’ since
he spent much of his reign here. His own private cup-bearer (the Medieval
equivalent of a sommelier), Jean de Maubruny, owned a vineyard in Brinay.
By the 16th Century the wines were being transported to Paris
for the table of the Valois court.
THE 20TH CENTURY
Until the end of the 1800s the production in Quincy was centred on both
red and white wines, although the arrival of railway links to the Midi
meant that growers in the Berry were in greater competition with those in
the south, resulting in a swing in production from red to rosé.
Phylloxera first appeared in the neighbouring département
of Indre in 1878 and by 1885 growers were already grafting onto
American rootstock. But during this period, many vignerons
had already started to turn to farming cereals as an alternative to
viticulture.
Laws passed in May 1919 and July 1927 sought to delimit the zones of
production and to protect the names of specified regions. Increased demand
encouraged a wave of new plantings during the 1920s, with this renewed
interest culminating in the growers of Quincy, led by local producer Emile
Roux (the great-uncle of current vigneronne
Maryline Smith), lobbying the authorities to protect the good name of
Quincy from abuse. Well connected in Paris, it was Roux who took the
initiative and presented the case for recognition within the fledgling
appellation system to the court of appeal in Bourges as early as 1931, his
actions helping to accelerate Quincy’s accession towards some form of
formal recognition. Famously, on the 6th August 1936, Quincy
became the first wine producing region in the Loire valley to receive
Appellation Contrôlée status, despite the vignerons having something of an amateurish attitude towards
winemaking at that time.
The Second World War put a halt to consolidating Quincy’s position as
the leading Sauvignon producing region in the Loire despite there being a
further wave in planting in the years immediately after 1945. During the
period, it was two ex-presidents of the grower syndicate, Gaston Lapha and
Fernand Vilpoux, who were cited as the most important and influential vignerons within the appellation. By 1956 there were an estimated
250 winegrowers (although only 55 sold wine commercially) working a total
of 150 hectares and producing between 4,500hl and 5,000hl each year. By
the early 1960s, however, the appellation was retracting as agricultural
workers began migrating into the cities and started abandoning
viticulture. During this period the village became as famous for its
roofers as its wine. It’s a peculiarity of the houses in Quincy that the
roofs are mainly made of slate and vignerons
often had a complimentary occupation as roofers. The nemesis came in 1975
when the vineyard area dwindled to around 100 hectares as old vignerons
retired without successors. In 1985, Les
Compagnons du Poinçon de Quincy was established. Made up from the
remaining collective of growers, this brotherhood was created to support
and help raise the awareness of the wines of the appellation.
AGRI-CHER, A FAILED INITIATIVE
Established in 1992 and based in Bourges, Agri-Cher was a co-operative set
up for processing and selling cereals. As part of their expansion plans
they also began to diversify into poultry and wine. Several growers in
both Quincy and Reuilly, including the domaines of Jean-Paul Godinat,
Houssier, Picard and Sicard (who were heavily involved with Agri-Cher by
way of their position as local landowning gentry) all signed up to the
scheme where they supplied their grapes to the co-operative. The grapes
were then vinified in a purpose built cellar erected mid-way between the
communes of Preuilly and Quincy. The wines were then sold and marketed by
Agri-Cher; or at least that was the theory. Although wine was only a
nominal part of their business, the run of poor vintages during the early
1990s did little to help their cause and the co-operative failed in 1996/7
leaving those who had supplied it with grapes a legacy of unsold (and
unsaleable) wine.

La Cave Romane
LA CAVE ROMANE – A CO-OPERATION CELLAR
The origins
of the Cave Romane date back to 1992 when advisors from the European
Unions Common Agricultural Policy, or Politique
Agricole Commune, arrived in the Berry and recommended that cereal
farmers explore their options in diversifying their crops. Following the lead of the Cave
de Reuilly, the Cave Romane was conceived in 1993 by three céréaliers: Jean Tatin, Gérard Bigonneau and Domaine de Chevilly.
The association vinified its first harvest (from seven different domaines)
the following year. As a co-operation cellar its objective is to share
resources, rather than grapes, which helps to distinguish it from a
co-operative. The principle is so simple and sensible that it’s amazing
that no other marginal wine region has emanated it.
The cellar is situated in farm buildings which date
back to the 1870s and which once belonged to the Château de Brinay.
Outside, it is possible to see the restored dovecote and pigsty with the
old bergerie now being a wine
storage room.
In 1998 the members of the Cave Romane also took over La Maison Blanche in
Quincy. This facility is made up of two purpose built warehouses erected
in the early 1990s by the Dumange family, owners of Domaine de l’Epinay
in Vouvray. After developing 33 hectares of vineyards in the appellation
(at a time when total plantings numbered around 180ha), the elderly grower
retired and his son, Luc, lost interest and the vines and cellar were
offered for sale. This created a number of new producers (also made up of
mostly local cereal farmers) who saw an opportunity to diversify into
wine.
Today, the two combined facilities in Brinay and Quincy process one
hundred of the appellations 140 hectares of vines, vinifying around 2,500
hectolitres each vintage. In addition, two of the members, Jean-Charles
Bourgat and Jacques Tatin, who have expanded into Reuilly also deliver
their crop to the Cave de Romane.

In
the vineyard
Situation and orientation
The vineyards occupy a low-lying narrow plateau that
runs parallel with the left bank of the Cher for approximately ten
kilometres, although at one point the vines spill over to the opposing
side of the river. To the west the vines mostly butt up against the local
forests of Brinay and Quincy which help afford some minor protection from
the Atlantic fronts. The vineyards tend to face south-south-east and
benefit more from the morning sun. A between 110 and 130 metres above sea
level, the elevation is not high.

Communes
There is nothing complex about the appellation of
Quincy; a single variety grown over two communes on a north-south axis.
Any red or rosé wines produced within the appellation defer to the
generic appellation of Vin de Pays
Coteaux du Cher et de l’Arnon, although very few examples are
encountered even within the region.
Permitted
communes
|
Quincy
Brinay
|
NOTABLE LIEUX-DITS
For such a small appellation, Quincy is split into some tiny plots
(for reasons that are explained below); the map highlights almost 50
separately named lieux-dits
making it appear even more complex that the average Côte d’Or commune.
Sites which deserve a special mention include:
Gatebourse
– To the north of Quincy, this is believed to be one of the oldest sites
and is made up of deep gravel and sand. Jacques Tatin acquired one hectare
here of vines that were planted in the 1960s.
Clos
de la Victoire – A plot referenced widely by numerous growers
during this research. Some vines here date back to the early 1920s. It is
believed that this lieu-dit was once under the ownership of the Château
de Quincy prior to the Revolution.

Les
Brosses - Between
2000 and 2002 members of the Cave de Brinay purchased 60 hectares of land,
known as Domaine de la Brosse, in the centre of the appellation. Although
this was considered virgin land, it is possible that vines were
historically established here.
Villalin
– Actually
the name of the hamlet on the right bank of the Cher, but used
colloquially by the growers when discussing the two lieux-dits
of Le Grand Vigne’ and ‘Les Petits Vignes’. Documents dating back to
1608 refer to the propagation of the vine at Villalin. Today, there are
four producers who maintain vineyards here: Maryline Smith, Jacques Rouzé,
Domaine Mardon and Les BerryCuriens.
La
Pointe - At
the southern-most point of the appellation, this lieu-dit
was planted in 1985 and subsequently acquired by a consortium of Cave de
Romane growers (Jacques Siret, Jean-Claude Roux, Jacques Tatin, Domaine
Sylvian Bailly, Domaine du Coudray, and Domaine Lecomte) when the
Dumange’s withdrew from the appellation.
Les
Rimonets (aka Les
Rimonées, Les Rimonés) - between Quincy and Preuilly is made up of
sand and silt. Producer Jacques Tatin rents land from the famous porcelain
producing family of Deshoulières. It once formed part of the land that
was once historically owned by the Château de Quincy.
Les
Brosses
Le
Pressoir -
An historical site that has unearthed tools used by early man. This lieu-dit
is located close to the village cemetery in Brinay.

Le
Pressoir towards the spire in Brinay
The
vineyards of the Cher and Arnon
For an historical perspective, it is interesting to
note that the following are cited as wine producing communes in the 1962
edition of Vignes et Vins de France
by René Poulain and Louis Jacquelin.
Commune |
Saint-Armond-Mont-Rond
Colombier
Venesmes
Brinay
Lazenay
Lury-sur-Arnon
Massay
Drevant
Saint-Georges-de-Poisieux
Quincy
Chéry
Preuilly
Vierzon-Bourgneuf
Cerbois
|
Climate

The vineyards of Quincy are famously fractious,
historically split into parcels of 0.25 hectares; not so much due to any
inheritance rights, but rather as an insurance policy against frost and
hail. One producer, Domaine Mardon, works 16 different parcels of vines
within the appellation to negate the overall risk. Frost is a perpetual
danger given that the vines are situated on the low, flat plateau so close
to the river. On average there is a serious attack here every five years
and in order to combat the issue the growers have collectively erected
some 32 wind turbines, referred to as either poliennes
or éoliennes. They are reputed to be effective to minus 5-6°
centigrade and are strategically (and theoretically) placed to protect the
entire appellation.
In terms of rainfall, the average precipitation is
around 700mm a year and most of this falls during the winter months
allowing Quincy a relatively dry growing season. The region, however, is
often subjected to localised but severe hail storms which are capable of
wiping out entire parcels of vines.
The harvest tends to happen a few days later than in Reuilly but around
ten days earlier than in Sancerre due (in part) to the early warming of
the sand and gravel soils in spring (Sancerre, at an average altitude of
310 metres, is also much cooler).
Soil
Whilst
Quincy might share the same white grape variety as found in Sancerre and
neighbouring Reuilly, the geology could not be more different. There is
also an understandable logic as to why the appellation only allows
Sauvignon; the soils along this section of the Cher valley are simply not
suitable for the ripening of Pinot Noir.
The
village sits at the south-western extremity of the Kimmeridgean Chain, a
relatively narrow band of hard Portlandian which runs diagonally across
northern France for approximately 200 kilometres. The bench rises in the
Aube (the southern-most part of Champagne), encompassing the vineyards of
Chablis before it enters the Berry. In the Centre it is known colloquially
as either the calcaire du berry or
la champagne berrichone (so
called because the Kimmeridgean marne is almost identical in profile to
that found in Champagne) and there can be little coincidence that the
vineyards of the Coteaux de Giennois, Pouilly-sur-Loire, Sancerre, Menetou-Salon
– and Quincy - all rest on top of this cordon of rock. At Reuilly, a
final outcrop of the Kimmeridgean appears on the left bank of the river
Arnon before it descends under the lower Cretaceous where it has no
further influence on the vineyards of the Loire.
Layered above the calcaire du Berry
is an agglomeration of marls and clays mixed with mollusc and crustacean
shells. Collectively known as the Lacustres
du Berry, this subsoil was deposited here 10,000 years ago after the
last Ice Age once the shallow ocean which then covered the whole of the
Berry retreated.
The reason why Quincy is different to the other Sauvignon based
appellations of the region is that here the Portlandian bench has been
eroded and submerged by the tertiary outwash of the Cher. Since the end of
the last Ice Age debris has been carried down stream, from its origins in
the Massif Central, lining the valley floor - in various degrees of
thickness and composition - with sand, clay and gravel (made up of quartz
and quartzites). Within this agglomeration there is also the remains of an
alluvial pebble bed made up of rolled river stones, or galets
and silex. The depth of this detrital cover varies along the plateau,
but can range from just 40cm to several metres deep. All of this lies
above the layer of Lacustres du
Berry which in turn rests on the Kimmeridgean limestone below.

Jean
Tatin explaining the profile of the sandy soils
The majority of Quincy’s vineyards are planted on the left bank of the
river where the soil make-up is mostly alluvial sand and clay. Once the
bed of the Cher, paradoxically these soils now sit on the plateau that
runs parallel with the course of the river. On the opposite bank the
profile changes to more sand and gravel. Whatever the composition, these
are very poor soils, but growers believe that the more serious wines are
derived from vines planted on the sandy-clay profile of the left bank,
whilst more elegant and lighter examples are associated with those
vineyards established on sandy-gravel.
The low fertility of these sand-clay-gravel soils helps to keep in check
the natural vigour associated with the Sauvignon vine. Yet sand is
beneficial in that it is quick to warm up in the spring, giving the vines
a head start and accelerating the ripening process (even if the downside
is greater risk from spring frosts). It also allows for good drainage,
with the lower strata of clay below also helping to contain excessive
growth and giving the resulting wines greater structure. Except in one or
two locations, most notably in a crescent of exposed limestone on the
right bank of the Cher, it is rare for the roots to penetrate as far as
the Kimmeridgean.
Back on the
western plateau, a series of miniature valleys, or vallons, which run perpendicular to the Cher are made up of deep,
fine grained particles. These tend to be the least favourable sites; not
only because the soils are less interesting, but also as these low-lying
areas are most at risk from frost. The cadastre of the 17th
Century shows that the vineyards at that time were planted within the very
heart of the village of Quincy, typically on the sandy-gravel soils. In
Brinay also, the vines were much closer to its centre than they are today;
their location now replaced by a modest housing estate.

Vine
roots penetrating through the sandy soils
Such is the complexity of the soil types of Quincy, a study produced by
the Chambres d’Agriculture du Cher
et de l’Indre in 2000 identified the following essential six soil
profiles within the appellation.
Soil
profiles |
Terroir
calcaire sur Lacustre
9–12% Quincy and Brinay
Found closest to the Cher where the river has eroded through to the
bedrock, so primarily made up of limestone mingled with small stones
and between 35-45% of clay. This is not ideal for vines.
Terroir
à graviers et sables sur calcaire
5% Quincy and Brinay
This is generally heterogeneous, made up mostly of clay and sand
with some gravel and small stones. This retains moisture and offers
the vine sufficient potential for growth.
Terroir
sur alluvions anciennes sablo-graveleuses
24% Quincy, 13% Brinay
These are ancient alluvial deposits on the higher plateau and made
up of light, sandy soil or sand and gravel. The soils are deep and
allow for good drainage.
Terroir
sur alluvions anciennes des bords de plateau
19%
Quincy, 9% Brinay
Located on the centre of plateau these are light sandy-silt or
sandy-clay with more clay below and offer good drainage.
Terroir
sur alluvions anciennes des plateaux
20%
Quincy, 40% Brinay
Situated at the western edge of the plateau these are light
sandy-silt, sandy-clay or silt-sand with very little stone. The deep
soil makes it difficult to initially establish the vines.
Terroir
complexe
10%
Quincy and Brinay
Heterogeneous soils with clay at deeper levels. There are no stones
in the make up of the soil profile and the poor drainage means it is
unsuitable for the vine.
|
Permitted
grape variety
Sauvignon
Blanc
The success of the variety within the Berry (the
variety represents 70% of the surface area of the vineyards of the Centre Region)
is perhaps best explained by the grapes ability to express itself on the
specific soils of the region, combined with characteristic aromatic
profile derived from this continental climate.
In the 1950s
everything in Quincy was planted en
massale to ensure a diversity of stock, whilst today there
are around 15 clones available for the growers to select from. Two,
however, 108 and 378, are most widely recognised for quality production.
Others grown include 530, 159 and 107.

Sauvignon vines at Villalin
OTHER
VARIETIES
Pinot
Noir
It’s not unreasonable to assume that one might
find a little rogue Pinot Noir planted in the appellation despite the
varieties incompatibility to the soils here. Where it is grown it is
obliged to be sold as Vin de Pays du
Cher
et de l’Arnon. Two examples worth seeking out are wines produced by
Domaine Vilallin (from vines acquired from Raymond Pipet after his death)
and André Pigeat, who has a little Pinot Noir planted in the lieu-dit of ‘Les Coteaux’. Jacques Rouzé mentioned that his
father planted Pinot Noir in 1936 so that his workers and harvesters could
drink some red wine.
Today, the décret states that
it is forbidden to plant Pinot Noir (even for Vin de Table) and not to
plant the same amount of Sauvignon.
Gamay
In the 1956 edition of Les Vins de Loire, Pierre Brejoux states that Quincy was planted to
around 210 hectares vines of which 150ha were Sauvignon. This indicates
that there were a further 60ha of non-Sauvignon varieties planted towards
the end of the 1940s; the majority of which will have been Gamay. In his 1962 tome, Cépages
et Vignobles de France. Tome III, Pierre Galet notes that there
were nine hectares planted in Quincy; something confirmed by Hélène
Mardon who stated that her grandfather planted the variety field blended
with some Gamay Teinturier.
Le Genouillet
Popular in the Berry until the arrival of phylloxera,
Le Genouillet was generally vinified with other red varieties where it
produced wines for early consumption. Now largely forgotten, it is
believed that there were over 3,000 hectares (more than modern day
Sancerre) of Le Genouillet collectively planted within Quincy, Reuilly and
the now defunct vineyards of Issoudun. It was abandoned after the crisis
due to its low yield, inability to ripen fully and its sensitivity to
oidium and grey rot.
Several vines were discovered close to Issoudun in 1990. Cuttings were
propagated at the conservatoire
at Tranzault (within the Indre
department) and an
experimental parcel was established in 2005 under the supervision of
Onivins. Domaine de Villalin in Quincy has since planted 150 vines for
historical interest where the resulting wine is said to offer a flavour
profile of red fruits - framboise and cherry.
Other
historic varieties
Galet (1962) notes that in addition to Sauvignon and Gamay there were a
further seven or eight hectares of mixed plantings which including Malbec
(Côt), Muscadelle, Gouche, Chasselas, Chenin, Melon, Pinot Gris, Durif,
Limberger, Cabernet Sauvignon and numerous hybrids.

Cover crop in Saint-Victoire
Vine
density and pruning
Vine
density
The minimum planting density is 5,500 vines per
hectare with a maximum of 1.45 metres allowed between the row and between 0.90 and 1.25 metres within
the row. Most growers plant at a density of between 6,000 and 6,600
vines per hectare with the main consideration being the ability to harvest
by machine. Virtually everything in the appellation is picked
mechanically; the only two exceptions noted in the course of my research
were with Philippe Pigeat, who hand harvests his oldest vines, and Pierre
Rangon who picks about 10% of his crop manually.
Trellising
and pruning
Whether the grower’s choice is Double or Single
Guyot -the two approved trellising systems - they are selected, primarily,
to accommodate machine harvesting. Single Guyot involves pruning each vine
back to one principal cane and two short spurs, allowing for six to eight
(and a legal maximum of ten) ‘eyes’ on each cane and two on each of
the spurs, whilst the Double Guyot allows for a maximum of 12 ‘eyes’
per vine.
Rootstocks
The two most widely used rootstocks are 3309 and
Riparia Gloire. The latter is said to adapt well to Sauvignon grown on the
light, sandy soils of Quincy.
Declared
plantings
The original 1936 décret for the Quincy sets the boundaries at around 500 hectares
for the appellation (more than twice the current hectarage), with rights
for just an additional four or five hectares granted by the authorities
each year.
Declared
Plantings |
2008
– 240ha
2007 – 240ha
2006 – 223ha
2005 – 208ha
2004 – 174ha
2003 – 174ha
2002 – 174ha
2001 – 174ha
1998 – 167ha
1975 – 100ha
1936 – 220ha
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In
the Cellar
Vinification should, in theory, be conducted within
the appellation - but there are exceptions. For example when the cellar in
Quincy used by Jean-Paul Godinat stopped operating, he successfully
applied to the authorities to allow him to vinify his wine at his cellar
in Menetou-Salon, although the grapes are still pressed in Quincy.
In the revised 1974 edition of Les
Vins de Loire, Pierre Brejoux states that Quincy produces between
4,500 and 5,000 hectolitres per year. The figures below help demonstrate
how quickly the appellation has been re-established since the early 1970s.
Recently
declared production
|
2008
– 11,670hl
2007 – 13,844hl
2006 – 12,283hl
2005 – 12,337hl
2004 – 12,635hl
2003 – 8,292hl
2002 – 8,369hl
2001 – 9,900hl
1998 – 10,257hl
1977 - 486hl
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Wine
styles
The generally formulaic approach to fermenting and
ageing Sauvignon Blanc is little different in Quincy to anywhere else in
the world. On the whole grapes arrive at the cellar already de-stemmed (a
function of mechanical harvesting) and are simply pressed and the must is
allowed to settle. A couple of growers in the appellation, notably Domaine
de Chevilly (for their Cuvée Zoé)
and Domaine Lecomte (for their Vieilles
Vignes release), perform a macération
pelliculaire on their reserve or later bottlings.
Fermentation is conducted using selected yeasts of which there are around
15 different commercial strains to choose from. In the course of my
research in Quincy, I found only two growers, Philippe Pigeat and Maryline
Smith, who rely solely on indigenous yeast with even the most traditional
grower in the appellation, Pierre Ragon, partly using selected strains.
In order to qualify for the appellation, growers need to achieve a minimum
potential alcohol of 10.5% before chaptalisation can be considered. This,
however, has hardly been an issue in the past few vintages since between
2005 and 2009 levels were achieving between 12 and 14% alcohol naturally.
For the most part, the fermentation is conducted within an inert vessel
such as stainless steel or fibre glass. There are four growers within the
Cave de Brinay who dabble with barrel fermentation, invariably oak, on one
of their smaller cuvées,
although Jean-Charles Borgnat has been experimenting with acacia wood more
recently. Another, Jacques Tatin, uses oak sourced from the local forest
in Brinay and employs the services of cooper Fabien Gautier in nearby
Menetou-Salon.
The average length of fermentation takes between 10 and 15 days to
complete after which it would be expected that the wines would dry. The
wines are then racked off their gross lees in November and allowed to age
on their fine lees, perhaps with some batonnage
until the wines are prepared for bottling - mostly in the spring following
the harvest (although such is the current demand for the appellation some
growers are rushing wines to bottle before the end of the year).
Recent
Vintages
Typically
the harvest in Quincy happens between the 15th and 20th
September and takes around eight to ten days to complete. My own notes,
taken during my numerous visits to the appellation since 2003, have been
embellished by reports issued by the Bureau
Interprofessionnel des Vins du Centre (BIVC).
2010
This is a
very good ‘classic’ Quincy vintage reminiscent of 2002. The climate
during the 2010 growing season was relatively dry with something of an
alternative rhythm of periods of hot weather tempered by cooler
conditions. All stages of maturation - budding, flowering and véraison
– were late. After budding, flowering started after about three
weeks. The low temperatures in May and in early June prompted some coulure.
The last ten days of June and all the month of July were particularly warm
(2°C higher than usual). August and September were cooler, but allowed
for heterogeneous ripening. The ban
de vendange in Quincy was on the 20th September although
many growers took advantage of the good weather and waited a further week
before picking. The harvest itself was conducted over a three week period
and was stopped by three days of rain that started on the 7th
of October. The humid conditions did create some rot later on, although in
general this did not adversely affect the harvest. Most had finished by
the 15th October. Alcohols were generally correct, between
11.5% and 12% meaning that very little chaptalisation was necessary this
year.
2009
This was the
fifth successive vintage where the grapes reached a potential alcohol of
between 12 and 14 degrees naturally.
Following a relatively cold and dry winter, April
began with three weeks of temperatures 3°C higher than the norm. May was
also warm, but marked, on the 7th of the month by the first of
three destructive hail storms which reduced the crop. The principal
vegetative stages (budburst, flowering, véraison,
maturity) occurred up to 2 days earlier than the average of the last
fifteen years. The temperatures in June and July were normal for the
season, although more isolated hail storms caused further damage. It
rained for a total of 13 days in July; with over 85mm of precipitation.
This regular watering maintained the humidity of the soil at a sufficient
level until the veraison. Mildew
was a constant threat and remained a concern for the growers throughout
the season. Thankfully, higher than normal temperatures during August and
September (along with a drier climate) helped preserve the health of the
crop. Overall, the yields were among the lowest seen in recent years.
The small crop ensured that sugar levels rose rapidly
and attained particularly high levels; one must go back to the famous 1947
vintage to find such high concentrations thorough the entire crop. Acidity
levels remained in place primarily thanks to cool nights during the first
half of September and the dry period. The start of harvesting was spread
over two weeks. Reuilly and Quincy started between the 12th and
15th September, with most growers picking either side of the 27th
September.
With the sugars and
acidity in balance, the principal deciding factor as to when to pick each
parcel revolved around the aromatic maturity of the Sauvignon. Whilst the
wines of Reuilly seem very aromatic this vintage, Quincy is a little more
restrained.
2008
This is one
of the latest vintages of the past ten years with the vine’s principal
vegetative phases being similar to those in the 1980s.
Budburst was around 25 April followed by regular and uninterrupted growth,
but spring bought plenty of rain and the vegetative cycle was delayed
going into May which started off hot. Temperatures, however, soon
descended to lower than what would be considered usual for the period and
flowering began in the 20th June and lasted for around three
days. By the end of the month rain showers were regular but lighter.
The ripening period occurred during a rare and beneficial dry spell.
During the first phase, it was very slow then suddenly accelerated with
the arrival of fog and mist in the beginning in October. The grapes were
rich in sugar with some concentrations attaining very high levels. Cold
nights prevented excessive degradation of malic acid and permitted a
favorable evolution of aromas in the whites. Harvesting began in Reuilly
on 22nd September and in Quincy on the 29th
September - due to higher levels of acidity. Picking had finished by the
10th October. A healthy year all round.
2007
This is probably
the weakest year of the decade in Quincy. A warm spring and a cool and
rainy summer determining the conditions of this year’s vintage.
A memorably warm April bought on an early budburst. May and June, however,
were wetter than average. Work in the vineyard needed to be performed
quickly due to the rapid growth of the vines which were already three
weeks in advance by the beginning of June. A cool and damp early summer
meant that by the end of July worried winemakers were surveying their
vineyards; the threat of mildew and rot a potential issue. August was dry
with moderate temperatures, but on the 24th of the month the
weather changed; a dry and cold north wind arrived and began to dry out
the vines. This was followed by warmer days and cool nights. In these
conditions, sugar production was accelerated and the degradation of acids
slowed. The aromas of the Sauvignon developed slowly during the long
ripening period, despite the precocity of the year.
2006
This was a
hot and dry year marked by large climatic variations. After a dry winter,
the vine's vegetative cycle began with welcome humidity; March and May
were particularly wet. This created water reserves in the surface soil
levels that were to prove very useful. June and July were very hot and dry
(+2°C for June, +5°C for July compared to the seasonal average). These
conditions suited vines where the growth was already two weeks earlier
than normal.
In August, temperatures were -3°C lower than usual, whilst September -
2.5°C above the seasonal average - bought two weeks of very hot
temperatures and no rain. The second half of the month was mild with a few
light scattered showers. By the time of harvest the grapes were in
excellent condition, with both sugar and potential alcohol levels rising
quickly towards the 14th September after which they assumed a
normal rhythm. Acidity and pH levels remained good thanks to the stability
of the tartaric acid throughout the maturation. Cloudy skies beginning in
mid-September permitted the preservation of aromatic intensity and
freshness.
But the key to success was to harvest quickly and grapes were harvested in
record time. Picking was concentrated during a period of 10-12 days: any
sooner and the grapes would have been insufficiently ripe and later they
would have lost their aromatic appeal and become over-ripe. The official
harvest period was announced for 11th September for Reuilly and
13th September for Quincy.
2005
An excellent
vintage produced following an ideal growing season. Generally warm and
dry, the spring and summer were punctuated by alternating hot and cool
periods. The very hot temperatures encouraged a rapid development of the
vegetative cycle through the end of July. A cooler August allowed the
vines to recover and begin the maturation phase. The low amount of
precipitation, both regular and moderate, provoked an early stop of the
vegetative growth. The moderate temperatures had a very positive affect
with acidity levels remaining stable and balanced through to the end of
the harvest.
Winemakers
approached the harvest confident in the knowledge that the dry soils and
absence of rot would permit them to pick at optimum ripeness. The harvest
began in fair weather. Unusually, the first grapes to be harvested in the
Berry were in Sancerre, beginning 7th September for some
parcels of early-ripened Blanc. Reuilly started on 9th
September with Quincy a day later.
2004
After the
unusual heat wave of 2003, there was a return to aromatic and fresh wines
in 2004. The vine growth cycle was about 8 days late when compared to the
last 20 years. Night time temperatures were normal but daytime figures
were often below average which helps to explain the slow vegetative cycle.
The season began calmly and was relatively dry with a virtual lack of vine
diseases. On the 7th July there was a thunderstorm, the hail
not only damaging the fruit but also affecting the baguettes which inevitably had a detrimental effect on the following
year’s yields. Due to the storms the conditions became more humid with
mildew and oidium also becoming a threat and requiring very close
monitoring.
The first half of September was dry and warm with temperatures of 25° to
30°C which accelerated grape development and consolidated the problems
caused by the July rains. Then sugar accumulation returned to its usual
pattern and the reduction of acidity slowed. Conscious of the importance
of the harvest date and despite the advancement of the season, winemakers
wisely exercised patience and waited for full maturity. By offsetting the
risk of losing part of the harvest, they succeeded in optimizing the
quality of the grapes. In Quincy, the ban
de vendange was on the 27th, although most growers here
waited until the second week of October to harvest. In addition, the vast
majority of grapes were picked and brought in under the best conditions
and lower acidity toward the end of the season compensated for some of the
higher levels experienced at the beginning.
Vital for quality in 2004 was the elimination of surplus grapes during the
growing season. This was a vintage that has required a great deal of
attention throughout the year, both in the vineyard and in the cellar.
2003
Remembered as a very hot year and the earliest
harvest since 1893. During the vines vegetative cycle from 1st
April to 30th September, the average temperature was more than
2.5°C above normal. For long periods (the second half of April, all of
June, between the 10th and 25th July and the first
half of August), temperatures were between 4°C to 10°C above the
seasonal average.
These high temperatures had a negative influence on both quality and
quantity, parcels of young vines suffering burnt leaves and grapes
resulting in significant losses. Yet 2003 was not a year of excessive
drought: timely rain between 30th June and the 4th
July and again on the 17th August provided sufficient moisture.
Typical September weather pattern began in late August: cool nights,
morning dew and warm afternoons, but by this time the crop was already in
the cellar. Sugar levels continued to climb right through the harvest
achieving levels of concentrations rarely seen before, but acid levels
tumbled leaving flabby, short lived wines.
Reuilly,
acknowledged as the hottest place in France this season, started the
harvest on the 19th August. Quincy began to harvest on the 4th
September. This was generally a year to avoid.
2002
A very successful season. Spring frost that affected some regions was negated in Quincy thanks to
the installation of the turbines. Flowering was extremely fast due to a
hot spell in June, which caused some issues with abortion. High
temperatures in mid-August ensured véraison
was completed homogenously. The harvest started in mid-September in dry
but cool conditions.
2001
The mild winter
favoured an early budburst. The flowering was between the 10th
and the 25th June. The vegetative season was more humid than in
recent years with the threat of mildew requiring constant vigilance. The
climate of 2001 divided the maturation into two phases. September's cool
temperatures slowed the ripening and acidity levels remained high which
prompted those brave enough to make the decision to delay the date of
harvest by about ten days in order to obtain good maturity. The first
couple of weeks of October brought warm weather (day and night) which
rapidly accelerated the ripening of the grapes, ensuring a rise in sugar,
the balancing of acid levels and refining of Sauvignon aromas. Returning
to more normal harvest dates, the first grapes were harvested in Reuilly
and Quincy around the 25th September. Encouraged by the
continuing fair weather, many growers chose to wait as long as possible
before picking with some holding off until the 15th October.
They were well rewarded; the last grapes harvested being in good
condition.
2000
The start of
the growing season began around April 15th; a little more
precociously than in an average year. An unusually hot period in May and
June speeded up the vine growth and in the middle of June the flowering
was practically finished. A cool and humid July slowed the evolution,
obliging wine growers to pay careful attention to the state of the
foliage. From the month of August the climate was favourable, with the
maturation taking place slowly. The last three weeks of the month were
excellent, ensuring a good important accumulation of sugars and the acid
content remained well-balanced. The weather remained mild which allowed
the wine growers to harvest parcels as they ripened. The harvest started
around the 18th September for the earliest Sauvignons.
1999
A good
season throughout. Budding was early, commencing between the 6th
and 10th of April and flowering between the 10th and
20th of June. Summer storms obliged wine growers to be very
vigilant concerning the strong pressures of mildew, but measured
treatments ensured healthy foliage. From the end of August to the middle
of September warm days and nights speeded up the maturation process and
developed very healthy grapes.
1998
The return of a
very classical vintage. After a normal berry setting, hot weather in
August scorched some grapes. Rain in September gave rise to fears of rot
but generally this was a good quality harvest.
1997
March was very
warm and the accelerated ripening posed potential issues with the risk of
late frosts in April. Cold weather in June caused problems with flowering,
coupled with storms in August which meant there were threats of disease.
Finally, the grape harvest took place in good conditions – apparently
the best in 50 years.
1996
The exceptional
weather conditions from spring to autumn permitted a harvest that was
exceptionally healthy. This was the best vintage since 1990.
1995
This is a
classic if undistinguished vintage which was also affected by frost.
1994
Another vintage
ravaged by frost. This should have been the first vintage for Christophe
Gallon of Domaine des Grands Ormes in
Quincy
, but the entire crop fell victim to the gelée.
1993
A rainy
September and cool temperatures delayed the maturation. Nevertheless the
good health of the grapes produced a very classical vintage.
1992
This year was
marked by rain at harvest.
1991
Like everywhere
in the Loire, the vineyards of Quincy suffered the damages of a
particularly devastating spring frost. The harvest was small but
heterogeneous.
1990
An exceptional
vintage. The weather conditions were excellent from flowering to harvest.
1984
Another
frost affected year; probably the worst vintage in the past 30 years.
1978
A wash-out
during flowering and a violent storm on the 29th July left the vignerons
with practically no harvest to sell for a second consecutive vintage.
1977
The crop was
devastated on the 9th April with a 90% loss for the vintage.
Just 5,400 cases emerged from the entire appellation this vintage.
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