In French viticulture, there are definitely some individuals of real character. One of the most remarkable among them is certainly Vincent Gaudry. Since he took over his parents' vineyard, piece by piece in 1991 at the age of 16, he has literally lived the viticulture and terroir of the Sancerre region.
His wines are among the highest rated in the Loire and are mentioned in the same breath as those of the legend Didier Dageneau. And yet he has remained modest. The winery in the hamlet of Sury en Vaux is very difficult to find because he prefers to take care of his wines in peace and quiet.
Early on, Vincent began to think about the interaction between nature and viticulture, and increasingly focused on organic, then biodynamic viticulture.
Since 2006, the winery has been completely converted to biodynamics and Demeter certified. Vincent Gaudry farms just eleven hectares with the Sauvignon Blanc variety typical of Sancerre, and 10 percent Pinot Noir. The vines are located on a prime piece of the region, because here the flint content in the limestone soil is particularly high, which provides a refined mineral polish to the wines.
He talks little about his methods of winemaking because he does not want to encourage half-hearted imitators. But nevertheless, one thing is certain: for him, manual labour in the vineyard and cellar is paramount. This even applies to bottling, which he does by hand, barrel by barrel and bottle by bottle, without filtration of course.
His wines prove him right in everything, because in the opinion of wine tasters, they are among the best that the entire Loire has to offer.
