Les Quatre Piliers
Loire
When inundated with the career choice of their parents, often one will choose one of two paths: the continuance of tradition, or a strict deviation altogether. Certainly in the wine world, we have seen numerous winemakers' efforts to continue their family's work, to live up to the name of their elders; yet, it takes a special sort to blend both of those aforementioned paths to create what Valentin Desloges has: a singular, delicious and profound winery that expresses Touraine better than perhaps any prior.
The son of a Touraine winemaker, Valentin performed his studies in Bordeaux and got his first hands-on experience outside of the Loire within the Bordeaux region, at Chateau Mangot in Saint-Emilion. Following that, he went on to work in New Zealand in 2015, with a strong focus on Sauvignon Blanc - very much a different essence in the Southern Hemisphere than in the Loire. Returning back to France, it was natural to spend time in Burgundy, where he was able to work alongside some of the top white winemakers we know and love - Raphael Coche and Paul Pillot - with a stint with Vincent Sipp in Alsace (Domaine Agapé) to cap off his travels.
Years of creating a mental amalgam of his experiences led Valentin to his ultimate path; it was not that of taking the helm at his father's domaine, but the creation of his own: Domaine des Quatre Piliers. Formed by a sum of ten hectares between Noyers and Saint-Aignan, Valentin converted the estate to organic viticulture, first focusing all of his energy into the health of his vines. As the plants flourished, Valentin engaged in another passion, creating his own barrels in collaboration with Francois Freres, all produced with wood from the estate that he dries and prepares himself; the aim not to impart oaky flavors, but to bring the whole of the Domaine's environment into play.
Viticulture and Vinification
With just under 10 hectares split into 15 different small parcels, about half of the vineyards are planted to Sauvignon Blanc on clay and limestone soils. Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Pineau d'Aunis and Cot (Malbec) making up the rest. The Cher river acts as a large temperature regulator with close proximity to the vines. There is a large area of tuffeau that has been dug out, creating mineral equilibrium and serving as a natural ventilation system for the vineyard.
This panel of different soils is divided into 4 parcels: Les Puits aux Chiens, totaling 3.5ha Sauvignon Blanc between 15 and 50 years of age, as well as Chenin vines about 30 years old. At the top of Noyer, there is deep white clay with limestone borders; there is a cooler climate here, preserving freshness, high aromatics and acidity in the wines. To the North is Bernardières, one of the warmer parcels with 45 year-old Cot vines planted in sulphate-rich soil close to the Cher river. Finally, the Bel Air vineyard consists of Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc; the Quatre Piliers parcel has 25 year-old Pinot Noir and 50 year-old Cabernet Franc vines planted to a cooler climate at the top of the hill with warmer micro climates at the bottom of the slopes that are rich in red clay content. This complementary mix between warm and cold lands is fostering the subtle equilibrium sought by Valentin in winemaking, associating robustness from the clay and delicacy from limestone.
In the cellar, there is great focus on controlled pressing - the amount of pressure used, the length of time the grapes are pressed and which juices are used. All the work is done by the moon calendar. Fermentations occur with indigenous yeast, and there is no fining or filtration of the finished wines. The wines are aged at a natural and constant temperature of 13°C in tuffeau caves at 75% humidity. Cabernet Franc and Cot grapes are carefully de-stemmed before fermenting in tanks for 20 to 30 days. Pinot Noir is cooled down with 20% of entire grapes and ferments for 9 days. Alcoholic fermentation takes places in stainless steel before being transferred to various barrels for malolactic fermentation. White wines only ferment in wood casks, with a varying proportion of new wood depending on the cuvée: 20% for the Grande Cuvée of white Sauvignon, and 30% for the Chenin.
