La Soufrandière

Outstanding grapes for exceptional wines produced using Biodynamics

A family estate

Our La Soufrandière estate, bought in 1947 by our paternal grandfather, is located in Vinzelles, in the Mâcon wine-producing region of South Burgundy. Here we work 4 ha of Pouilly-Vinzelles Climat “Les Quarts”, 0.55 ha of Pouilly-Vinzelles Climat “Les Longeays” and 1 ha of Mâcon-Vinzelles “Le Clos de Grand-Père”.

All our vines, between 33 and 80 years old, are magnificently located, facing East or South-East halfway up or at the top of the slopes of very red clay and “crinoidal” limestone, formed over 180 million years ago.

Since the 2016 season, we’ve been lucky enough to be able to operate around another 5 ha, already certified Organic.
Since the 2016 harvest, La Soufrandière can offer you wines from Saint-Véran “La Bonnode” (3.5 ha), Pouilly-Fuissé “Les Chatenays” (0.70 ha) in Vergisson, Pouilly-Fuissé “Les Vigneraies” (0.50 ha) on the slopes of the Roche de Solutré, and even a little Aligoté (0.30 ha).

11,5 ha of Chardonnay in Pouilly-Vinzelles and Mâcon-Vinzelles, Saint-Véran, Pouilly-Fuissé and 0,50 ha of Aligoté

Choosing the life of the soil and natural rhythms

We opted for Organic and Biodynamic Farming as soon as we took the estate over in 2000. To us, this farming that quite simply respects life, that eschews the use of herbicides or synthetic pesticides, seems the only way to produce outstanding wines that are balanced, vibrant, and reveal their terroir. We also limit our yields (to around 40 hl/ha) by natural practices such as bud pruning.
The Estate has been Organic and Biodynamic certified since 2006 (official changeover in 2003).

Our philosophy

Partial soil tillage since 2000, including 1.7 ha by horse since 2008

Horse ploughing

Rediscovering the old tools that respect the soils, putting animals and humans into the vineyards, limiting soil compaction – these are what motivated our interest in this method that seems old-fashioned. Our thanks to Laurent for having tried this experiment with us and his Trait-Comtoise mare “Coquette”. The adventure’s not over yet.

Individual cuvées from specific plots, for annual production of fewer than 60,000 bottles

Bringing out the terroir

Once perfectly ripe, the grapes are picked by hand, delicately crushed, then pressed for 3 hours. Following natural clarification, the juices are fermented in 6–18 year old casks (no new casks!!) or in vats, in different batches according to the plots, using the yeasts naturally present on our grapes. Maturing will last 11 months for the Mâcon-Vinzelles Clos de Grand-Père and Pouilly-Vinzelles wines, 17 months for “Les Longeays”, “Les Quarts” and the “Quarts” Cuvée Millerandée. Depending on the wines, the total sulphite contents vary from 40 to 70 mg/l (max. permitted content: Demeter 90 mg/l, Organic 150 mg/l, conventional 210 mg/l)

Biodynamics applied to our vineyards

Growing and guiding the vine in accordance with the natural rhythms of life (with the moon and planets). Stimulating the soil and the plants by spraying: matured cow dung for the soil, silica for the foliage.
Helping the vine produce healthy, balanced grapes using infusions of horsetail, nettle, osier, dandelion, or valerian.
Quite simply listening to one’s environment, observing life, and eschewing the pursuit of productivist agriculture, sick from its own medication.

For more information, we invite you to go to “Taking care of the Earth”

Clocheton (small Bell-tower without bell ;-)

In mean time, 501 hand spraying and ploughing with Coquette in Les Quarts

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