Looking down from le Clos de la Poussie, owned since 1993 exclusively by Domaines Ladoucette, at the village of Bué
Sweep of the Clos de la Poussie with many patches of bare earth in the steepest part where there are a substantial number of missing vines: taken September 2007
Devastation in the central part of Le Clos: October 2008Last early October I walked round Le Clos de la Poussie and was horrified by what I saw – I have never seen a famous French vineyard in such a parlous state. You'll find my posting following this visit here.
If you visit the section of the de Ladoucette website that covers La Poussie, you will find a rather different view: 'La Poussie, joyau du Sancerrois, vin de Sancerre voluptueux et parfumé. Parmi tous les crus qui assurent la séculaire renommée des vignobles qui dominent la Loire royale, la réputation de La Poussie a gardé toute son intégrité originelle.'
La Poussie is described as the 'jewel' of Sancerre which, of course, is what it ought to be but regrettably it is currently but a badly chipped piece of paste.
Domaines Ladoucette has recently appointed a new agent in the UK and I have asked them if they can find out what action, if any, Ladoucette is taking to try to reverse the serious erosion in Le Clos de la Poussie. I look forward to posting the measures that Baron Patrick de Ladoucette and his company are taking.
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View across the roofs of Chavignol and looking down the valley to Saint-Satur
The little village of Amigny, part of the commune of Sancerre – Chavignol is just over the other side of the finger of hill in the middle ground with the slopes of Les Monts Damnés in the distance 
From the top of the Maison des Sancerres looking due south over the roofs to the vines – part of the silex section of the Sancerre vineyard
Looking south, south east up the Loire down at Ménétréol with the Loire in the distance on the left. In the middle ground is one of the bridges that carried the old railway
What happened, or is happening at Clos de la Poussie?
ReplyDeleteRecent hail damage or general neglect?
Hi Ned. Well it isn't recent hail damage as I took these photos last October, so I fancy it is a problem that has built up over a number of years. Neglect? May be I just don't know.
ReplyDeleteIt has been suggested to me that inappropriate farming method have been used – heavy tractors etc but I don't know whether the slope would allow this. The Clos must have always been prone to erosion but I believe it was managed in the past.
It seems clear that the current problem has developed under Ladoucette's ownership.
I have asked the new UK agents for Ladoucette to try to find out if remedial measures are envisaged and what these are.
The Ladoucette site trumpets la Poussie as:
'La Poussie, joyau du Sancerrois, vin de Sancerre voluptueux et parfumé. Parmi tous les crus qui assurent la séculaire renommée des vignobles qui dominent la Loire royale, la réputation de La Poussie a gardé toute son intégrité originelle.'
(www.deladoucette.net/la_poussie.html)
Sadly it is rather far from the jewel of Sancerre at the moment.
(Cont)
ReplyDeleteYou'll find a previous report on Jim's Loire at:
jimsloire.blogspot.com/2008/10/clos-de-la-poussie-lamentable-state.html
No cover crops in Clos de la Poussie?
ReplyDeleteJT: There don't appear to be any cover crops. Much of the Clos is bare earth as the photos show. I intend to have another look at le Clos in October and will report back.
ReplyDeleteA shame to see such a property in this state. Seems like a perfect candidate for a switch to BioD before it gets any worse. Seems like enormous potential there...
ReplyDeleteNed. A terrible shame I agree particularly as I assume Ladoucette has the financial resources to put things right – his wines are hardly under-priced.
ReplyDeleteBiodynamics may be the long-term answer. They clearly need to find something that prevents the water carried the soil etc. down the steep slope – cover crops, grassing over etc. But no instant solution I suspect.
Yes the Clos has great potential, it ought to be one of the finest vineyards of Sancerre.
Doesn't need biodynamics, Jim - just needs some of the earth to be carried back up the hill (so what if it's steep) and some grass to be planted or better still, let the natural stuff grow bac. That'll stop the erosion and help the quality of the wine...
ReplyDeleteCharles. I agree that biodynamics is not essential, although in my experience those who practice biodynamics generally look after their vines well.
ReplyDeleteThe soil loss is such that I suspect that new soil from outside would have to be brought in and as you say the vineyard grassed over preferably with its natural grasses etc.