Sébastien Treuillet, Pouilly-Fumé

Sébastien Treuillet in one of his parcels of vines in AC Pouilly-Fumé

Sébastien Treuillet is the first in his farming family to be a vigneron. Previously they have all been cereal producers. Indeed Sébastien still looks after 140 hectares of cereals in addition to his 12 hectares of vines. The majority of his vines are in the Pouilly-Fumé appellation but he also has 3.5 ha in the Coteaux du Giennois and 2 hectares of vin de pays. 

"I started to get into vines and wine when I was around 15 as I had a friend in Sancerre whose family were vignerons and I would go and stay there," Sébastien explains. "After working in Sancerre for Pierre Dézat (Verdigny) and then the Champaults (Champtin) I started up on my own in 1991."  

He has a number of different parcels on different soils – argile-kimmeridgean, sandy soils as well as some caillottes – limestone dominated, with very little soil. On the argile-kimmeridgean soils Sébastien is unusual in using the Courson-Royat pruning system, which he finds keeps the yields down, whereas on his more sandy soils he has the Guyot system, which is classic in this area (see photo above). 

Vines pruned using the Courson-Royat system 

Recently Sébastien has been able to plant vines at Villiers where a considerable area of potential vineyard has become available in the north east of the appellation not far from the well established Château Favray. He is one of a number of vignerons, including Alexandre Bain, who are now planting there. Much of this new vineyard is bare limestone – cailottes. 

 Bare limestone soil@Villiers 

Sébastien Treuillet by his new plantings and the almost lunar landscape  

Eight day old vine amongst the rocks 

Back at Sébastian's winery in Fontenille we tasted the recently bottled 2011 Pouilly-Fumé. "I haven't needed to chaptalise since 2004," says Sébastien with some pride. "This 2011 reached 13% natural alcohol on an average of 60 hl/ha." This grassy 2011 has attractive weight and richness – very much in the style of 2011 – but with some freshness in the finish. We then moved on to the 2010, which is again characteristic of this vintage, much more austere and leaner with a long, precise and clean finish. Once again I think 2011 will be an easy vintage to sell because it is more flattering, while Loire fanatics are likely to prefer the austerity of 2010.   

Sébastien Treuillet

Fontenille

58150 Tracy-sur-Loire

Tel: 03.86.26.17.06

Email: domainetreuillet@orange.fr 

  

   

  

2012 Salon des Vins de Loire: a few portraits

 François Audebert: Audebert et Fils

 Frédéric Brochet, Ampelidae

 François-Xavier (FX) Barc (Complices de Loire)

Pascal Delaunay (Château Putille) 

 Matthieu Vallée (Château Yvonne, Saumur and Saumur-Champigny) 

Sébastien Treuillet (Pouilly-Fumé)

Vincent Siret-Courtaud (Quincy and Châteameillant)

Sébastien Treuillet: 2010 Pouilly-Fumé

 

This Pouilly-Fumé is from a small producer from near Tracy-sur-Loire, who I believe has just three hectares of vines – some in the PF appellation as well as some in the nearby Coteaux-du-Giennois.  

This 2010 is best not drunk too chilled otherwise its weight and length will be hidden. It has a complex and aromatic nose – some gooseberry, grapefruit and other ripe citric notes – allied with weight and length. Certainly a well-made Pouilly-Fumé.

I plan to be in Sancerre/Pouilly towards the end of August, so may well get the opportunity to visit Sébastien Treuillet. Although the address is Tracy-sur-Loire, Fonteille is someway from this very attractive little hamlet beside the Loire as it is actually to the east of the autoroute A77.

Address: 12 Route de Boisfleury, Fontenille, 58150 Tracy-sur-Loire. 

Tel: 03.86.26.17.06 

This sample was provided by the RSJ Restaurant, where I'm a consultant. The RSJ have recently started to list this wine.