Since 1991, Vincent Gaudry has been handcrafting essential, soulful wines with a profound connectedness to the land and to the collective lineage of vignerons past. At just 16, he joined his father in running the estate established by his grandfather in the tiny hamlet of Chambre, near Sury-en-Vaux, Sancerre. Today, Gaudry’s wines are among the most authentic, artisanal, and limited of the region.
A true minimalist whose guiding principle is “Trust in Nature,” Vincent began converting to organic farming in 1995, obtaining certification in 2002. He developed a deep appreciation for the balance that a biodynamic philosophy brings to his 11ha of vineyards, becoming the first producer in Sancerre with a Demeter certification in 2004. The vineyards, the forests, and their animal inhabitants work in harmony, and that harmony is felt in the wine.
Gaudry’s vineyards are planted on all three predominant Sancerre terroirs:
Silex (flinty soils offering structure, length, and lift), which runs in a narrow band along a fault line passing underneath Saint-Satur, near the town of Sancerre
Terres Blanches (Kimmeridgian clay-limestone marl, providing mouthfeel) from Sury-en-Vaux
Caillottes (hard, weathered Oxfordian limestone giving nose and aromatics) from Verdigny
Vincent explains that, historically, when Sancerre was still sold by the barrel to satisfy the thirst of Paris bistros, négociants used to blend wines from the three different terroirs of Sancerre in equal parts to make a complete wine that travels well. Cuvée ‘Le Tournebride’, the primary wine of the domaine, is made in reference to this tradition. For Vincent, ‘Le Tournebride’ represents a complete, transparent expression of Sancerre, delicately perfumed with a touch of gras and mineral tension.