Thierry Hesnault farms 2.68 hectares of vineyards in the northern part of Touraine. Born near the town of Amboise into a winemaking family, he now lives and works in the Sarthe department near the village of Chahaignes. Having travelled extensively overseas and worked with producers in Bordeaux, Champagne and Vouvray, as well as working with friends and fellow Sarthe luminaries Eric Nicolas and Jean-Pierre Robinot, Thierry developed a sensitive approach to farming and an appreciation for old vine material that ultimately compelled him to embark on a long search for his own parcels and start his own production in 2009.

Thierry’s vineyards are home to 0.5 hectares of 130-year-old pineau d’aunis vines and 1.4 hectares of 90-year-old gamay vines, as well as a parcel of chenin blanc and selection of hybrid varieties ranging from 50 to 70 years old. He also produces a small quantity of a négoce cuvée from a 90-year-old cabernet franc parcel in Touraine. While the reds are, generally speaking, planted on deep gravels on sand, the pineau d’aunis sits on a mixture of sand, flint and iron, while the chenin and hybrid varieties sit on a mixture of clay and iron.

Some of these vines have seen chemical fertilisers in the past and for Thierry, it is imperative that the vines exhaust these fertilisers before any further action is taken. An ex-teacher at the Lycée Viticol d’Amboise, his farming practices are based on a belief in the profound effect of proper pruning - particularly in the pruning of the superficial “sideways” roots in order to encourage the growth of the older “vertical” roots. The estate’s cellar is buried deep in a tuffeau cave without electricity or running water, where fermentations proceed at a low temperature and with minimal evaporation. The red grapes are fermented as whole bunches with élevage taking place in old barrels, while the chenin blanc and hybrid varieties are fermented in tank and made in a pétillant rosé style, with bottles disgorged before release.