OUR CULTURAL PRACTICES
The terroir is the very essence of the Maison's vision. The efforts made yesterday in its preservation are paying off today to reveal its full potential tomorrow. To know his plots in depth, this winemaker-geek alternates soil analyses and drone supervision.
TAISSY - Premier Cru:
The Taissy vineyard is held in one piece. A block of plots on the north-north-east side of a large chalk dome. The place is particularly undulating, with some steep slopes, sudden climbs.
The village is located at the foot of the Montagne de Reims, southeast of Reims, north of Rilly-la-Montagne and Ludes.
Experiments are well underway in the vineyard. A certain number have already proven themselves while others have ultimately failed. In the vineyard, technological innovations and manual know-how punctuate Florian's daily life.
THE PLOTS:
The Gondé-Rousseaux vineyard is a pure product of its terroir, entirely located in Taissy.
It is a grouping of plots on a single place called "Le Haut des Roncières", of 3.40 hectares.
To get his bearings, Florian has divided these plots in his own way..
• Mercure X0208
Planting: 2019
Grape varieties: Meunier
Surface area: 0.17 ha
Vénus X0208
Planting : 2017
Grape varieties : Meunier
Surface : 0,17 ha
Mars X0262
Planting : 2006
Grape varieties : Chardonnay (50 %) en haut, Pinot Noir (50 %) en bas
Surface : 0,48 ha
Mars 2 X0262
Planting : 2002
Grape varieties : Chardonnay (50 %) en haut, Pinot Noir (50 %) en bas
Surface : 0,30 ha
Jupiter X0171
Planting : 1961
Grape varieties : Meunier (sélection massale)
Surface : 0,79 ha
Saturne X0208
Planting : 1993
Grape varieties : Chardonnay (47 %) en haut, Pinot Noir (53 %) en bas
Surface : 0,34 ha
Uranus X0208
Planting : 1999
Grape varieties : Chardonnay (47 %) en haut, Pinot Noir (53 %) en bas
Surface : 0,34 ha
Neptune X0208
Planting : 2010
Grape varieties : Chardonnay (50 %) en haut, Pinot Noir (50%) en bas
Surface : 0,40 ha
Pluton X0273 / X0274 / X0275
Planting : 2023
Grape varieties : Chardonnay
Surface : 0,39 ha
On his way to maturity, he is constantly looking for new approaches.
Inspired by biodynamics, he draws his own conclusions through practice, taking into account the phases of the Moon but without making plans on the comet. Just like Florian, the vineyard is young but the future is ahead of him.
THE MAIN METHODS:
Pruning:
From the end of November to March
Starting with Jupiter, in Guyot
Pinot Noir pruned until the end of February, in Cordon
Chardonnay first pruned in March, in Chablis, for cleaning, then at the end of April for
a pruning to limit the impact of spring frost.
Biodynamics:
Homemade compost: started in March-April to be used the following year in
October or March. Potion 500P in the fall, before compost
No conventional amendments
Green fertilizers in the spring
Use of silica to promote the extension of the plant towards the light
Additional protection of the vine by potions and herbal teas based on plants and talc
Drone monitoring of disease pressure with mapping at the plot level
Practice of double braiding on Chardonnay
Soil work:
Opening of the soil as late as possible in the year
Shallow ploughing in mid-April, work under the row on the surface
And chickens... In a plot, after the harvest, they will clean the vines by eating only the green shoots. The soil remains aerated.