La Lunotte
Christophe Foucher
Frankreich / Loire
La Lunotte is a vineyard of about 5 hectares in Touraine, run by the very discreet Christophe Foucher, a former engineering professor who became a winemaker in 2001. Half of his vineyards are planted with Sauvignon Blanc, the other half with Gamay de Bouze, Cabernet Franc and the autochthonous variety Menu Pineau (aka Arbois). What is immediately striking about Christophe's wines is their depth and uniqueness, it is understandable that the wines have been given their time to develop their unique character. Even though Christophe is patient, he also gives himself the freedom to elaborate his wines as he feels in the cellar, through the constant tasting of the different barrels in their stages of development. Thus, he can make up to seven cuvées in some vintages, each from a specific stage of maturation. For his white wines, the grapes are pressed immediately after harvest and stored in barrels on their lees. There, the alcoholic and malolactic fermentation takes place. The blend is then made in tank where the wine matures for another winter and when the temperatures rise, it is bottled.
Christophe vinifies his Gamays in whole clusters, while his Cabernet Franc is partially destemmed. As with the white wines, he uses only indigenous yeasts, adds no sulfur, does not filter, and works by gravity instead of pumps.
Christophe's wines are a poetic moment, enchanting with delicacy and a profound originality. It is palpable that they have been elaborated close to an absolute freedom. It is close to our heart to let you discover this winemaker.