Domaine Tinel-Blondelet
One Woman, 15 Hectares, 3 Appellations, 3 Terroirs and 3 Grape Varieties.
Annick Tinel-Blondelet has managed the Estate since 1983. Passionate about nature, she aims to produce wines that match her personality: authentic, frank and full of vitality. Currently, the Estate stretches over 15 Hectares of vines divided into the 3 appellations: Pouilly Fumé, Sancerre and Pouilly sur Loire. As she cultivates her three grape varieties (Sauvignon, Chasselas and Pinot Noir), from three different terroirs (Kimmeridgian marls, Villiers Limestones, Silex) Annick is driven by the desire to preserve the typicity of the wines.
A winegrower family for more than 400 years, Annick Tinel-Blondelet took over the Estate from her parents, Camille & Fernand. She represents the 12th generation of winegrowers in the family.
More than 50 years ago, Fernand Blondelet became the first to open a winetasting cellar, « A la Cave du Vigneron », along the famous Nationale 7. The cellar exists to this day.
HVE (High Environmental) certification Conscious of the environment, we work daily on this point. It is difficult for us to work organically because of the Loire river and the humidity it brings. Moreover, we resist the use of excess copper in our vines because it is suspected to be harmful in the long-term. Thus, to produce constant quality wines and to respect the environment as we see best, we employ a reasoned approach. Since July 2014, our estate is HVE (High Environmental) certified. This label, recognized by the agricultural ministry, shows our environmental approach. It demonstrates our efforts to protect at best the environment, based on indicators of results relative to the biodiversity, the phytosanitary strategy and the management of the fertilization.
A Natural Vinification After picking the precious berries, the juice of the grapes is extracted with a pneumatic press and then flow by gravity in the tanks located on the low floor. Each tank matches a unique plot to preserve authenticity of terroirs.
Run by the dynamic mother-daughter team of Annick and Marlene, the Tinel-Blondelet family has been growing grapes for 13 generations. The estate stretches to 15ha, which comprises 10ha in Poully Fumé and 5ha in the Sancerre village of Thauvenay. The Tinel-Blondelets also make wine from 100-year-old Chasselas vines that sit under the Pouilly-sur-Loire appellation as Pouilly Fumé is Sauvignon Blanc only. Since taking over the reins from her mother in 2016, Marlene Tinel-Blondelet has faced the challenges of frost in 2016, 2017, 2019 and 2021. In a bid to fight frosts, she teamed up with several other growers to share the cost of frost towers. The wines are crisp, clear and well judged. The oaked Pouilly Fumé, Quercus, is a little woody, however. Rebecca Gibb MW - Vinous.com (Mar 2023)