Domaine jacky preys

Valençay

Located in the village of Meusnes in the Valencay AOC, Jacky and his son Pascal farm a total of 80 hectares including a high proportion of very old vines scattered around Meusnes so yields are not so high. The grapes are Pinot Noir, Gamay, Malbec, Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay but the pièce de résistance of this collection of wines is the extremely rare and virtually extinct ‘Fie Gris’ (aka Sauvignon Rose) from 100 year old vines.

Back in the 1980s while walking in an old vineyard he had recently acquired, Jacky came across a patch of vines with rose-coloured grapes. Suspecting it was something unusual, he sent the samples off for DNA analysis and the results were fascinating…

This was Fie Gris - an ancient mutation of Sauvignon Blanc which had predated and survived the phylloxera era! Since this discovery, Jacky has worked to recultivate and promote Fie Gris, working to restore its place in the Loire Valley as a familiar native variety. Not too dissimilar to Sauvignon Blanc, the nose is aromatic and complex showing nectarine, orange peel and an exquisite flinty character. The flint rich soils add a nervous energy and strong, smoky mineral aromas. On the palate the influence of the soil is striking, delivering clean, crisp, citrus driven flavours and the same smoky minerality.

Jacky (and son Pascal) farm sustainably, harvesting all the old vines by hand, using minimal intervention winemaking including indigenous yeasts and gravity to transfer wines between vessels and cellars.