Touraine Blanc

Wine Description

Reviews and Scores:

90 Points (2020 vintage review) – Wine Enthusiast, February/March Issue 2024

90 Points (2023 vintage review) – Wine Enthusiast, November Issue 2024

 

Ah, Touraine – the heart of the Loire Valley, the garden of France! This diverse region spans from a moderate maritime climate tempered by the Atlantic in the west to a cold Continental climate at its easternmost edge.  The sheer multiplicity of soils is a treasure trove for the winelover, ranging from clay and sand to gravel and Tuffeau.  It is the soft, chalky Tuffeau that is the source of the famous châteaux in this region: it is easy to quarry, making room for great underground wine cellars and providing material to build the breathtaking castles for which Touraine is celebrated. Once the homes of French aristocrats, these châteaux are now summer destinations for well-to-do Parisians and tourists alike.

Although red wines are also made here, it is the white wines from Sauvignon Blanc that have brought Touraine its vinous fame. Jancis Robinson notes that “the best of these can provide a less expensive alternative to Sancerre and Pouilly-Fume,” and our Touraine is truly a sublimely grassy, citrussy expression of its terroir.  On the left bank of the Loire’s tributary river Cher, not far from the stunning Château de Chenonceau, lie the vineyards of Luc Poullain. Luc’s 16 hectares are planted half to red grapes and half to white, from which our Touraine comes. Vines up to 70 years old grow on complex soils of sandy siliceous clay and limestone, sustainably farmed with lush grasses growing between the rows.  The domaine is HVE-certified and insecticides are never used.

  

Above: The vineyards; Luc Poullain

This wine is fermented in stainless steel to preserve its characteristic freshness and primary fruit, and spends up to a year on its fine lees to develop additional complexity before resting at least one month in bottle before release.  A beautiful expression of Touraine which is at home on the table, but nuanced and invigorating to enjoy by itself.

  

Above: Grape must being tasted from a basket press; Luc Pollain in the winery with stainless steel tanks

 

“I chose the vines, they didn’t choose me.” — Luc Poullain

Luc Poullain didn’t inherit a domaine — he chose to bring new energy to an established vineyard in Loire Valley, guided by a strong agronomic background and an even stronger desire to create wines that express a singular terroir. After a first career in agricultural consultancy, he made the bold choice to settle in Pouillé (Loir-et-Cher), on the left bank of the Cher, in the early 2000s, driven by a passion for viticulture and a long-standing admiration for Loire Valley whites.

To breathe new life into the Domaine des Échardières outside of any family legacy, Luc quickly established a reputation for precision, resilience, and quality. His vineyards now span roughly 18 hectares, rooted in soils of flinty clay and limestone, ideal for producing vibrant, textured wines. The terroir here offers remarkable freshness and tension, and Luc’s wines — particularly his Sauvignon Blanc and his expressive rosé — reflect both this energy and his deep respect for the land.

Over the years, Luc has steadily refined his approach in both vineyard and cellar, combining agronomic discipline with intuitive winemaking. Farming practices aim to favor soil life and plant balance, with the goal of expressive grapes requiring minimal intervention. In the cellar, gentle pressing, cool fermentations, and time on fine lees help develop wines that are both pure and layered — wines that are Loire in spirit, but Échardières in identity.

 

The Man Behind the Wines

With a degree in agronomy and years of advising vine growers behind him, Luc’s understanding of terroir is both scientific and sensory. “What I wanted was to create a place, a project, where wine wouldn’t just be the product of a process, but the expression of a landscape.” At the Domaine des Échardières, he works closely with a dedicated team, blending technical insight and hands-on attention. Every decision — from cultivation to bottling — is aimed at preserving the clarity and elegance of his whites and rosé.

His experience and recognized expertise naturally led him to become president of the Touraine Chenonceaux appellation, a position he held for 10 years.

 

Terroir: Left Bank of the Cher

Located near the village of Pouillé (Loir-et-Cher), the vineyards of the Domaine des Échardières benefit from a unique left-bank terroir along the Cher River — a tributary of the Loire. The soils are a mix of clay-limestone and flint, well-drained and sun-exposed, ideal for cultivating white varieties with tension and aromatic precision. The moderate Loire climate, with its cool nights and sunny days, allows for slow ripening and good natural acidity.

Luc’s wines are rooted in this soil — mineral-driven, lifted, and structured. The Sauvignon Blancs are especially striking: citrus, passion fruit and white flower on the nose, with saline edges and long, clean finishes. Crafted primarily from Gamay and Cabernet, the rosé is now a unique blend of 5 grape varieties, including Grolleau, Pineau d’Aunis and Cot. It offers crisp red berry notes with a dry, textured palate — a wine of summer, built to pair with food or stand on its own.

 

In the Cellar

Luc keeps his cellar work intentionally minimalist. Fermentations are carried out in stainless steel at low temperatures to retain the freshness of the fruit. Selected cuvées spend extended time on the lees to develop roundness and complexity. Bottling is done without flash or manipulation — the aim is to bottle energy and clarity.

The result: wines that are linear, vibrant, and terroir-driven, faithful to the Loire Valley’s best traditions, yet unmistakably shaped by one man’s vision. The Domaine des Échardières is more than a vineyard — it is the story of a vocation, of soil and science, of choice and conviction.