Francis Orban
Vineyard area: 7.5 ha / Production: 20,000 bottles / Leuvrigny
The 29 plots are located in the municipalities of Leuvrigny and Sainte-Gemme and cover an area of 7.5 hectares. Due to its south/southeast exposure, the vineyard enjoys particularly favorable sunlight, ideal conditions for the predominant Meunier grape, which grows on more than 90% of the area.
Francis loves the Meunier grape variety, which finds ideal expression in his vineyards, drawing its freshness from the limestone and its finesse from the clayey subsoils. Chardonnay, which covers 9% of the vineyard area, is grown on limestone soils and brings a special freshness that elegantly complements the cuvées.
Early on, Francis committed to sustainable viticulture by limiting the use of pesticides as much as possible, completely avoiding insecticides, and implementing environmentally friendly practices in the vineyards. Francis uses natural cover cropping methods and even inter-breeding to encourage the vines to thrive naturally. From pruning to harvest, the vines are carefully and decisively tended.
At the end of 2018, he received the highest level HVE certificate (HVE3). This recognized Francis's daily commitment to environmental protection and the constant development of his approach, and rewarded him for his determination and the most authentic way of expressing his terroir.
The harvest strategy for each harvest involves selecting grapes at perfect ripeness, when the balance between sweetness and acidity is achieved. Through rigorous grape selection during harvest and pressing with an automatic Coquard press without a membrane (which is more gentle on the fruit), only the finest fruit is selected. During winemaking, interventions are kept to an absolute minimum (very low dosage), allowing the terroir to express itself in its purest and most natural form!
