There is flint soil, which we call silex, near the river Loire, and a kind of chalk which we call caillotte on the lower slopes of the hills. Elsewhere there is more clay, and there are also natural terraces near the river where the soil is quite sandy or gravelly. We make six or seven different cuv es each year to reflect the different soil types. Climate has also effected a change in the wines in Sancerre and Pouilly-Fum . But the picking date is crucial with Sauvignon Blanc.
Some people now pick by machine.
But not everybody can do that. And picking by machine means that you can pick at the right moment, and pick fast. The introduction of picking machines here has meant a big improvement in quality. Wines with more character, in other words, with flavors of black currant, leaves and white peach and quince, and with a minerally streak that makes them constantly refreshing. She won the Champagne Lanson Noble Cuvee Award in 2000 for a piece on Champagne in WINE magazine.