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Sylvain Dittière was born in a field of roses: his parents were rose growers near Saumur. Sylvain, however, was uninspired by the farming of roses and he turned to vine growing and wine making.
After studying viticulture and oenology, Sylvain spent his first internship at Domaine de l’Ecu in Muscadet. Following his training in Alsace, he continued in the Roussillon region with renowned producers Gérard Gauby of Domaine Gauby and Cyril Fahl of Domaine La Grange des Pères. Then, he returned to the Loire Valley where he gained more experience with Thierry Germain of Domaine des Roches Neuves, amongst others, and he ended up at the emblematic Clos Rougeard with the Foucault brothers. Wow, that’s some seriously impressive apprenticeship for such a young fellow!
This invaluable, vast and solid experience led Sylvain in 2010, at the age of 25, to buy a sixteenth-century tuffeau stone cellar, ensuring ideal conditions for the maturing of his wines. He settled in the village of Montreuil-Bellay, near the town of Saumur. He rented vineyards and also bought grapes from a neighbour who was farming organically. A year later, he purchased his first plot and little by little he built up his holdings. The estate now consists of less than 10 hectares planted with Cabernet Franc, Chenin and Sauvignon, some close to 100 years old.
Needless to say, Sylvain Dittière and his partner Pauline are hugely dedicated and farm organically. He is extremely cautious and spends an immeasurable amount time tending his vines - he listens to them. Harvest time is intense. Bunches are hand picked and Sylvain ensures that the grapes reaching the cellar are of the utmost quality and healthy. The barrels lying in the underground cellar are filled by gravity and the wines can age in perfect harmony - constant hygrometry and temperature - a dream for a winemaker. The wines of La Porte Saint Jean are simply incredible: they combine freshness, delicacy, suppleness, elegance, purity, and vibrancy. Today, many Loire experts agree in saying that the wines of Sylvain Dittière have a certain refinement and depth not dissimilar to the wines of Clos Rougeard.
