Our Stories

Growing and learning at Château de Pommard: Sabrina's story

Sabrina, tell us about yourself. What has been your journey so far?
I have known Château de Pommard for a very long time—my mother was actually Chef at La Table du Château during the Giraud era, the previous owner. I did a BA in Letters, Languages ​​and Foreign Civilizations; I then worked in the restaurant business and went to explore England. I also taught French as a foreign language in Spain. Then I realized that I wanted to do a slightly more manual job. One day, I decided to participate in the harvest. I then started to work actively in the vineyards, first at Bouchard in Meursault, then I passed my diploma at the École Viticole de Beaune. I joined the Château very recently, in February.

What are the challenges within the Clos during this very special year?
The size of ​​the Clos... The biggest challenge in a year like 2020 is to follow the development of the vine, to keep up with the pace imposed by Mother Nature. Its acreage, which may seem small, is not in reality and requires intense and permanent work, especially this year with the very warm weather we got. Nature's three weeks in advance has had us playing catch-up, despite the confinement!

Has biodynamics changed the way you work at the Château de Pommard?
On a personal level I am very sensitive to ecology: I cure myself with essential oils, I buy little or no chemicals for household tasks, I sort my waste… All these values ​​speak to me on a personal level and I apply them today in my work, in respect for the planet and the earth which is central to us. I must say that this is not the case in all wineries, and that it can even be frightening from a health point of view to walk through the vines after certain chemical treatments. Learning this new way of working is a great pleasure day after day. Generally speaking, I like to learn new things. When I arrived at the Château, I learned, for example, a new mode of pruning, the Guyot-Poussard method!

How is the season going this year?
There are a lot of grapes this year, and the berries are very beautiful, everything looks good. There can always be hail, and many factors can endanger the harvest, but for the moment we are optimistic!

How do you see your future at Château de Pommard?
I still have a lot to learn and things to practice, and I am very happy to be able to do it here with the whole team. Today the work of wine workers is more valued. We are fortunate to be able to learn more about our job and better understand what we do, especially through training and the experience of our colleagues!