Tag: sancerre

An Elegant Take on Sauvignon Blanc

Today’s Story: Domaine Vincent Pinard

Domaine Vincent Pinard is a family-owned wine estate located in Bué in the heart of the Sancerre region in France’s Loire Valley. Though the estate has been in the Pinard family for generations, the current iteration was established in 1996 and is currently in the hands of brothers Florent and Clémente who took over from their father Vincent. The Pinard family owns 17 hectares (42 acres) of vineyards planted to Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, with their portfolio consisting of six Sauvignon Blanc bottlings, three Pinot Noir bottlings, and a rosé made from Pinot Noir. Florent and Clémente practice organic viticulture and are transitioning to biodynamic practices, remaining as natural as possible in the vineyards without the use of herbicides, pesticides, or anti-rot treatments. The vines see rigorous pruning to limit yields, and most of the work in the vineyards is done completely by hand (including harvest). Minimal intervention is also the name of the game in the cellar, where the wines ferment with indigenous yeasts and with no winemaking additions. Depending on vintage and cuvée, Florent and Clémente use a combination of stainless steel and old oak barrels to preserve the variety characteristics and showcase the terroir.

Today’s Wine: 2017 Harmonie Sancerre

100% Sauvignon Blanc; 13% ABV

The 2017 Harmonie is pale yellow in color. With aromas of pronounced intensity, the nose showcases notes of lemon peel, grapefruit, passionfruit, honeysuckle, raw asparagus, freshly cut grass, and wet river stone. Meanwhile flavors are of medium (+) intensity, with the palate displaying notes of honeydew, white peach, fresh pineapple, white floral blossom, limestone, and mild green herbs. This dry white is medium-bodied with high acidity, medium alcohol, and a medium (+) length finish.

Price: $52. I think this is pretty fairly priced given its quality, intensity, and complexity at this stage, however there are better values in the $30-35 range for sure. I’d be curious to see how this develops with another couple years of bottle age, but right now this is a very elegant and precise take on Sauvignon Blanc.

Sancerre Unicorn

Today’s Story: Domaine Edmond Vatan

Domaine Edmond Vatan is a miniscule but highly regarded producer situated in the small town of Chavignol in the Sancerre appellation of France’s Loire Valley. The vineyards consist only of one hectare (2.5 acres) and are planted to the Sauvignon Blanc variety as is required for white wines in the appellation. Vatan’s vines, planted on the steepest slopes with optimal sun exposure, are low-yielding and severely pruned to maximize quality and intensity. Vatan also uses minimal additives/treatments in the vineyards, harvests later than his neighbors, and vinifies the wines adhering to very traditional methods in old oak barrels. The wines are racked only once and then bottled without fining or filtration. Since 2008, Edmond’s daughter Anne took over production following his semi-retirement during the early 2000s, though he is still involved as a guide and teacher. Production is incredibly limited, with about 500 cases total produced each vintage.

Today’s Wine: 2017 Clos La Néore Sancerre

100% Sauvignon Blanc; 14% ABV

The 2017 Clos La Néore is pale yellow in color. This is a baby by preposterous standards, so at this stage it needs several hours to open up. Only by the end of the day did this start opening up, and I wish we had the restraint to hold it into a second day. The aromas are of pronounced intensity, showcasing notes of lemon and lime zest, white peach, freshly cut grass, wet river stone, and saline mineral. Meanwhile the flavors are also of pronounced intensity, with the palate displaying notes of meyer lemon, tropical citrus, lychee, pineapple, chopped grass, wet slate, and crushed rock mineral. This dry Sauvignon Blanc is medium- to full-bodied with racy high acidity, high alcohol, and a long finish. Very, very good, but just way too young.

Price: $275 (shared by a friend who paid $200). I can’t call this a good value, but I can see what the hype is after this gets several hours of air. This is certainly an excellent representation of the Sauvignon Blanc variety, and one that has the ability to age for decades. But is it a necessary purchase given the price? Probably not.

A Refreshing Sancerre

Today’s Story: Guilbaud Frères

Guilbaud Frères is a family-owned winery and wine merchant established in 1927 by Edouard and Marcel Guilbaud in the Muscadet Sèvre et Maine appellation of the Loire Valley. Edouard and Marcel came from a long family history of winegrowers and took their culminated knowledge of the land, quality producers, and attention to detail in creating the principles of their new venture. Now nearly a century later, a fourth generation guides the Guilbaud Frères brand and, in addition to sustainably farming around 60 hectares of their own vineyards, purchases and produces wine from carefully selected growers. To check out their broad range of AOP wines, you can visit the link here.

Today’s Wine: 2018 Sancerre Les Chênes Vieux

100% Sauvignon Blanc; 12.5% ABV

The 2018 Les Chênes Vieux is transparent medium straw/yellow in color. The nose is quite expressive with aromas of tangerine, honeydew melon, lemon peel, honeysuckle, grass, slight smoke, and chalky minerality. On the palate, the wine displays notes of white peach, grapefruit, green apple skins, chamomile tea, finely crushed rock, brioche, and bright mineral. This is medium-bodied with mouthwatering medium (+) acidity and a lush mouthfeel into a crisp and refreshing medium length finish.

Price: $30. This is a very nice Sancerre for the price and drinks with beautiful precision while making me excited for a warm day outside again. Pair this with sole, lobster, or roasted chicken.