Michel Redde Sancerre Les Tuilieres 2013
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Winemaker Notes
Pair with fish and white meat dishes.
Blend: 100% Sauvignon Blanc
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2017-
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The estate's vineyards are situated in the heart of the appellation on the crest of a hillside overlooking the Loire River exposed directly to the south. The soils supporting the Sauvignon Blanc vines in which the vineyard is planted vary, checkerboard fashion, between two types: chalky clay soils, which yield wines of elegance, harmony, concentration and longevity; and clay and silica soils, tending in color from red to blue- black, which produce nervy, vibrant wines with the "gunflint" character typical of Pouilly-Fumé.
A resolute insistence on absolute quality has earned Michel Redde a place among the top five or six producers in the Pouilly and Sancerre regions, with a reputation for excellence and consistency second to none.
Capable of a vast array of styles, Sauvignon Blanc is a crisp, refreshing variety that equally reflects both terroir and varietal character. Though it can vary depending on where it is grown, a couple of commonalities always exist—namely, zesty acidity and intense aromatics. This variety is of French provenance. Somm Secret—Along with Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc is a proud parent of Cabernet Sauvignon. That green bell pepper aroma that all three varieties share is no coincidence—it comes from a high concentration of pyrazines (herbaceous aromatic compounds) inherent to each member of the family.
Marked by its charming hilltop village in the easternmost territory of the Loire, Sancerre is famous for its racy, vivacious, citrus-dominant Sauvignon blanc. Its enormous popularity in 1970s French bistros led to its success as the go-to restaurant white around the globe in the 1980s.
While the region claims a continental climate, noted for short, hot summers and long, cold winters, variations in topography—rolling hills and steep slopes from about 600 to 1,300 feet in elevation—with great soil variations, contribute the variations in character in Sancerre Sauvignon blancs.
In the western part of the appellation, clay and limestone soils with Kimmeridgean marne, especially in Chavignol, produce powerful wines. Moving closer to the actual town of Sancerre, soils are gravel and limestone, producing especially delicate wines. Flint (silex) soils close to the village produce particularly perfumed and age-worthy wines.
About ten percent of the wines claiming the Sancerre appellation name are fresh and light red wines made from Pinot noir and to a lesser extent, rosés. While not typically exported in large amounts, they are well-made and attract a loyal French following.