Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Le Pave 2016
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Parker
Robert
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Pairs well with fresh oysters or other shellfish; goat cheese
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Le Pavé comes from an east-facing vineyard planted on Cretaceous marl soils. The effects of its élevage are still perceptible, with spices on the exuberant nose along with a camphorated note. There's good density on the fresh palate, with an underlying acidity that brings welcome tension and length to the texture. A Sancerre built to last 10 to 15 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2016 Sancerre Le Pavé opens fascinatingly pure, deep, intense and flinty-mineral as well as salty on the spectacular nose that reveals notes of crushed wet rocks, ripe stone fruits and passion fruit (yet both beautifully discreet). On the palate, this is a full-bodied, highly complex, tight, pure, fresh and persistently salty Sancerre with great finesse, grip and inner tension thanks to the mineral soul and fine tannin structure on the finish. This is a great Sancerre and one of the finest I have tasted for this report. This terroir seems to embrace my palate like no other here, but this doesn't really help you, of course, to make your decision. Tasted in February 2021. Rating: 94+
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Robert
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Organic viticulture has been a goal of the family for a number of years; as of 2003, the entire estate was certified organic. The following year the winery was converted completely to biodynamic agriculture--to be sure, you won't find more terroir-driven Sancerre anywhere else in the appellation. Jean-Dominique and Jean-Laurent Vacheron are ably leading the domaine to ever-loftier winemaking heights. The wines speak for themselves—always consistent, the quality of Vacheron Sancerre continues to astound.
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.