Clement & Florian Berthier Le P'tit Berthier Sauvignon Blanc 2016
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Brothers Clement and Florian may be the fifth generation of Loire Valley winegrowers in their family. They may be the stewards of 32 hectares spread between the Coteaux du Giennoisand Sancerre, in the heart of a region that is absolutely synonymous with Sauvignon Blanc. But ask Clement about their wines and the philosophy behind them and at some point he will likely tell you "I am not interested in making Sauvignon." That's not to say the Berthiers don't grow Sauvignon Blanc – in fact it's eighty percent of what they grow! What Clement and Florian are striving for is an expression of their appellations that subsumes varietal character in favor of the terroir.
Vignobles Berthier traces its origins back to 1980, when the brothers' father Jean Marie struck out on his own. Beginning from scratch, he assembled 16 hectares, primarily in the Giennois, along with some Sancerre. Clement and Florian both completed their studies at the CFPPA in Beaune, followed by winemaking stints in France and abroad. Clement spent time at Domaine du Vieux Telegraph in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and Solenain Oregon; Florian at Domaine Anne-Francois Gros in Vosne-Romanee. By 2013 they had both joined the family enterprise.
Today, Florian manages the vineyards while Clement makes the wines and manages sales. Florian is deeply invested in the health of the vineyards and soils. In 2013, he eliminated chemical products and began converting to organics, with certification in 2022. He has reduced tillage, often to just one or two passages a year, in favor of maintaining a healthy cover crop.
In the cellar, Clement has expanded the range of wines beyond the excellent village bottlings. Most notable are a series of single-vineyard Coteaux du Giennoiswines, each one representing a particular soil type. Additionally, he makes an extraordinary single-parcel Sancerre and an excellent Menetou-Salon from purchased fruit. All of the wines are picked for optimal ripeness and aged in steel with extended lees contact. It is often said that the soils in this corner of the Loire are more like Chablis than their neighbors to the east. That is immediately apparent in the white wines, full of ripe citrus, stone fruit, fresh herbs, and exposed mineral notes. The reds, made from Pinot Noir and Gamay, are juicy and fresh with an appealing pepperiness. In both colors the wines are simultaneously refreshing and substantial.
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.
A small category representing the wines that either fall outside of appellation lines or don’t subscribe to the law and traditions set forth by the French government within certain classified appellations, “Vin De France” is a catch-all that includes some of the most basic French wines as well as those of superior quality. The category includes large production, value-driven wines. It also includes some that were made with a great deal of creativity, diligence and talent by those who desire to make wine outside of governmental restrictions. These used to be called Vin de Table (table wine) but were renamed to compete with other European countries' wines of similar quality.