Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
How floral and delicate a Sancerre can be is proved by the regular 2013 Sancerre of the Domaine Vacheron, which is rather a dream than an unmistakable expression of Sancerre, subtle as it is. You can easily spend the evening with this flinty, Demeter-Certified AC wine by cousins Jean-Laurent and Jean-Dominique Vacheron. Cultivated on both limestone and flint soils. It doesn't ever become very rich, but stays extremely transparent, purely mineral, refined and – remarkably long. Initially there is a fascinating chalk/flint and chamomile flavor on the nose, whereas later jasmine and elderflower notes emerge from the glass along with a dash of lime juice and grapefruit and a perfume of white fruits and blossoms. The palate starts zesty, with an amazingly austere minerality that makes you believe the wine's only ingredients are fossils and acidity. You better not go for it if you want to have a tasty Sauvignon Blanc, but you should not miss this extremely well defined Flint-Sancerre as a true and distinctive expression of the terroir at a reasonable price.
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.