Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
From this quality Chavignol domaine comes this vibrant wine from the 'young' vines of the domaine – 25 years old. The deep Kimmeridgian marls on a southeast-facing slope give density and power, which has an almost chewy texture, alongside the savoury salinity. Scintillating wine with a tingling acid backbone, this is a pure expression of place. Fabulous. Manual harvest, indigenous yeasts, aged in older oak.
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Vinous
The 2023 La Côte is a meal of a wine that leaves you chewing. It's still young and almost raw in youth, with a piercing nose that's all zingy citrus and elderflower aromas. It is far too early to approach the 2023. Allow this to build in weight and develop nuance with bottle age. It is a serious, powerful style with a spine of firm acidity, which is almost tempting me to use the word mineral.
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Wine Spectator
Glazed pear and star fruit reveal chamomile, chive, waxy paraffin and pink peppercorn details. Theres a chalky edge to the otherwise silky texture thanks to stony mineral elements and bitter pithiness. Sea salt and a fresh jolt of acidity bring zing, balance and energy. Drink now through 2029. 130 cases imported.
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.