Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
An impressive, substantial Sancerre, with just a hint of toasty brioche, which adds a touch of delicious opulence, but this is mostly about freshness and elegance, with dried herb oil, chives and a saline beam of energy on a well-integrated frame. This serious, weighty Sancerre is built for food and also the cellar.
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Vinous
The 2023 Monts Damnés hails from a southeast-facing, morning-sun site that is closer to the village of Verdigny than Chavignol. Elderflower and raspberry join together in this aromatically appealing white. Its structure zings through on the finish, providing amazing tension and zest that speaks to the cooler part of this site. There's a lovely sense of richness on the entry before it tightens up on the finish. Power, spice and an almost fierce nature make this a young but exciting wine that has the bones for longevity.
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Wine Spectator
An impressive, substantial Sancerre, with just a hint of toasty brioche, which adds a touch of delicious opulence, but this is mostly about freshness and elegance, with dried herb oil, chives and a saline beam of energy on a well-integrated frame. This serious, weighty Sancerre is built for food and also the cellar. Drink now through 2030.
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Wine Spectator
An impressive, substantial Sancerre, with just a hint of toasty brioche, which adds a touch of delicious opulence, but this is mostly about freshness and elegance, with dried herb oil, chives and a saline beam of energy on a well-integrated frame. This serious, weighty Sancerre is built for food and also the cellar. Drink now through 2030. 170 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.