Winemaker Notes
The near-vertical slope of the Monts Damnés produces wines that have delicate tropical fruit (a proof of ripe Sauvignon grapes) and vibrant citrus aromas. The palate confirms this fruitiness and brings a nice and clean mineral note.
This wine can be enjoyed with a great variety of dishes: Asian cuisine, white meats, and cheeses such as Munster would do a great match.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A reductive and flinty Sancerre with chalky gooseberries, lime, green mangoes and quince. Textured and decisively bright on the medium-bodied palate with a fresh and linear finish. Drink now.
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Wine Enthusiast
This vineyard famed for its steep slope above the village of Chavignol has produced a balanced wine, textured and with ripe white fruits and tight acidity. Still young, it will develop well and further
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Wine Spectator
A pronounced herbaceous quality introduces this wine, which is marked by mouthwatering acidity and reveals good density to the flavors of grapefruit and green melon. Precise and linear, with weight that builds toward a lengthy finish highlighted by fresh-cut chives and refined minerality.
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.