As this is being printed, it’s dry and sunny 75 degrees in and around the ancient village of Sancerre, located in the eastern part of the Loire Valley, one of France’s most beautiful areas.
When I said, “ancient”, I wasn’t kidding; the area that comprises the town – essentially a ten square-mile oval that stands about 1200 feet above sea level – has been populated since the Neanderthal period. Wine cultivation is thought to have begun with the invading Romans about 3,000 years ago and even then, the wines of this town were in high demand and well-known; the historian Pliny commented on the, “satisfying flavors of this Gallic delicacy”.
Fortunately for us, things are always evolving in the world of wine and especially in this area. Known for thousands of years for its spectacular, flinty Sauvignon Blancs, growing and cultivation progress has recently given us the Sancerre Red, from Pinot Noir grapes. Once thin and often as herbaceous as the whites, recent offerings bring notes of black cherry and spice, creating a new generation of full-bodied, age-worthy wines. These aren’t just limited to productions from top domaines like Vachero. Smaller estates like Pierre Morin are also part of the action.
Pierre Morin 2015, Sancerre, ($24.00). This is a ripe smooth wine. With its generous tannins and concentrated black-plum fruits, it is rich and full. The wine still has plenty of youthful acidity and fruitiness and needs time to fully develop. Drink from 2019.
Domaine Sautereau, 2016, Côte de Reigny (Sancerre); $23, 89 points. Some barrel aging has given this wine, with its already ripe fruits, extra richness. It is spicy, lifted by juicy acidity from the black cherries and plums. This is a full, warm and ripe wine that is just now ready to drink.
Can’t forget the whites, though…
Daniel Chotard 2015 Les Cris (Sancerre), ($39.00) This is a limited production wine from small parcels of limestone soil. Aged in acacia barrels, it has subtle spice and toast flavors. They wood aging hahad the effect of broadening the wine and giving it extra richness. It’s an herbaceous and impressive wine, ready to drink right now.
Henri Bourgeois, d’Antan Terroir de Silex, (Sancerre), ($59.99).
The wine’s name means Sancerre from the old days or made in a traditional way. Certainly, if that way was to make a superb rich wine with great fruit, then this succeeds. It comes from flint soil and that’s discernible in the steely edge that gives a contrast to the ripe fruit. Drink this still-young wine, with its wood-aging flavors from 2019.
Michel Vattan 2015 Les L-O (Sancerre), ($33.99). From a number of old-vine parcels, designated in the past as L-O and only produced in the best years, this wine is beautifully ripe with great layers of rich apple and pear fruits. They are cut with zesty acidity and a more mineral aspect. The wine still needs to age further, so drink from 2019.
