I took a trip to the Loire last year in the midst of the French summer. Landing in Paris and taking the chance to walk around, there was excitement abound with the final touches to the structures and preparations for the coming Olympics.
My destination though, was the city of Tours on the banks of the Loire. It’s a vibrant city, conveniently located for the majority of my producer visits. My flat rental was located well away from the tourist side of town - a handy bit of luck to get out among the local wine bars and check out more of the culture there and labels on show.
I was there to visit Thierry Germain of Domaine des Roches Neuves in nearby Saumur, Catherine and Pierre Breton in Bourgueil, whilst meeting prospective new producers for the Radford Dale Imports portfolio in Vouvray and Chinon. Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc country.
On the final day though, a 400km round drive east through French countryside to Sancerre and Domaine Vacheron. The crown jewel of the appellation.
Sancerre
Sancerre is a picturesque medieval, hilltop town, famously fortified up to the 17th century and proudly resilient for 7 months under siege during the ‘War of Religions’ in the 16th century. The fortified walls have since been removed, allowing for far reaching views across the rolling vineyards and countryside that surround it. One of the seven towers is still visible today, and the original bell (taken by the Catholic’s following the siege) was finally returned to the tower some 25 years ago.
The town of Sancerre is surrounded by vineyards on all sides. Back in the day, the wealthiest owned vineyards closest to the town, which were most accessible and easiest to transport grapes back to the town wineries via horse and cart or slung on back. Further out, the vineyards were owned by the workers and for those who rented vineyard.
Sauvignon Blanc rules the vineyards here, whilst Pinot Noir produces ‘Sancerre Rouge’ occupying around 20% of the vineyard area.
Keeping it in Sancerre
Vacheron themselves are tucked away at the elevated centre of Sancerre, requiring careful navigation up the winding, narrow streets. It’s a distinctly urban winery, with a period façade of what would have been several individual terraced dwellings. Entering the winery, the interior is surprisingly expansive, with lashings of modern winery equipment, beautifully crafted oak beams and ceilings, blended with the occasional room of historic and nostalgic importance to Vacheron, which remain untouched of their original features. A case in point, a small bottle cellar where their family once produced the local cheese.
In the recently completed, state of the art winery (formerly the home of their grandparents), Jean-Dominique Vacheron is able to point out where his Grandmother’s bed once lay. An additional 10 houses were purchased to allow the expansion, a monumental investment that has taken a decade of work to complete. Keeping the winery within the town walls was of great importance to Vacheron. A lack of space has seen an exodus of producers moving out of town and into purpose-built wineries elsewhere. There are just four domaine located in the town of Sancerre today.
“There are two reasons we are doing this, first it is because we like to be here and secondly it is to keep within Sancerre, after all what is Sancerre if there are no winemakers here?” Vacheron
Forefront of Organic and Biodynamic viticulture
Jean-Dominique and his cousin Jean-Laurent preside over the domaine vineyards today, as the fourth generation. They’ve purchased land in the best sites and painstakingly converted farming to organic and biodynamic certified viticulture. They adopted the practice in 1999 and achieved certification in 2005.
This is not a point to breeze over. Seeing the results of these farming practices can take a generation or two, but as with Thierry Germain, Vacheron 25 years in are seeing their vision for health and balance in the vineyard taking shape. It’s all about legacy and ensuring there are healthy soils and vines for future generations.
Today, many of the top wines of the world share organic or biodynamic certification. Burgundy greats such as Domaine de la Romanée Conti (practicing since 2007 and certified from 2017) and Domaine Leroy. In Bordeaux, the revered Chateau Latour (achieved 2018) and Pontet-Canet. Today, there are reportedly over 50,000 organic wine producers in France. For perspective, we estimate around 25 here in South Africa (growers and producers).
(To learn more about the organic wine here in SA, visit Organic Wines South Africa here: https://www.organicwinessouthafrica.co.za/)
The role of Burgundy
The influence of Burgundy can be seen in the wines in Vacheron, a region they are huge fans of. Vacheron are pioneers of vinifying individual sites of Sauvignon Blanc, recalling the work of Burgundy monks in the Côte d’Or. Furthermore, they are considered Sancerre’s most ambitious producer of Sancerre Rouge (Pinot Noir).
“The idea is to bring the concept of Burgundy to Sancerre, but not doing a bad copy of something that is done perfectly in Burgundy,” Vacheron
The wines
An aspect of Vacheron I greatly admire, sits with highlighting site. Tasting through the range in one sitting, shows the breadth of style in Sancerre Blanc. They pick ripe, avoiding an overtly green and commercially driven style of Sauvignon Blanc, with the site-specific bottlings all fermented and matured in large, upright French oak foudré, on the lees for a suitable period of time to develop interest. The overriding point of difference from one wine to the next is generated by site.
The sites consist of old vines across the top ‘lieu-dit’ (named vineyards), predominantly in the east of the appellation. Les Romains (flint), Le Paradis (limestone) and Chambrates (limestone and clay). The straight Sancerre Blanc a blend of parcels across the core soil profiles.
Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Blanc 2020 – R 702
The domaine blanc from Sancerre, is a blend of parcels (limestone 45%, flint 45% and 10% marl), with the single vineyards wines contributing 20% of the final blend. This portion is also responsible for the wood influence.
“Most producers can only dream of an ‘entry-level’ wine that’s this good.” Vinous.com
There’s an ease to the Sancerre Blanc 2020 today. It’s mellow, with gentle citrus fruit, a long, chalky texture and beautifully refined. The sense that there is plenty of development potential still to come.
Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Blanc ‘Chambrates’ 2020 – R 1,147
The ‘Chambrates’ comes in from a plateau, with a poor topsoil of weathered limestone, clay and white stones. The roots reach deep in the mother rock below.
It shows signature Vacheron refinement, whilst being the broadest of the Vacheron bottlings. Clean, with a richness of white fruit and attractive oak, a gentle tug of spice and a saline, savoury texture. Broad, but with an acid line to preserve the tension. Impressive and statured.
Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Blanc ‘Les Romains’ 2020 – R 1,147
‘Les Romains’ was among the first vineyard bottlings from Vacheron, first bottled in 1997, and exclusively picked from pure flint (silex) soils, rich in fossilized material. A particularly long-lived expression, with a restrained smokiness and flinty character, soft aromas of nettle. It’s long, zesty and tense. Among the most collectible wines of the appellation. Stunning.
Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Blanc ‘Le Paradis’ 2020 – R 1,147
‘Les Paradis’ is the most familiar of Sancerre bottlings from Vacheron, from a steep hillside vineyard with little topsoil. The vines delving straight into the chalk mother rock.
Silky, with classic Sancerre characters of pear, citrus zest, sea salt and gooseberry. Very fine.
Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Rouge 2019 – R 813
Vacheron have long flown the flag for Pinot Noir in Sancerre, elevating their wines from bistro favourite, to one that offers up Burgundian personality and outstanding relative quality to price.
Like the domaine blanc, it’s sourced from a combination of flint and chalk soils, on hillside plots dotted around the town of Sancerre.
Whilst it was a warm vintage for Burgundy, yielding rich and glossy reds, here in Sancerre the fruit is of lifted red berries, orange zest and florals. Silky length and mid weight profile. Intensely moreish and exciting to drink. A team favourite.
Domaine Vacheron Sancerre Rouge ‘Belle Dame’ 2019 – R 1,353
The ‘Belle Dame’ vineyard bottling from Vacheron is widely regarded as the “grand cru” of Sancerre red wines. The site is of pure flint, with sleek red cherry fruit, florals and herbs, and masses of appeal.
The overall impression here is a Pinot Noir where everything is dialled up from the domaine Sancerre Rouge. Beautifully pure and well judged.
Enjoy!
