About Sancerre

 

This small wine district is located in central France. It’s known for its highly aromatic, bright wines produced from Sauvignon Blanc. The town of Sancerre and its surrounding vineyards lie at the eastern edge of the Loire Valley wine region. However, it’s actually in closer proximity to the Cote d’Or in Burgundy than to the other, western vineyards of the Loire Valley. In fact, the Kimmeridgian soils, which are famous in Burgundy’s Chablis district, are a defining characteristic of the Sancerre terroir.  This viticulture area consists of 7000 acres, which are all devoted to producing wines unique to this appellation. The Sancerre region has been less heavily affected by the economic hardships endured by much of the Loire Valley during the last decade. A combination of a thriving historical reputation along with the popularity of its unique style of wines has allowed Sancerre to reign as the top region in the valley.

History

 

Prior to the 1860s, the vineyards in Sancerre were planted primarily with varieties of red wine grapes. The white wines of the region, which were the minority, were made from Chasselas. However, phylloxera wiped out much of the vines during the 1860s. After a solution to the epidemic was found, Sauvignon Blanc showed the best success and quickly became the most widely used vine in the Sancerre. This proved to be a positive development, as it led to the areas widespread popularity. In fact, Sancerre wouldn’t be the winemaking region it is today without Sauvignon Blanc. Sancerre became a protected appellation in the mid-20th century. It’s now associated with high-quality white wines.

Terroir

This particular region of the Loire Valley has a semi-continental climate, which is characterized by cold winters and hot summers. The sunny conditions are perfect for the early-ripening Sauvignon Blanc. In addition, the soils in this hilly region are highly valued by local winemakers. There are three primary types of soil, limestone gravel, chalk, and silex flint. This silex is often attributed to the distinctive smoky aroma of Sauvignon Blanc from the region. The unique aroma is very present in wines from the eastern vineyards, which are closer to the Loire. This is where the name Blanc Fume, which is a pseudonym for Sauvignon in the region, is derived from.

Profile

Sancerre, the district’s classic white wine, is very acidic and contains strong aromas of grass, gooseberry, and nettle. It also tends to have mineral notes. Sancerre from the warmer, western vineyards are much richer and have fruitier traces of lemon peel and passionfruit. This white wine is much less distinct than New World Sauvignon Blanc. It contains fewer citrus notes and is less grassy than other whites. Other flavors found in Sancerre include chive, thyme, lime, honeysuckle, pink grapefruit, Meyer lemon, gray salt, and straw. Excellent food pairings include fish such as grilled trout and salmon along with roasted chicken and pork chops. Goat cheese, which the region is famous for, goes well with Sancerre. It also pairs well with Swiss, Gruyere, Camembert, cream cheese, Mascarpone, and Monterey Jack.

Meta: The Sancerre wine district on the eastern edge of the Loire Valley is known for white wine grown from Sauvignon Blanc. Learn more about this quaint region.