9/24/2023 0 Comments Sancerre wine 2020Moving closer to the actual town of Sancerre, soils are gravel and limestone, producing especially delicate wines. In the western part of the appellation, clay and limestone soils with Kimmeridgean marne, especially in Chavignol, produce powerful wines. 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. Its enormous popularity in 1970s French bistros led to its success as the go-to restaurant white around the globe in the 1980s. Marked by its charming hilltop village in the easternmost territory of the Loire, Sancerre is famous for its racy, vivacious, citrus-dominant Sauvignon blanc. The result is precisely-delineated wines with stony minerality, concentration, texture, weight, complexity, and a lengthy, vibrant finish. The wines are then aged on lees without bâtonnage and are bottled unfined and unfiltered, according to the lunar calendar. Most fermentations are done in temperature-controlled stainless steel and a few in barrels, all with native yeasts and minimal sulfur. The domain’s impeccable farming is preserved through a slow, intentional process and an élevage that favors patience and transparency. In the cellar, Vincent remains a traditionalist as he looks for a balance between varietal and terroir. At harvest, whole clusters are hand harvested in small baskets. Gaudry’s vineyards are planted on all three predominant Sancerre terroirs: silex (flinty soils: structure, length, and lift), which runs in a narrow band along a fault line passing underneath the town of Sancerre terres blanches (Kimmeridgian clay-limestone marl: mouthfeel) and caillottes (hard, weathered Oxfordian limestone: nose, aromatics) as well as other minor soil types that are often not talked about in the oversimplification of Sancerre’s terroir. Witnessing firsthand the positive relationship between the vineyards, forests, and their animal inhabitants brought on by his regenerative agricultural practices, Vincent works with nature and a sober pragmatism to maintain a balance in his vineyards and wine. He began farming his vineyards with biodynamic principles in 2000, becoming the first producer in Sancerre with a Demeter certification in 2004. With a desire to go even further, he developed a deep appreciation for biodynamic farming and the balance it brought to his vineyards. He immediately began converting to organic farming in 1995, obtaining organic certification in 2002. Getting rid of the chemicals in the vineyard became the first priority for young Vincent. Today, he and his wife Séverine, who handles the administrative aspects of the domaine, farm 11 hectares of vineyards with organic, biodynamic, and regenerative practices. Vincent was only 16 years old when he joined his father in the family business in 1991, taking over entirely in 1993 when his father fell unexpectedly ill. The domaine was established by Vincent’s grandfather with only a few hectares of vines before being passed to Vincent’s father, Georges, who gradually enlarged the estate to 9.5 hectares. Driven by his deep respect for the wisdom of past generations of local vignerons, Gaudry’s wines are inspired by history and, as a result, are among the most transparent, soulful, and authentic in the region. Vincent is a true minimalist whose guiding principle is "Trust in Nature." Gaudry wines are in tune with the elements, instilling a feeling of being profoundly connected to the land. We refer to Vincent Gaudry as the "last Jedi of Sancerre," due to his mastery of the complexities of the Sancerre terroir and his humble transparency and insight when speaking about his deeply held beliefs regarding the power of the earth and energy exchange between himself, his vineyards, and wines. A journey through the Sancerre terroir with a virtuoso like Vincent is akin to stepping through an unmarked door into a hidden universe filled with colors, flavors, and textures one did not previously know existed. These days, it may be easy to overlook Sancerre as a simple Parisian bistro wine or dismiss sauvignon blanc for the intellectual credentials of chenin blanc however, one visit with Vincent Gaudry turns those who meet him into true believers. For those in the know, Vincent Gaudry has been handcrafting some of the most essential, soulful wines of the Loire River Valley for over 30 years in his craftsman cellar in the tiny hamlet of Chambre near Sury-en-Vaux, Sancerre.
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