2023 Sancerre Blanc

In Bué, François Crochet is one of the most impressive producers in the appellation, with great attention to detail. From 2023, the vineyards have been certified as both organic and biodynamic. All of the 12ha are harvested by hand before being whole bunch pressed, making for pure, delicate fruit quality with lower thiols, leading to restrained fruit characters and impeccable clarity throughout the range. Since 2019, only wild yeasts have been used in the winery. While the wines from the current 2022 vintage display the richness of the warm season, they remain balanced and carefully made. From early tastes of the 2023 vintage, the domaine’s Sancerre Blanc is a very well-made example. From a tricky vintage with high yields, the unfinished tank samples of Crochet’s show rare concentration, which is a welcome surprise. Two green harvests were surely key to this. The current crop of 2022 Pinot Noirs is deftly handled and ripe, allowing for ripe stems and a high proportion of whole bunches, but they are well-balanced and have longevity.

The domaine’s lieux dits, parcels in Petit Chemarin, Grand Chemarin and Le Chêne Marchand, are limestone-based (calcaire/griottes/terres blanches), providing tenderness on the mid-palate with a fine chalky veil on the finish. However, each has its own personality: Le Petit Chemarin has a higher proportion of clay in the soil, giving roundness in addition to the winemaking influence of 18 months on lees in large foudres, while Le Chêne Marchand shows great power.