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The Central Vineyards
Loire Wine Guide:
Introduction
Nantais
Anjou & Saumur Part 1
Anjou & Saumur Part 2
Anjou & Saumur Part 3
Touraine Part 1
Touraine Part 2
Central Vineyards
Travelling west to east, the central vineyards - Sancerre, Pouilly-Fumé and friends - are the last bastion of the Loire. When driving from Tours to Sancerre for the first time I was disheartened by the length of the journey, which I had underestimated. It took many hours; I can't recall how many exactly, but memory of the tedious trek now serves as a lifelong reminder of just how isolated from the rest of the Loire these vineyards are. Indeed, the vineyards of Chablis, to the northeast, and the Côte d'Or, directly to the east, are closer than those we have just left behind, around Tours, to the west. As if reflecting this transition from the Loire to Burgundy, here the great grapes of the Loire - Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc - give way to Burgundy's finest, Pinot Noir, and also Sauvignon Blanc, which doesn't sound very Burgundian, but which can indeed be found planted around Chablis, specifically St-Bris-le-Vineux, where it has the appellation St-Bris (I remember when it was a lowly VDQS, Sauvignon-de-St-Bris).
Sancerre
This is the most famous appellation here, just pipping near neighbour
Pouilly-Fumé to the post in my opinion. Part of Sancerre's fame may be due to
the fact that, like Chinon, this is one of those names that rolls off
the tongue so easily. That is not to say, however, that the wine does not have
merits. It is not difficult to make a convincing argument that this is the
greatest conceivable expression of Sauvignon Blanc. The appellation, for white
Sancerre specifically, was created in 1936, that for reds and rosés following
only in 1959. Including Sancerre, which with its hilltop position dominates the
local landscape, there are fourteen communes eligible for the appellation. These
largely spread out to the west, the Loire lying to the east, and incorporate
important sites for the appellation including the villages of Maimbray and
Chavignol, the latter being noted for a celebrated goat's cheese as much as for
the quality of its wines. Of these fourteen communes, five are authorised for
white wine only (100% Sauvignon Blanc, obviously), and nine for red and rosé as
well as white (the first two being 100% Pinot Noir). The first five are Bannay,
Ménétréol-sous-Sancerre, Saint-Satur, Thauvenay and Veaugues, whereas the latter
nine are Bué, Crézancy-en-Sancerre, Menetou-Râtel, Montigny,
Sainte-Gemme-en-Sancerrois, Sancerre itself, Sury-en-Vaux, Verdigny and Vinon.
Of note perhaps two of the better known regions of the Sancerre appellation, the
aforementioned Chavignol and Maimbray, which features in
Reverdy's Terre de Maimbray, are not listed communes in their own right. As
for terroir,
the fourteen communes see a mix of three distinct types.
First there is caillottes, chalky soils which are very typical of the
region and account for about 40% of the appellation, and are said to yield wines
with god aromatics. Then there is terres
blanches, Kimmeridgian marly soils dominated by limestone and clay which
cover another 40%; perhaps more reminiscent of the soils of Chablis
than Sancerre, and they are also readily associated with Pouilly-Fumé. in
Sancerre these soils are more common to the west of the appellation, including
well-known sites such as Les Monts Damnés and the Côte de Beaujeu, and they give
structured wines that need cellaring. Finally there is silex, or flint,
which accounts for 20% of the vineyards. This terroir is concentrated around
Sancerre, St-Satur, Ménétréol-sous-Sancerre and Thauvenay in the east, closer to
the river.
My first experience of Sancerre on its home turf was a tasting of wines at Domaine Vacheron, which I enjoyed immensely, enough to purchase several bottles for transporting back to the UK in my (t)rusty car. I have had a soft spot for Vacheron ever since. White Sancerre comes in varying styles, although broadly speaking they are fresh and balanced wines, with some minerality, which pair well with seafood amongst other things. Some domaines offer more serious wines, from one of the many lieux-dits, or perhaps utilising old vines, but they remain true to type. One or two involve wood, during fermentation or even ageing, although these wines are certainly in the minority. By and large the white wines are best drunk within a few years of the vintage, a maxim now rather long in the tooth but one that I still adhere to in many cases; but beware - there are also a number of cuvées that will do well in the cellar.
The rosé is also for drinking young, although the red wines will no doubt perform a little better in the cellar. Both are made from Pinot Noir, harvested at 55 hl/ha (60 hl/ha for the white), grown in the same delimited region as for Sauvignon Blanc. These red and rosé wines are in the minority though, with approximately 600 hectares planted compared with over 2000 hectares planted to Sauvignon Blanc. Just a few producers of red Sancerre truly excel, but when they do the wines can be a worthwhile experience, capable of developing a delightful, silky character in bottle. When seeking out the best wines, look for Alphonse Mellot (for white, rosé and red), Vacheron (where all colours shine - the red La Belle Dame is particularly delightful), Henri Bourgeois (for whites more than reds), Cotat Frères (whites more than reds), Vincent Pinard (whites more than reds) and Pascal & Nicolas Reverdy (reds more than whites).
Pouilly-Fumé & Pouilly-sur-Loire
Pouilly sits on the opposite bank of the Loire to Sancerre, and gives rise to two wines, the almost universally known Pouilly-Fumé, and the almost universally unknown Pouilly-sur-Loire. The former is the wine for which Pouilly is now famous, pure Sauvignon Blanc (which now accounts for over 95% of all the vineyards, in excess of 1000 hectares), whereas the latter is made from Chasselas, once a very significant variety in the town, now more of an oddity, accounting for just 38 hectares at the last count. Neither are to be confused with Pouilly-Fuissé, however, which originates from the Pouilly to the west of Mâcon, in Burgundy, and which is naturally 100% Chardonnay.
Pouilly-Fumé is often said to have a distinctive smoky, minerally, gunflinty character; certainly I have found a few examples that are true to this type, some taking the description to the most pungent (although still enjoyable) extreme. Nevertheless many are not, some displaying a grassy and grapefruit character that makes them quite indistinguishable from Sancerre. There are seven eligible communes, and it is often heard that there are more obvious differences between individual communes in Sancerre and Pouilly than there are between the two appellations themselves. The soils here tend to have more clay than those of Sancerre, although they are largely sandy or gravelly, over Kimmeridgien or Oxfordien limestone, and any discernible differences may be ascribed to this. When seeking out the best examples of Pouilly-Fumé, it would de disadvantageous to not experience the wines of the maverick Didier Dagueneau, who is undoubtedly one of the leaders in this appellation. Others include Ladoucette and Chateau de Tracy.
The Neighbours
Close by there are a number of alternative appellations, all in a very similar vein to the two big players above. They offer white, red and rosé, all from Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir. Some, being less famous than Sancerre and Pouilly, can offer very good value indeed.
Quincy was awarded AOC status in 1936, for Sauvignon Blanc only. One peculiar historical note sticks in my mind regarding Quincy; this was the second wine region in France to be accorded such status, following the original appellation, Chateauneuf du Pape. The wines are said to be softer than those from other villages nearby. Reuilly was awarded an AOC in 1937 for whites, 1961 for reds and rosés; these are wines best drunk young. Finally, in this rundown of the more significant appellations is Menetou-Salon; after Sancerre and Pouilly this is probably the most important. The vineyards here stretch south west from Sancerre; the wines are not wholly comparable despite this geographical relationship, but nevertheless this is a source of good value, classically styled wines.
Top Winedoctor Domaines
Sancerre
Alphonse Mellot
Vacheron
Henri Bourgeois
Cotat Frères
Vincent Pinard
Pascal & Nicolas Reverdy
Pouilly-Fumé
Didier Dagueneau,
Ladoucette
Chateau de Tracy
Menetou-Salon
Closing the door on their way out are a few backwater appellations which are of minor interest only and will not commonly be encountered; the first is Chateaumeillant, for reds and rosés only; this tiny AOC is undergoing promotion from VDQS at the moment. There are less than 100 hectares cultivated. Last one out is the Coteaux du Giennois, another appellation recently promoted from VDQS, in this case in 1998. All colours are made here, Sauvignon for the whites, Pinot Noir and Gamay for the reds. Lastly, surrounding the city of Orleans is the VDQS of Vins de l'Orleannais, established in 1951, again allowing for all three colours, but also accounting for only a small vineyard area in a region where the vine is part of a polyculture, most vignerons also growing fruit, vegetables and grain. Nevertheless the region is notable for spawning two of the Loire's most recent new appellations, Orleans and Orleans-Cléry. The former allows all colours, the latter only red; I have no notable experience of the wines.
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