Sancerre, Les Quarterons 2016, Riffault, France

Région: Loire

Appellation: Sancerre.

Sans doute l’appellation le plus connu au monde pour le Sauvignon Blanc.

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Unquestionably the most famous place for Sauvignon Blanc in the world.

Viticulture:

Sébastien Riffault c’est un vrai pionnier à Sancerre. Il a hérité les vignes de son père et a tout converti à une agriculture biodynamique. Il croit qu’avec une sol pleine de vie, les maturités des raisins peuvent être pousser plus loin. C’est a dire, il vendange plusieurs semaines plus tard que ces voisins. Le résultat c’est que les raisins sont plus mûres, et une partie ont subi un pourriture ‘noble’ de Botrytis, qui donne des arômes de jasmin et miel.

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Sébastien Riffault is a pioneer in Sancerre. He inherited the vines of his father and converted to biodynamic agriculture. His belief is that with healthy soils, the grapes can be left on the vines to mature longer than on soils pumped full of herbicides and pesticides, devoid of life. So, he harvests much later than his neighbours do, leading to grapes that are much riper, a portion of which are affected by Botrytis, the so-called ‘noble-rot’ that gives aromas of honey and jasmine.

Vinification:

Les raisins sont pressés et la fermentation et élevage à lieu dans les cuves inox. Rien est ajouté, ni levures ni sucre ni produit chimique, sauf une minuscule 10mg de sulfites à l’embouteillage.

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The grapes are pressed directly into stainless steel, where the juice ferments naturally without added yeasts or chemicals, and a tiny 10mg of sulfites are added at bottling.

Dégustation:

Pas un Sancerre typique, qui est souvent minéral, frais, et vif. Ici par contre il y a de la richesse, profondeur, et rusticité. Le fruit éxotique demeure, mais il est transformé: poire, ananas, citronelle confit et mûre, avec un peu de gingembre et romarin. Un soupçon de noisettes devient exaggéré en bouche, à côté d’une poire frais. La bouche est riche et corsé mais pas du tout confituré, il y a beaucoup d’acidité et texture.

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The nose is nothing like a typical Sancerre, which is usually mineral, clean, and bright. Here, we are ripe, deep, and wild. The fruit of Sauvignon Blanc is still there: pineapple, a hint of lychee, pear, lemongrass; but it is overripe and bruised, like a tropical fruit marmalade with ginger and rosemary. There is a hint of nuttiness as well, toasted walnuts as well. The nuttiness, which is a mark of oxidative winemaking, is even stronger on the palate, which shows the pear from the nose, but fresh fresh fresh. None of the jammy fruit we were expecting. Full bodied, high acidity, lots of texture, and a long finish.

Loire, Phil’En Bulles 2017, Tessier, France

Region: Loire

Subregion: Cour-Cheverny, but not officially in the appellation which only allows still wines.

Note Cour-Cheverny on the East Side. Sancerre is even further East, while Muscadet-land is West.

Grapes: Romorantin! The fourth (? fifth?) white Grape of the Loire, but not to be ignored. It exists only in the Cour-Cheverny appellation, and is very rarely expressed as a sparkling wine. Get it while it’s hot baby.

Vinification: Pet-Nat, no sulfur. Natural bubblesss. See below.

Tasting: This is a lovely explosive wine, with signature Touraine florals striking the first nose: chamomile, jasmine, pear, white peach, and a hint of lemongrass and green tealeaf.  As it opens, it gains a flinty minerality. The palate is sweet on the first attack, with a hint of the sweet chamomile and pear, but finishes with an energizing lemon zest acidity, perfectly balancing the hint of residual sugar. The bubbles are big and lively. A wine for refreshing laughs, less serious in demeanor than champagne, but no less charming or aromatic.

WHAT IS A PETNAT?

The term pet-nat, short for Pétillant Naturel, has come into vogue recently, principally associated with the ‘natural wine’ movement. But it is not a new-age technique of wine-making, but rather one that has lasted centuries.

Recall the Champagne technique:

1. the juice is fermented into a still wine like any other.
2. It is bottled along with yeasts and sugars (liquer de tirage) and closed.
3. This catalyzes a secondary fermentation, and since the bottle is closed, the C02 doesn’t escape, but rather expresses itself in the bubbles characteristic of Champagne.

Pet-Nat, on the other hand, undergoes only ONE fermentation.

The wine is put into the bottle before the fermentation is finished, such that there is still sugar and active yeasts looking to eat those sugars. Boom! Bubbles!

Sancerre, Quarterons 2015, Riffault, France

Region: Loire

Subregion: Sancerre

 

Grape: Sauvignon Blanc

Vinification: Stainless Steel, wild fermentation, natural.

Tasting: The wine is hugely aromatic, with grapefruit, honeyed leechee, and high toned grass notes. A bit of minerality, but really lots of ripe fruit. Pure and deep. The palate is very lush and rounder than a typical Sancerre or Sauvignon blanc. 2015 was hot, and it shows. But the wine remains dry and the grassy herbal components show through nicely on the palate. Big serious wine. Miam.

Natural Winemaking is rare enough in Sancerre, the most famous appelation in the Loire. We’re lucky to have this great example of what is possible.