Producing quintessential Sauvignon Blanc, Sancerre and Pouilly-Sur-Loire in the Loire Valley offer white wines against which all others are measured. Green, grassy, steely, flinty with soaring acidity, these crisp, dry, citrus-driven wines exude distinct mineral qualities. And don’t forget Pinot Noir from Sancerre or Chasselas from Pouilly-Sur-Loire. The famous vineyards and wines of the Loire Valley are waiting to be explored.
Sancerre & Pouilly Fumé – Sauvignon Blanc
The greatest Sancerre and Pouilly Fumé Sauvignon carry a tension that effortlessly segue into the opening, then mid-palate and finish. These are certainly very complex wines, but due in part to fascinating terroir and microclimate of the area, balance is generally a more key component and asset than the wine’s overall complexity. Look for a crisp, refreshing opening, an acute yet generous mouthfeel, stony and citrus tones and a long, dry finish.
It is thought that Pouilly Fumé produces the smokier, less fruit-forward style Sauvignon, compared with Sancerre’s. The truth is that only very few vineyards in Pouilly produce wine with a noticeable “gun flint” or smoky aroma and flavour – and this particular type of vineyard is present in Sancerre, too. There is debate as to whether the flint vineyards actually produce better wines. The reality, though, is that the finest examples of the two neighbouring region’s wines can often be difficult to tell apart.
An aspect easier to interpret is often the soil in which the vines thrive. Caillottes, Kimeridgian and Silex give their own signature flavours and textures. Wine made from grapes exclusively from singular plots of each soil are fairly commonplace. However, the majority of Sancerre and Pouilly wines are deft blends between the three terroirs.
The blending of Sauvignon grapes from various parcels is thought to be the defining factor in contributing toward the wine’s balance. Great Sauvignon Blanc can come from single plots; extraordinary Sauvignon Blanc tends to come from a blend between at least two different tracts, although this is of course subject to interpretation.
Whilst only a small amount of large, commercial producers exist in these regions, a large amount of wine in total is produced. The possibility of low grade Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé making its way to a supermarket near you is far higher than is ideal.
The Sancerre in particular, made in mass quantity and harvested early in order to limit the loss of any of the crop, is almost always overly light, dull and aloof. A telltale sign can often be the screw top. The screw top in of itself is no worse method of securing the top of a bottle of wine, designed to be consumed young, than a cork. However, the traditions with which these two regions are aligned are of such importance, that no truly discerning winemaker would ever dream of bottling their Sancerre or Pouilly Fumé with a screw top.
When purchasing Sancerre, look out for the village names of Chavignol, Bué and Verdigny. These are small but serious winemaking communes, producing small quantities of seriously high quality wine. Vintages to look for include 2015 and 2019.
Photo Credit: Vins-Sancerre
Sancerre – Pinot Noir
Sancerre is world famous for its Sauvignon Blanc, but the same cannot be said in relation to its Pinot Noir. Historically, Pinot vines (and other minor red varieties) were planted and harvested throughout Sancerre in far higher quantity than Sauvignon.
Cultivating white wine is a relatively recent addition across Sancerre, only becoming favoured by winemakers during the last two hundred or so years. Red wine in Sancerre varies wildly and ranges from chewy, expressive, thoroughly juicy examples to lighter, precise, well structured, complex wines that will develop over the coming decade.
Well made Sancerre Pinot from 2018 and 2020 is worth keeping, although red wine from the region is generally consistent throughout most years. The majority of Sancerre winemakers with Pinot Noir vineyards put equal effort into their red wine as they do their white wine, and remain thoroughly bemused as to why the region’s reds are seemingly overlooked. In essence, Pinot from this region can offer some of the greatest value of any wine purchase across the entire Loire Valley.
Much of Sancerre’s best rosé of Pinot Noir is made by a method known as saignée. During the initial maceration process, the lighter juice is pumped off the top of the vat and separated to make rosé, leaving fuller, denser juice behind and bottled as red. The result is a more complex still rosé than one could hope to achieve by lightly pressing red grapes, and a more powerful, more highly concentrated red. It is a win/win strategy.
Village of Sancerre
Pouilly-Sur-Loire – Chasselas
Chasselas is is a grape that completely slides under the radar. Chasselas continues to steadily move out of fashion and out of the vineyards – where it is routinely uprooted in favour of Sauvignon. Popular more with winemakers than wine drinkers thanks to its high yield, the less aromatic Pouilly variety has historically been thought of as nothing more than table wine. However, when well made, this humble variety labeled Pouilly-Sur-Loire is not to be ignored.
The best examples present bargains that pair formidably with shellfish, offering a discernible alternate to Melon de Bourgogne, the grape variety used throughout the Loire’s Muscadet region. Whilst Chasselas certainly cannot compete with Sauvignon in terms of character, complexity or structure, Chasselas shines in its consistency. Due to its high yielding capacity, the Pouilly Sur Loire produced is generally a more steady representation throughout vintages than the trickier and more precocious Sauvignon.
With no signs of Sauvignon’s popularity declining, only time will tell whether Pouilly-Sur-Loire wines shall survive. Only when you’ve become familiar with Chasselas, can you really decide what fate the lesser of Pouilly’s two white wine varietals deserves. Visit the Loire Valley and taste for yourself.
Cheers! ~ Cindy
WRITER’S PROFILE
Chris Garry is Tour Coordinator for Elite Wine Tour, providing luxury bespoke, fully customisable, client led wine experiences across the Loire Valley.
To experience Sancerre, Pouilly Fumé, Pouilly-Sur-Loire as well as other Loire wines and for 20% off all bookings, use coupon code GRAPEXP20 at checkout. Click here to view your options and book your experiences.
Photo Credit: Elite Wine Tour
