Domaine Vacheron is an estate that is situated within the hilltop-town of Sancerre itself. In narrow backstreets of the small village, just barely possible for cars to reach. You would never expect to find such a large operation here, but all of a sudden there is Domaine Vacheron with complete production-fascilities and cellars. The domaine is run by two cousins Jean-Dominique and Jean-Laurent Vacheron, who has taken over the estate from their fathers Jean-Louis and Denis Vacheron. We are met by the cousins and Jean-Dominique takes us for a tour of the vineyards. The crus are in a short distance of the town. Domaine Vacherons owns a total of 47 hectares in Sancerre AOC, 35,5 planted with sauvignon blanc, 11,5 with pinot noir. 46 of these hectares of vines is within the commune of Sancerre. The entire estate is run organic and biodynamically since 2004. Biodynamic certification for all vineyards was given in 2008. The domaine is one of the more dynamic and quality-focused estates of the Sancerre AOC. More and more parcels are being vinified separately and then either blended together or bottled separately as one of several now cru-bottlings. Today there are four vineyard-selections of Sancerre blanc; Le Paradis, Chambrates, Guigne-Chevres and Les Romains. For reds there is one selection from the vineyard of Belle dame that is situated next to the Les Romains. And there are plans to possibly make two new crus of Sancerre blanc: Pave with vines of sauvignon blanc planted in 1991 on cretaceous limestone and Clos des Remparts des Dames. The latter is a small clos within the town of Sancerre with ungrafted sauvignon blanc-vines planted in 2008.
Tasting notes
Sancerre rouge 2010
We started with tasting the standard-red Sancerre. We did not taste the Belle dame. This 2010-wine is sourced from 10 different parcels. 50% of the vines are grown on limestone-soil, the other part on eocene flint. The wine had a clear red colour. The nose was lightly fruity in style. Some anise-notes. Little to no oak noticeable. Medium bodied and typically tight style. There is a certain elegance to trace here. The fruit is clear bright red berries. Some anise. Fine acids and a tight and dry finish with some tannins. Typical red of the region and one of the better versions.
Sancerre rose 2010
Then we went to the rose. The grapes for this also comes 50% from vines grown on limestone and 50% from eocene flint-soil. This had an orange colour. Refreshing nose. Bright fruits, peach. Some citrus and light earth. Medium bodied, yet quite powerful Sancerre rose in the mouth. Bright fruits, some earth and some caramel-like notes. Fine acids and medium length. I am not a fan of Sancerre rose and this wine did not do it for me.
Sancerre blanc 2010
The domaine white. 45% of the vines are grown on jurassic limestone, 45% from eocene flint and 10% from cretaceous marl. Aromatic and fruity on the nose. Notes of gooseberry, nettle. Fullbodied Sancerre in the mouth considering this vintage. It has a lightly creamy style with fine fruit. Again aromatic fruit upfront, there is an underlying minerality that is very nice. But it remains mostly fruity and nice. Fine acids and length. Great quality for a standard-Sancerre. Very good.
Sancerre blanc Le Paradis 2010
This is from a single-vineyard in the commune of Sancerre. It was first bottled separately in the 2009-vintage. The vineyard has a gentle slope and is situated next to the road between Sancerre and Montigny. The soil is oxfordian clay-limestone from the jurassic period rich in caillottes. The roots of the vines are in direct contact with the limestone-rock in the soil. The vineyard was replanted in 2002. All crus are aged 10 months in wood. On the nose this shows more complexity and a finer minerality. A little drier in the mouth. Less aromatic-fruit and more mineral-driven wine. Fine depth. Young. Good acidic backbone. Dry and long finish. Very good Sancerre. A much more intellectual style than the rather fruit-forward and tasty Sancerre blanc.
Sancerre blanc Chambrates 2010
Chambrates is a vineyard that borders Le Paradis. It is also along the D955-provincial road, but closer to Sancerre. Chambrates has a light slope and the soil is equal to the Le Paradis, but with some more organic soil. Vines are planted in 1994 and 2010 is the first vintage of this cru. On the nose it is a more aromatic wine than the Le Paradis. There’s some more nettle and gooseberries here. Some citrus and fine minerality showing. Fullbodied in the mouth. Fuller than the Le Paradis. A touch fatness. Lots of young gooseberry-fruit. Fine acids and structure. Light grapefruit-bitterness on the finish. Very good wine, but I think I prefer the fine minerality of the Le Paradis.
Sancerre blanc Guigne-Chevres 2010
The vineyard Guigne-Chevres is situated southeast of Chambrates and east of Paradis. It is also oxfordian limestone from the jurassic period. The soil has some red clay and caillottes. Guigne-Chevres is a part of a vineyard named Les grands champs. Domaine Vacheron used to bottle a wine with this name. From the 2010-vintage it is labeled Guigne-chevres and is selected from this part of the vineyard. Vines was planted in 1984. The wine is more mineral than the Chambrates and resembles more the style of Le Paradis with a very fine mineral nose. More depth than the Paradis. Some citrusy hints. It is a fuller wine in the mouth. Still refreshing and slim style with high acids. Fine mineral-driven Sancerre with citrusy fruit. Young wine with a good length. Great wine that probably deserves a couple of years in the cellar.
Sancerre blanc Les Romains 2010
While the wines from Le Paradis, Chambrates and Guigne-Chevres is situated on the same plateau, Les Romains is situated southeast of Guigne-Chevres on the other side of the D307-road. It has a steeper slope that is exposed southwest. The soil here is completely different. It is a white flint-clay soil called eocene silex. Vines were planted in 1970. According to many in the Sancerre-region this is the finest vineyard in the AOC for vines grown on flinty soils. The first vintage of this cru was 1997. On the nose this is a very interesting wine. Flinty indeed. Loads of minerality. Light aromatic sauvignon blanc-hints. Citrusy style. It is a rich and fullbodied Sancerre in the mouth. But it remains an elegant wine. Great balance with fine and refreshing acids. Mineral approach. Clear and precise. Flinty. Young style, tight and not showing that much. Good length. Great wine and clearly the top-wine of the range.
Sancerre blanc 1991
So we go back to tasting a few older bottles. This is from a time before the domaine was biodynamic and there was no crus bottled separately. Many thinks that older bottles of Sancerre and Pouilly-fume does not age. The stay in the region proved that aging them long is a great risk. But some older bottles was very good. And this was perhaps the finest of them all. Intense nose. Loads of sea-shells, oysters, minerality. Very complex and clearly aged. In the mouth this is a slim and acidic wine. Dry and medium bodied. The fruit is perhaps fading, but what is left is very pretty indeed. Complex hints of sea and oysters. Minerality and some citrus. Fine acids and a lightly drying finish. Great wine. Old now, so drink up if you have any.
Sancerre blanc 1992
So the ’91 was a success. The ’92 did not at all manage to follow up on that. This has lots of oxidation on the nose. There is some minerality here, but oxidation has gone too far. It still has some body, but fruit has turned into an oxidative mess. It still shows a mineral side that is quite nice. The acids are much lower than the ’91. Not good.
Sancerre blanc Les Romains 1997
Unfortunately this also was a mess. Upon pouring one can see from the deep colour that there will be problems. Golden and deep. There’s some minerality and oysters on the nose, but this has loads of “brown” aromatics and oxidation. Powerful wine in the mouth. This was a big and ripe wine in its time. Caramel and oxidative fruits. There is some nice minerality underneath. This shows a depth that tells of a grand wine. But this has not aged nicely. Very brownish aromatics. Medium to low acids and very high alcohol on the finish.
Sancerre blanc Les Romains 2005
What a great tasting! Its either to the sky or sink to the bottom with the older wines. This bottle must be the single finest Sancerre I have tasted. It shows its flinty and mineral side in full blossom. Complex and great depth. Some citrus, some light aromatic compounds. Fullbodied and concentrated Sancerre in the mouth. This has developed nicely and is on top now. Still flinty with developed complexity. A light aromatic side. Not too ripe. Greatly balanced fruit. Fine acids and length. Long mineral taste. A wine that is on top now. It will last, but if you have any drink it now. It would be a shame to miss this stage. Outstanding wine.
Les Romains vendange tardive 2003
At the end we tasted this made from late harvested and botrytised sauvignon blanc-grapes. It is of course outside the AOC and the wine is not for sale. It is kept at the domaine as a rarity. The wine has a yellow colour. Lots of sweet fruits on the nose. Some botrytis showing. Quite primary character. Half-sweet in the mouth. Not as sweet as expected. The alcohol is highly noticeable and too high in the balance. The fruit is very nice if not too complex. Clear fruity style with a light hints of botrytis. Decent acids, if not particularly high. The finish is all about alcohol. Too high. This would be far better with lower alcohol and more residual sugars. Good and interesting.
Arnt Egil Nordlien
Tasting note: Sep-11
Sancerre seen from the sea of vines south of town.
In the narrow backstreets of Sancerre you suddenly find this sign. You're at Domaine Vacheron.
The people behind Domaine Vacheron. Fathers Jean-Louis and Denis Vacheron was the previous generation. Today the domaine is run by Jean-Laurent and Jean-Dominique (Photo: Domaine Vacheron).
The great old vineyard of Les Romains. The name suggests it has been under vine since roman times.
Part of Les grands champs.
Clos des Remparts des Dames. Young vines of ungrafted sauvignon blanc in the town of Sancerre.