Sancerre

Production

The Sancerre AOC is a relatively small French appellation with around 2800 hectares of vines planted in rolling hills with up to 350 metres of altitude on the right side of the Loire valley, near to the villages of Sancerre and Ménétréol sous Sancerre.

Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir are the only grapes allowed in the region, although Pinot Noir accounts for only 20% of the region’s production. Producers in the area make white wine with Sauvignon, while red and rosé wines benefit from Pinot Noir’s noble character.

Wine made in the region is always dry and has a deliciously persistent acidity, making the wine thirst-quenching and food compatible. Experts attribute the wine’s mineral and flinty personality to the region’s limestone soils and the wine’s acidic balance to the cold weather and continental climate in such northern latitudes.

The Ancient Romans planted the area’s first vines at least 2000 years ago. After the fall of the Roman Empire, Catholic monks continued the region’s viticultural efforts. It is believed Sauvignon Blanc was found growing wild in the area; therefore, its name is derived from “Sauvage” or wild. As for Pinot Noir, the monks brought the thin-skinned red grape to Sancerre from their own monasteries in Burgundy, the grape’s spiritual home. Of additional note is the newly expanding Menetou Salon appellation to the southwest, allowing for a nearby alternative and comparison!

Buy Sancerre Wines from Hourlier Wines

Sancerre Rosé is a rarity. Although most producers in the area make at least a few cases of pale, salmon-hued wine, this style is rarely seen in international markets. The rosé, though, is of extraordinary quality. It has tart red fruit aromas and piercing acidity, making it a lovely stand-alone sipper that’s also compatible with a wide range of food, from fried shrimp to oysters.

Kevin et Christian Lauverjat Moulin des Vrilleres Sancerre Rose

With twelve hectares of thirty-year-old vines in Sury-en-Vaux, a small village within the AOC, Karine, Christian and Kévin Lauverjat craft spectacular wine in all styles. Their Pinot Noir rosé is made with the saignée method for a salmon-hued beauty that displays red berries and flint on the nose. The palate is spicy and fruity and has the most enticing tartness. Enjoy at 10°C with small plates and friends. 

Sancerre Rouge is not nearly as famous as the appellation’s white wine, but it’s just as impressive. These are young, vibrant wines made with Pinot Noir, not as contemplative as what you’d find in Burgundy’s Côte d’Or, but equally enjoyable.

Christian Lauverjat Moulin des Vrilleres Coeur a Prendre

The Lauverjat family crafts this beautiful red wine with grapes from their oldest vines. The wine ages for 10 months in old oak and is released to the market 18 months after the vintage. The “Heart to Take” offers fine, powdery tannins supporting scents reminiscent of black cherries and undergrowth. Enjoy this elegant wine at 16°C. 

Sancerre Blanc is the region’s flagship wine style. Sauvignon Blanc feels right at home in the area’s chalky soils and thrives in the relatively cold terroir. Sauvignon might have found new homes in suitable terroirs around the world, from Chile to New Zealand, but Sancerre white wine is instantly recognisable, and it’s still the grape’s most fabulous rendition.

Christian Lauverjat Moulin des Vrilleres Sancerre

The family-owned domaine makes this extraordinary Sauvignon Blanc with selected grapes from the Lauverjat’s distinct pots, gaining aromatic complexity and a layered palate. Delicate and fragrant, Moulin des Vrilleres Blanc offers white flowers and citrus peels on the nose over a mineral and refreshing palate with impressive length. This award-winning wine is best enjoyed at 10°C. 

Christian Lauverjat Moulin des Vrilleres Reserve du Demon

The Demon’s Reserve is an homage to the area’s nickname, “the country of the sorcerer.” And yes, there’s magic inside this bottle. The pale straw-coloured wine offers refined gardenia and peony aromas along with flint’s unmistakable scent. The palate is citrusy and lengthy, with attractive minerality and persistent acidity. This gold-medallist is a worthy example of white Sancerre, best enjoyed at 9°C. 

Christian Lauverjat Moulin des Vrilleres Perle Blanche

The “White Pearl” is Christian Lauverjat’s most esteemed cuvée. It’s made with Sauvignon grapes from old, fifty-five-yea-old vines planted in the appellation’s white soils. The pale gold wine brings forward scents redolent of white anemone and milkweed flowers, flinty minerality and dried citrus peels. The palate is textural and rich, offering almond and heather flavours and balancing acidity that extends long into the aftertaste. The concentrated white is best enjoyed at 10°C. 

Pair Sancerre with Food

The region's wines are a beautiful companion at the table -it’s the wine’s acidity and concentration that makes wines food-friendly, and all styles have plenty of both. These are the distinct styles of Sancerre and the food that goes with them - for balanced food and wine pairings, it has no equal.

Sancerre Blanc, AKA Sauvignon Blanc, is an excellent partner with raw seafood, including sushi, sashimi, tuna tartare and raw oysters. It pairs well with whitefish and shellfish as well, and it is goat cheese’s perfect pairing. The region is well known for crafting exciting goat’s cheese of its own!

Sancerre Rosé is a wonderful summer sipper. It has the same zingy acidity you’ll find in the region’s white wines, but you also get a lovely bouquet of tart red cherries and cranberries. The rosé is delightful on its own but pairs well with fried finger food, canapés, pâté and cured meats.

Sancerre Rouge, always made with Pinot Noir, is light-bodied and fruit-forward, often with silky tannins and defined fruit notes on the nose. This is an ideal partner for oily fish, including tuna, salmon and mackerel, and it will also pair well with roasted poultry and other white meat.