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2022 Sancerre
Daniel ChotardAt first, Daniel Chotard was a rather reluctant vigneron, returning to the family domaine only after pursuing a career in education. His son Simon, by contrast, dove right in, earning a degree in enology and eagerly continuing a family tradition that dates back two centuries. From their vineyards on the slopes around the village of Crézancy-en-Sancerre, Simon’s Sancerre is an honest, forthright expression of this classic region—crisp and refreshing, with a juicy ripeness imparted by the warm vintage.
—Dustin Soiseth
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2022 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Sauvignon Blanc |
Appellation: | Sancerre |
Country: | France |
Region: | Loire |
Producer: | Daniel Chotard |
Winemaker: | Simon Chotard |
Vineyard: | 10.51 ha, 5-65 years |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone, Kimmeridgian marl |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 13% |
More from this Producer or Region
2020 Sancerre “Hameau de Reigny”
France | Loire
Simon refers to Hameau de Reigny as a “nature” wine. The result is textured and tropical-fruited, yet not so much a departure from the region’s typicity, as rather, a riff on it.
2019 Sancerre Rouge “Champs d’Alligny”
France | Loire
Previously blended into the domaine’s Sancerre rouge, the Champs d’Alligny is now its own bottling, a successful experiment if there ever was one.
2021 Sancerre “Cuvée Marcel Henri”
France | Loire
Welcome to depth, complexity, understatement, finesse.
2020 Sancerre Champs d’Alligny
France | Loire
Previously blended into the domaine’s Sancerre rouge, the Champs d’Alligny is now its own bottling, a successful experiment if there ever was one.
2021 Sancerre “Les Coutones”
France | Loire
May Bianco ~ A fleshy, full-bodied Sancerre with great freshness and the ability to age in bottle for a few years after release.
2019 Chinon “Clos du Chêne Vert”
France | Loire
Chinons from Joguet are known for their firm minerality, but this one is quite charming as well, with plummy black fruit, myrtle, and notes of warm licorice.
2021 Sancerre “Les Cris”
France | Loire
Simply gorgeous, the Cris is sublimely perfumed, generous on the palate, and long and saline on the elegant finish.
2021 Sancerre Rouge
France | Loire
Chotard has crafted a delicious, complex, and elegant rouge that gives many village Burgundies a run for their money.
2020 Sancerre Rouge “Le Chant de l’Archet”
France | Loire
The Chotards are some of the lucky few who have Sancerre parcels that are ideal for growing Pinot Noir, and theirs have been planted to Pinot for well over fifty years, so the vines are at full maturity.
About The Producer
Daniel Chotard
About The Region
Loire
The defining feature of the Loire Valley, not surprisingly, is the Loire River. As the longest river in France, spanning more than 600 miles, this river connects seemingly disparate wine regions. Why else would Sancerre, with its Kimmeridgian limestone terroir be connected to Muscadet, an appellation that is 250 miles away?
Secondary in relevance to the historical, climatic, environmental, and cultural importance of the river are the wines and châteaux of the Jardin de la France. The kings and nobility of France built many hundreds of châteaux in the Loire but wine preceded the arrival of the noblesse and has since out-lived them as well.
Diversity abounds in the Loire. The aforementioned Kimmderidgian limestone of Sancerre is also found in Chablis. Chinon, Bourgueil, and Saumur boast the presence of tuffeau, a type of limestone unique to the Loire that has a yellowish tinge and a chalky texture. Savennières has schist, while Muscadet has volcanic, granite, and serpentinite based soils. In addition to geologic diversity, many, grape varieties are grown there too: Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, and Melon de Bourgogne are most prevalent, but (to name a few) Pinot Gris, Grolleau, Pinot Noir, Pineau d’Aunis, and Folle Blanche are also planted. These myriad of viticultural influences leads to the high quality production of every type of wine: red, white, rosé, sparkling, and dessert.
Like the Rhône and Provence, some of Kermit’s first imports came from the Loire, most notably the wines of Charles Joguet and Château d’Epiré—two producers who are featured in Kermit’s book Adventures on the Wine Route and with whom we still work today.
More from Loire or France
2022 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2020 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Cheverny
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2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
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2022 Sancerre HALF BOTTLE
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
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2023 Reuilly “Les Pierres Plates”
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2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
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2022 Sancerre Rosé “Le Colombier”
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2022 Chinon Rosé
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
Vouvray Brut
Champalou France | Loire
2022 Jasnières
Pascal Janvier France | Loire
2020 Chinon “La Croix Boissée”
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2022 Cheverny
Domaine du Salvard France | Loire
2022 Quincy “Vieilles Vignes”
Domaine Trotereau France | Loire
2022 Sancerre HALF BOTTLE
Domaine Hippolyte Reverdy France | Loire
2022 Muscadet Côtes de Grand Lieu sur lie “La Nöe”
Éric Chevalier France | Loire
2023 Reuilly “Les Pierres Plates”
Domaine de Reuilly France | Loire
2019 Saumur Blanc “L’Insolite”
Thierry Germain France | Loire
2022 Sancerre Rosé “Le Colombier”
Domaine Roger Neveu France | Loire
2022 Chinon Rosé
Bernard Baudry France | Loire
2020 Vouvray “La Dilettante”
Catherine & Pierre Breton France | Loire
Vouvray Brut
Champalou France | Loire
Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171