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Gérard Boulay, Sancerre Rosé

Loire Valley, France 2014 (750mL)
$32.00
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Fruit
Earth
Body
Tannin
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Alcohol
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Gérard Boulay, Sancerre Rosé


Gérard Boulay bottles some of the most soul-stirring wines in the famed appellation of Sancerre. The estate enjoys a passionate cult-collector following and constant flattery from the global wine press. The family has been hand-tending vines from the celebrated Sancerre village of Chavignol since the 1380’s. Their steep, magnificent sites are worked by hand and with strict organic viticulture practices. The village boasts, “Terre Blanche,” soils, which are named for the white, chalk-rich soils that are strikingly similar to those found in Burgundy – hence the terroir’s affinity for the Pinot Noir varietal. Gérard Boulay is known as one of the most stoic and hard-working vignerons in the area—these character traits serve him well when farming some of the steepest and most dangerous vineyards in the region.
 
The Pinot Noir for this stunning wine is directly pressed into rosé—it is not merely an afterthought of red wine production. The vines range in age from 35-40 years old and are harvested manually. Gérard’s attitude towards vineyard management and winemaking is all about respecting the naturally-occurring processes. He works the vines by hand and then takes a very hands-off approach when it comes to fermentation. The grapes do not see any added yeast because Boulay insists on using only natural yeast, and a very minimal amount of sulfur dioxide is added. The wine is then fermented and aged in stainless steel tanks, which allows the wine to reveal its exquisite natural purity. The result is an absolute pleasure to drink and lends a unique sensory profile that wine professionals cannot stop raving about.
 
In the glass, this wine displays a pale salmon core with slight orange reflections on the rim. Intense, vivid aromatics of freshly picked, under-ripe red cherry, orange zest, green peach and a touch of pomegranate are elevated by notes of wet rose petals, lime blossoms and distinct chalk and oyster shell minerality. The medium-bodied palate enchants with its incredibly fine chalk-laden minerals that take the senses on a joy ride of refreshing acidity, ample concentration of flavors reminiscent of the nose and into a long, complex finish. Do not serve this wine too cold or the exquisite texture and aromatic complexity will not see full justice. Serve a touch warmer, around 50 degrees, in Burgundy stems for optimal results. Although this wine is ready to dazzle, it has a long life ahead of it and will easily age for another 5-10 years and beyond if kept well.
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Country
France
Region
Loire Valley
Sub-Region
FranceSancerre
Soil
Silex and Limestone
Farming
Organic
Blend
Pinot Noir
Alcohol
12.5
OAK
None

France

Bourgogne

Beaujolais

Enjoying the greatest wines of Beaujolais starts, as it usually does, with the lay of the land. In Beaujolais, 10 localities have been given their own AOC (Appellation of Controlled Origin) designation. They are: Saint Amour; Juliénas; Chénas; Moulin-à Vent; Fleurie; Chiroubles; Morgon; Régnié; Côte de Brouilly; and Brouilly.

Southwestern France

Bordeaux

Bordeaux surrounds two rivers, the Dordogne and Garonne, which intersect north of the city of Bordeaux to form the Gironde Estuary, which empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The region is at the 45th parallel (California’s Napa Valley is at the38th), with a mild, Atlantic-influenced climate enabling the maturation of late-ripening varieties.

Central France

Loire Valley

The Loire is France’s longest river (634 miles), originating in the southerly Cévennes Mountains, flowing north towards Paris, then curving westward and emptying into the Atlantic Ocean near Nantes. The Loire and its tributaries cover a huge swath of central France, with most of the wine appellations on an east-west stretch at47 degrees north (the same latitude as Burgundy).

Northeastern France

Alsace

Alsace, in Northeastern France, is one of the most geologically diverse wine regions in the world, with vineyards running from the foothills of theVosges Mountains down to the Rhine River Valley below.

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