Jean-Max Roger’s ancestors have been nurturing the land and crafting wine in this charmed corner of the Loire Valley since the 1600’s. Today, Jean-Max and two of his sons, Etienne and Thibault, run the historic estate with an eye toward tradition coupled with modern technology. The family produces wine from Sancerre, Pouilly Fume as well as Menetou-Salon; each offers a distinct sense of place. Their farming practices are sustainable and biodiverse, which leads to a thriving ecosystem that creates a wine that is specially alive in the glass. Their incredibly small yields result in serious concentration of fruit and a profound reflection of the unique Caillottes terroir. The hand-harvested fruit is first gently pressed, then cold settled for 48-72 hours. The wine is slowly fermented on its natural yeasts, then aged on its lees. The end result achieves impeccable balance and a minerality that exists nowhere else in the world.

 

The 2014 Les Caillottes displays a concentrated straw-yellow core with a hint of green on the rim. The intensely aromatic nose reveals layers of passionfruit, gooseberry, yellow plums, grapefruit, lime blossoms, wild green herbs, a touch of honey, oyster shells and finely crushed white stones. With incredible concentrations the palate has beautiful texture and richness to the mid-palate more than its modest price point would suggest. With air, the mouthfeel gains body and reveals complex flavors that mirror the nose along with exotic, slightly tropical notes harmoniously balanced by fresh grapefruit, kaffir lime, lemon zest and distinct oyster shell and fine crushed white rock minerality. To enjoy, decant for one hour and serve at 50-55 degrees. An ideal wine to kick off the evening or pair alongside your first or even second course of the evening, we highly recommend you seek out Crottin de Chavignol - a goat cheese from a small village in Sancerre that delivers the taste experience Mother Nature hand-tailored for Sancerre Blanc - from your local cheese shop. For a pairing you’ll return to again and again, prepare the cheese and salad according to this recipe and serve underneath a bed of smoked salmon.