Domaine Vacheron is well-known to many of our subscribers: At one point or another, we’ve probably offered every wine they make. Widely considered a standard-bearer in the Sancerre AOC, this impeccable family estate is not only one of our go-to sources for steely, ethereal whites, but for reds from Pinot Noir that consistently transcend expectations for this grape in this place.
As much as we love the reds from Sancerre (we offer them often), it is typically a more feathery, smoky, cooler-climate cousin to red Burgundy—a wine to be drunk in its youth, not something to lay down for any length of time. Then there’s this 2015 from Vacheron, which takes Sancerre Rouge to another level—as in, a Chambolle-Musigny level. This isn’t the first time we’ve felt this way about this wine, but at a recent tasting there was immediate consensus: this is the best vintage of this wine we’ve ever tried, and a wine which, at a tasting that also included some noteworthy (and more-expensive) reds from Burgundy and elsewhere, this was the bottle everyone kept going back to. It is an exceptionally refined red wine that not only seduces now but clearly has the capacity to age, all at a price that seems too good to be true. But it is true. This wine is an absolute marvel, as is clear from the very first sip. It is not to be missed!
The combination of finesse, depth of flavor, and perfume in this 2015 is simply stunning. In the glass it’s a bright ruby with hints of pink and garnet at the rim, with explosive aromas of red raspberries, cherry kirsch liqueur, currants, pomegranate, orange zest, dried rose petals, warm spices, and a hint of crushed stones. There’s a sappy richness to the fruit—a hallmark of 2015 reds from all over Europe—but also a fine, filigree texture and tons of perfume on the finish. It is at once lush and tense, silky and nervy, and, as mentioned above, built more like a Chambolle-Musigny or Vosne-Romanée from Burgundy’s Côte de Nuits than the general population of Sancerre Rouge. I think this will age gracefully through its 10th birthday, but I doubt my stash will make it that long—it’s just too delicious to stay away from that long. Decant it 30 minutes before serving at 60 degrees in Burgundy stems, next to some soy-glazed salmon. If there are more than two of you, be sure to have more than one bottle on hand. This is a conversation-piece wine that will wow even your pickiest oenophile friends. Grab as much as you can afford—it’s worth it!