The world-famous appellation of Sancerre showcases the best expressions of mineral-driven Sauvignon Blancs and ageworthy Pinot Noirs with many Burgundian qualities—but what about the rosés found here? The best, Jean-Max Roger belonging to this group, have the uncanny ability to reach their most savory and complex examples, thanks to Pinot Noir deeply rooted in Sancerre’s uniquely ancient soils.
A rosé which could easily fit into the first few courses of any Michelin 3-starred tasting menu, “Les Grange Dîmière” delivers an aromatic experience that is wholly inimitable. With rose petals, crushed oyster shells, and minerality expressive of the terroir, this wine will have you reaching for bottle after bottle, while gaining subtle complexities with each additional year of aging. The 2017 is unlike any previous vintage we’ve offered, showing nervy energy and abundant mineral power that will age effortlessly for many years to come. In terms of texture, weight, and savory depth, this is always one of the more ‘serious players’ in the wide-reaching world of rosé, and it’s always priced right for repeat performances. I’m not sure how long we have to offer each new vintage before everyone has their “aha!” moment, but if they keep releasing brilliant, age-worthy rosé year in and year out, we’ll keep buying—you should too!
Today, Jean-Max and two of his sons, Etienne and Thibault, run this historic estate with a focus on tradition coupled with modern technology. The estate is based in Bué, one of the best villages in the Sancerre appellation, and the family, whose roots in the area date to the 1700s, has grown its holdings in Sancerre to 26 hectares. The centerpiece of the winery, referenced on the label of this rosé, is a centuries-old tithe barn (grange = ‘barn’) that was once used by farmers to hold produce they contributed to the local church (a tithe was a rent, or tax, taken by the church that typically amounted to 10 percent of the farm’s production).
Farming is sustainable and biodiverse, which leads to a thriving ecosystem that is teeming with life in the glass. Although only 20% of the Pinot Noir they cultivate is used for rosé production, the little they do produce is a magnificent example of Sancerre’s quintessential expression—grapes from vineyards in silex (flint) soils. Grapes are pressed immediately after hand harvesting and cold-macerated (skin contact prior to fermentation) for 24 hours before starting a natural fermentation that lasts over the course of several weeks. Following that, the wine ages for eight months (five on its lees) and is then fined and lightly filtered prior to bottling. There is a distinctive mineral component that deepens the impact of “La Grange Dîmière” and distinguishes it from most other rosés. This is not a cocktail wine; it really shines with food.
The new release of “La Grange Dîmière” shines a textbook salmon with brilliant platinum reflections and hints of orange. I recommend a minimum one-hour decant to blow off its tightly-wound energy before sticking your nose in and discovering redcurrants, white flowers, pomegranate seeds, rose petal, orange rind, watermelon rind, citrus blossoms, unripe strawberry, crushed oyster shell, and wet stones. Serve just under cellar temperature, not too cold, around 50-55 degrees in Burgundy stems (this is Pinot Noir, after all!). The palate hits you with mouthwatering layers of racy citrus and red berry fruit alongside a tidal wave of savory crushed rock minerality which seems to go on for minutes. Even better, this wine will improve with age and should be shining its brightest by 2020 and many years beyond that. We’ve previously said this is a ‘gastronomic’ wine that can be paired with a Thanksgiving turkey or even a Christmas ham, but if you can’t wait for the holidays, try the attached salmon dish baked with dill and lemon—it’s a perfect match for the waning summer months. Cheers!
