There are some wines that, however outstanding, always seem destined for a life of unsung mystery. While similarly complex Sauvignon Blanc-based wines from neighbors like Didier Dagueneau and Edmond Vatan climb in price and reputation, Marc Deschamps’ “Les Champs de Cri” remains a neglected and ridiculously underpriced gem.
With perfectly chiseled minerality, fathoms-deep stone and citrus fruit, and a riveting sense of grandeur, this is one of the region’s most compelling, yet affordable, whites. And in 2015, a vintage that will forever be blessed wherever you stepped foot in France, Deschamps created a trove of wines with never-before-seen levels of aromatics and texture. His are always mind-bending, one-of-a-kind expressions of Loire Valley terroir, but in 2015, this bottling becomes a master class in evocative French white wine. It miraculously combines the piercing minerality of top-tier Sancerre, the brooding mystery of mature Vouvray, and the depth of Grand Cru Chablis. It’s an absolute must for any Loire enthusiast.
[*PLEASE NOTE: Today’s wine is only available for pre-order and will ship from California the week of December 24th]
It’s fair to say that Pouilly-Fumé hasn’t been the most hip or ‘of-the-moment’ wine (other than Didier Dagueneau of course) for a few decades. So, until recently, when The Wine Advocate consecrated this property with an extremely flattering series of reviews, many wine professionals had never heard of Marc Deschamps. Marc is a low-key, bespectacled fellow who has spent the last 34 years quietly working the same small cluster of vineyards in the sleepy Loire Valley hamlet of Les Loges. As mainstream global tastes have pulled this region’s style further toward stainless steel sheen and the jolly rancher-like thumbprint of synthetic yeast fermentation, Marc has kept his heels firmly dug in, stubbornly adhering to the traditions of yesteryear. Marc farms a modest 8.5-hectare collection of vineyards rooted in Kimmeridgian marl (a.k.a. terre blanche) planted predominantly to Sauvignon Blanc and a small amount of Chasselas. Four of his parcels in the village of Les Loges are labeled under the Pouilly-Fumé appellation: “La Côte,” “Les Griottes,” “Les Vignes de Berge,” and finally, the most prized single vineyard, “Champs de Cri.” Champs de Cri’s “young” vines are 60 years old.
The autumn crush at Deschamps is 100% manual and definitively old school. There are no mechanical harvesters; just a few sets of hands methodically picking and sorting into small baskets. Fermentation of today’s wine occurs in neutral French oak barrels and only with the aid of the indigenous airborne yeasts in the vineyards and cellar. Unlike most neighboring properties in the Pouilly-Fumé AOC, there are no additives or packaged yeasts used here. This is an understated property and for Marc, time and patience—not technique or modern technology—are the two most important ingredients in his “recipe.” So, while the majority of this region’s wine is rushed to bottle in order to be a ‘first mover,’ Marc waits many months before even racking his wine off its lees sediment. It is then reunited with neutral French oak barrels before Marc brings them to his next-door neighbor’s cold basement, where they hibernate until the following autumn.
Thereafter, Marc wheels the barrels back across the driveway to his basement, where the wine is bottled and then rests for a long period before release. I cannot stress enough how much depth and character this slow, thoughtful process adds to the wine, and how important it is in terms of distinguishing Marc’s classic and extraordinarily complex style. There is just not a huge market for barrel-aged, late release Pouilly-Fumé—as a result, prior to the recent eruption in enthusiasm for Marc’s wines, there was little demand for his cuvées. But all of us at SommSelect recognize that this is a product of unwavering integrity and terroir expression, and we are grateful for it.
In the glass, Deschamps’ 2015 “Les Champs de Cri” shows a bright yellow core, transitioning to steely green and silver tones at the rim. With just a brief amount of air—we let it sit for 15 minutes in our glasses—it began bursting with notes of juicy kiwi, Meyer lemon, lime blossoms, gooseberry, pink grapefruit, green and yellow apples, white peony, crushed limestone, and white mushrooms. And still, these dominating notes, while center stage, don’t make up the entire show—there is a lovely amount of activity behind the curtains: Herbs, minerals, and delicate spices bow deeper and deeper as oxygen continues creeping in. The layered, medium-bodied palate, too, has so much going for it with unctuously ripe tropical and citrus fruits that seamlessly blend together on the deeply mineral, mouthwatering finish. I’ve said before that Deschamps wines, like the highest-quality white truffles or Armagnac, leave a lasting imprint, staying with you for hours. So, give it an appropriate send-off by decanting for 20-30 minutes prior to service in large Burgundy stems at 50-55 degrees. For pairing, grab a small wheel of chèvre to munch on while you prepare a creamy chicken dish with some ‘green’ added into the mix. It’s a simple and affordable way to dine exceptionally well.
