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Domaine Vacheron, Sancerre Blanc “Le Paradis”

Loire Valley, France 2017 (750mL)
$65.00
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Domaine Vacheron, Sancerre Blanc “Le Paradis”

In Sancerre, where there are no rankings attached to unique vineyard sites, the steep, south-facing “Les Monts Damnés” is the most famous ‘Grand Cru’ in the zone. And while heavy hitters such as Edmond Vatan and François Cotat grow this vineyard’s legend every year, another elite producer, Domaine Vacheron, has its own “damned mountain” to conquer and showcase.
Measuring just one hectare but sharing the same aspect, pitch, and soil composition with Les Monts Damnés, Vacheron’s “Le Paradis” vineyard may be lesser-known but is no less a paradise for profoundly mineral, age-worthy Sauvignon Blanc. SommSelect’s love for Vacheron is widely known by now—we’ve offered practically everything they make—but it’s still an extra-special occasion when we can get enough Le Paradis to offer our subscribers. Regardless of one’s wine expertise, the precise craftsmanship and substantial depth of this wine is instantly recognizable: It’s chiseled and polished to a high shine, like a marble statue. Bristling with energy now and poised for a long life in the cellar, today’s 2017 is a rare (but affordable) bird: We can offer up to six bottles per customer today until our small allocation runs out.
Our many Vacheron devotees know that an annual Le Paradis offering is not a certainty: The frost-shortened 2016 vintage produced an excellent wine, but not enough of it, but ’17 gave us both quality and quantity to work with. But of course, that’s all relative since Le Paradis only covers a single hectare. The Vacheron cousins, Jean-Laurent and Jean-Dominique, take a “Burgundian” approach in the vineyards and cellar, vinifying their wines parcel-by-parcel to showcase different terroir expressions. Most of their vineyards—34 hectares of Sauvignon Blanc and 11 of Pinot Noir—are planted on silex (flint), but the dramatically steep, south-facing “Le Paradis” is comprised of pure limestone, with topsoil so thin that vine roots burrow into fissures in the chalky ‘mother rock’ below. Stated simply, it is one of the most profoundly mineral wines you’ll ever taste.

Jean-Laurent and Jean-Dominique were relatively early adopters of biodynamic viticulture, having been certified back in 2005, and their natural approach is reflected in the purity and pulsating energy of their wines. They plow their soils, fertilize with natural compost, plant cover crops between the rows of vines, and hand-harvest much smaller yields than their neighbors. The pristine grapes are gently pressed then fermented with only natural yeasts in stainless steel and open-top wooden fermenters. The wine is then aged in a combination of large foudres and smaller barrels for 12 months, after which it is bottled unfined and unfiltered according to the lunar calendar.
 
The 2017 Le Paradis is a shimmering gem of a Sancerre, focused and tensile, with a straw-yellow core that moves to green and silver at the rim. The aromatics are as complex and concentrated as Sauvignon Blanc gets, with scents of citrus fruits, green melon, peach pit, gooseberry, honeysuckle and green mango peel checked by savory notes of sea salt, wet herbs and loads of chalky minerality. The palate delivers incredible power, electrifying depth and texture, and a mineral drive that is a true testament to this treasured site’s exceptional terroir. Although this wine is stunning in its current state, it will continue to age gracefully for a good 10 years (or more). When it comes time to pop a bottle, decant it 30 minutes before serving in all-purpose white stems at 50 degrees. Go for something refined and bright for the pairing, maybe some seafood prepared en papillote with lots of aromatic herbs. This isn’t a simple bistro Sancerre, but something else—a benchmark that leaves an indelible impression. Enjoy it!
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Country
France
Region
Loire Valley
Sub-Region
FranceSancerre
Soil
Limestone
Farming
Organic & Biodynamic
Blend
Sauvignon Blanc 100%
Alcohol
13.0
OAK
Used French
TEMP.
50-55
Glassware
All-Purpose Whites
Drinking
Now-2035
Decanting
30 Minutes
Pairing
Sole 'En Papillote' w/ Tomatoes & Olives

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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