Find out more...
Cave de la Petite Fontaine,
Chaudoux,
18300 Verdigny,
France
Tel: +33 (0)2 48 79 40 49
Getting There...
Sancerre is situated to the north east of Bourges, in the centre of France.
From Paris, take the A77 south. From the Channel ports, drive via Le Mans
and Orleans or Tours to Bourges, then on to Sancerre.
On Sacred Ground...
Our journey in search of the people and places behind the names gracing the labels of the regional wines of France now takes us to a relatively small area with a big reputation. We invite you to join us as we discover Sancerre.
At first glance the deception is perfect. The steeply-inclined vineyards, their warped geometry serving to emphasise the voluptuous contours of the landscape, a hazy sun sinking into a pale magenta dusk and finally, silhouetted high above a far hillside like a classic perched village of the Midi, is the dark outline of Sancerre. But we're not in the Languedoc, nor Provence. In fact, we're not even in the South. Our location turns out to be beside the Loire, not far to the north-east of Bourges, in the départément of Cher. But again, you wouldn't know it, judging by appearances.
The Michelin touring map shows an intriguing selection of green-coded scenic minor roads, but provides little hint of the hilly terrain to be found locally and whose visual impact is real enough when you encounter it for the first time. The dramatic effect is also intensified by the relative flatness of the surrounding landscapes, uninterrupted views across much of it being visible from the ramparts at the foot of the town's château. Look in the other direction, though, and the picture changes, as a sea of vines covers the hills and valleys which are home to the region's most famous product. The AOC growth area of Sancerre (defined in 1936) covers a total area of 2,457 hectares, of which 1,886 ha are planted with the Sauvignon Blanc vines which in a typical year will produce some 150,000 h/litres of the famous white wines. Around 6,000 vines are planted in each hectare, with a likely productive lifespan of 40-50 years. Much less well-known outside the region are the reds and rosés, around 30,000 h/litres of which are produced annually from 100% Pinot Noir plantings.
So much for cépage. But what really separates the drinking qualities of one region's produce from another's in no uncertain terms is the complex combination of climate and 'terroir' - the very land itself, both its soil and underlying geology. Climate-wise, the region is broadly temperate, continental-influenced and averaging around 1ºC in winter, with little risk of springtime frosts (1991 being a notable exception). Nothing exceptional there. Consider geology and soil, however, and a far more complex picture emerges. First there is the pebbly, limestone soil known locally as 'caillottes'. Next come the siliceous, clay-based soils which are found around the hills to the east. Finally there are the clay and limestones confined to the more western hills, a combination referred to around here as 'terres-blanches' as a simple comment on the residue left on the work-boots of those tending the vines after recent rainfall. The effects of this great diversity are particularly marked on the Sauvignon vine (known in the New World as Fumé Blanc), which is also widely planted throughout the south-west and in the Loire, both for solo varietal wines and for blending with Sémillon. The latter ploy is generally carried-out in order to provide more roundness (or less edge). Sancerre's great accomplishment, though, is to produce from Sauvignon alone fruity whites whose initial acidity is followed by a natural fruity roundness, an effect which has not gone unnoticed.
Wines have been produced here since ancient times, with documentary evidence from 582. By the 12th Century, an important local industry had developed, producing mainly reds (probably from Pinot Noir) which were exported on the Loire and found favour at the royal court. The Duc de Berry is on record as proclaiming Sancerre wines to be the finest produced anywhere in France. However, it took the phylloxera epidemic, which wiped out the local vineyards (along with most of Europe's) at the end of the 19th Century, to make way for the planting of new Sauvignon vines grafted onto disease-resistant rootstock. Thus were born the Sancerre wines which the world knows today. The appellation has long been regarded as one of the classiest of whites, and an essential component on better hotel and restaurant wine lists everywhere. Locally, however, in a clear acknowledgement of their subtly different drinking qualities, much attention is focused on the produce of the individual communes making up the overall appellation. Thus, the labels from tiny areas like Bannay, Bué, Crézancy, Ménétou-Ratel, Montigny, Verdigny, etc. each have their aficionados.
The wines of the Cave de la Petite Fontaine, in Chaudoux (Verdigny), give some idea of just what is being achieved today, in an age where the market is increasingly competitive and the average buyer has become accustomed to drinking younger and ever-fruitier wines. Emmanuel and Jean-Paul Fleuriet operate very much a family business, with plantations on both caillottes and terres-blanches soils. This year the enthusiasm is even greater, for 2001 shows all the signs of becoming a classic vintage, with ideal conditions for both ripening and picking (the vendange being completed on October 4th). The result should indeed be something to look forward to, for the family is adept at combining the best of the old tradition with the modern refinements which have so transformed the French wine industry in recent years. When expansion became necessary the earliest cave, an atmospheric survivor dating from 1735, provided the blueprint for two traditionally-constructed companions. Such surroundings provide a fittingly reverential setting for both work and tastings. Nearby I was shown the contrasting image of the fermentation area, a model of laboratory-standard cleanliness and environmental control.
These days, then, it's very much a case of science meets art, and with consistency being so vital a commodity, even the artisan producer has little option but to comply. The results, however, reveal that there still remains considerable scope for those who have something special to bring to their products. Add the advantage of terroir such as we find here and anything is possible. As usual we'll leave you to judge for yourself the drinking qualities of a modern Sancerre, with the proviso that you forget all the anecdotal baggage of the past and approach today's wines with an open mind. We think you'll be surprised at what you discover, whether you find it on the supermarket shelf or, better still, come here and immerse yourself in a little of the magic.
© Words and pictures Roger Moss
This feature first appeared in everything France magazine Issue 4
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